Chicago Region Food System Fund

Chicago Region Food System Fund is sponsored by Chicago Region Food System Fund. Supports increased capacity within a transformed food system in the Chicago region.

Chicago Region Food System Fund – Building Resilience in the Local Food System Response • Reinforcement • Resilience Strengthening the Food System and Building a Just Future The Chicago Region Food System Fund (CRFSF) provides grant funding to transform the local food system. Since its founding in 2020, it has awarded $26,498,600 to 220 nonprofit organizations working within a 200-mile radius from Chicago.

Led by the growers, producers, food workers, small businesses, gardeners, processors, and community members of all ages who comprise our food system, the Fund helps to shift the food system to one that is stronger and more values based. CRFSF is the only comprehensive, collaborative fund supporting the Chicago region’s food system.

Because it is community member led, the Fund addresses the system as a whole, rather than focusing on particular parts. Its model democratizes philanthropy by centering community members who make decisions about where funding is required. Fresh Taste, fiscally sponsored by Forefront, provides administrative management.

The CRFSF Steering Committee stewards the fund and guides the grantmaking process. Ensuring fairness and representation, community members make up the majority of the committee and serve as expert voices representing on-the-ground practitioners in the regional food system. Meet the Steering Committee “When times are easy and there’s plenty to go around, individual species can go it alone.

But when conditions are harsh and life is tenuous, it takes a team sworn to reciprocity to keep life going forward. ” Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Robin Wall Kimmerer, Author/Professor Open Call Round 2026: Supporting People in the Local Food System Applications are closed. Decisions will be announced in the fall.

The local food system’s greatest assets are the people who work every day toward a more just vision for how our region can grow, process, and distribute healthy, nutritious food. But people working in the system, and in agriculture and food-related businesses generally, are under immense pressure in a volatile landscape filled with uncertainty and stress.

In a just world they would be supported in their work by their communities, including by their organizations, leadership, and funders. Food system organizations are able to sustain well-executed programs due to excellent staffing. Salary support is key to organizational sustainability and success.

Food system organizations are only able to develop leaders and innovative thinkers by supporting and recognizing their teams. Chicago Region Food System Fund grantees have clearly articulated their staffing challenges and needs. The current round of funding responds directly to this feedback.

This round supports staff in order to support strong, resilient organizations within the food system. Only 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscal sponsors are eligible to apply.

However, organizations that lack that status may engage in projects in two ways: Community associations such as block clubs or emerging projects that have not yet secured nonprofit status (or don’t plan to) may partner with established non-profits that can support the work as a program expense or through a fiscal sponsorship relationship.

Food system businesses may execute project work through a vendor contract with a 501(c)(3) organization. The 501(c)(3) partner must be the applicant to the Fund. This round of funding is open to any eligible organization.

Previous CRFSF grantees are welcome to apply. Organizations may submit only one application. Fiscal sponsors or 501(c)(3)s acting as fiscal sponsors may submit multiple applications as needed.

GEOGRAPHY —The Chicago Region Food System Fund focuses on strengthening the Chicago foodshed, defined as the City of Chicago and the surrounding region within approximately a 200-mile radius. This includes both urban and rural areas that contribute to the resilience of the regional food system.

Learn More About Eligibility Online Application System Emails from CRFSF related to your application will come from one of two email addresses: foodsystem@freshtaste. org or “Forefront <administrator@grantinterface. com>”.

You may want to add the addresses to your address book. If you have any questions about your application or the online application system, email foodsystem@freshtaste. org .

The Forefront email address listed above is unmonitored. The Chicago Region Food System Fund welcomes additional support for this important work. *Donate online by credit card for amounts $5 to $4,999 .

If you have questions about donating, want to discuss a major gift of $5,000 or greater, or prefer to donate via check or ACH, please email foodsystem@freshtaste. org . Amanda Hanley Climate Justice Fund Builders Vision Philanthropy Lumpkin Family Foundation The fund was created through the generosity of the founding donors with an initial investment of $4.

2M in June 2020. The Fund would not exist without this bedrock of support at the height of uncertainty early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Amanda Hanley Climate Fund Builders Vision Philanthropy Crown Family Philanthropies James F.

Beré Family Fund Lumpkin Family Foundation Walter S. Mander Foundation StoryCorps: Chicago Region Food System Fund Applications Open For $3. 57 Million In Grants From The Chicago Region Food System Fund ***Grantmaking Focuses on Supporting People in the Local Food System*** ***Applications Due July 13; Informational Webinar June 15*** For Immediate Release: Over $4.

7 Million in Grants Awarded by the Chicago Region Food System Fund in 2025 Heard At The Forum: We Can’t Do It Alone: Models for Food System Resilience Investigate Midwest: Trump’s deportations are causing farm labor issues. He hasn’t presented a viable, long-term solution Investigate Midwest: Threat of ICE raids shadows every shift in Chicago’s food warehouses Investigate Midwest: Immigrants helped save this Illinois meatpacking town.

Trump cut hundreds from its workforce Crain’s Chicago Business: Philanthropic collaboration can feed our food system: Opinion | Crain’s Chicago Business Crain’s Chicago Business: Commentary: U.S. has a food crisis. Here’s what Illinois can do. For Immediate Release: Applications Open for New Round of $3.

85 Million in Grants from the Chicago Region Food System Fund Loyola University of Chicago: Loyola Researchers Offer Insights for Enhancing Collaborations to Support Food Security Happy New Year from the Chicago Region Food System Fund!

For Immediate Release: $ 300,000 Awarded by the Chicago Region Food System Fund to Support Community Unity through Food Initiative ***Grants Support Better Preparing the Food System for Future Emergencies*** For Immediate Release: $3 Million Awarded by the Chicago Region Food System Fund ***Grants Support Better Preparing the Food System for Future Emergencies*** The Daily Northwestern: Leveraging grants and local partnerships, Evanston Latinos looks to open community kitchen pilot in June Springfield Herald News: Saving Illinois farms through equity and sustainability Newcity: Applications Open For $3 Million In Grants From Chicago Region Food System Fund For Immediate Release: Applications Open for New Round of $3 Million in Grants from the Chicago Region Food System Fund ***Grant Round Focuses On Better Preparing the Food System for Future Emergencies*** ***Applications Due March 11; Informational Webinar February 14*** Investigate Midwest: Investigate Midwest expands coverage to Illinois statehouse Decantur Tribune: Good Samaritan Inn receives $75,000 grant from Chicago Region Food System Fund For Immediate Release: 3.

8 Million Awarded by the Chicago Region Food System Fund ***Grants Support Food System Resilience and Adaptability*** For Immediate Release: Applications Open for New Round of $3.

8 Million in Grants from the Chicago Region Food System Fund “Grow Local and Regional Food System Resources” Grant Round Enhances the Resilience and Adaptability of the Food System If you have any questions about the Chicago Region Food System Fund, including support for applications, email foodsystem@freshtaste. org or call 773-944-5100 . CRFSF is fiscally sponsored by Forefront.

Correspondence related to grantees’ annual audits can be sent to: Forefront, C/O Impact House, 200 W. Madison St. , 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606 or emailed to foodsystem@freshtaste.

org . Photos courtesy of Gardeneers, SkyART, Evanston Grows, Allies for Community Business, and Chinese American Service League. Media inquiries—Please contact Brandon Hayes, Founder, Bold Bison Communications & Consulting at press@boldbison.

com .