UNFI Foundation Annual Grant Program

UNFI Foundation Annual Grant Program is sponsored by UNFI Foundation. Awards grants to support organizations driving meaningful change in food system sustainability and equity, including climate-smart agriculture and food access innovations.

Funding Guidelines | UNFI Foundation Empowering Positive Change The UNFI Foundation awards grants annually by Invitation Only. Recipients must have a presence and influence positive change within communities in the United States or Canada. We partner with nonprofits that are driving meaningful change in our communities, supporting initiatives that create a more sustainable and equitable food system.

Climate Smart Agriculture Supporting regenerative producers who work hard every day to grow healthier food. Sustainably produced food means healthier soil, cleaner air, and more tasty, nutritious food for families.

For example: technical assistance, certification support, land access and restoration, capital access, market access, and research initiatives aimed at advancing regenerative agricultural practices and transitioning more acreage to regenerative practices. Improving food access in underserved areas through innovative programming and systems change.

The principal strategy for this focus area is wasted food prevention, but we are also interested in alternative distribution models, nutrition incentive programs, and other food as medicine approaches.

For example: efforts in wasted food prevention that reroute food to those in need Nourishing equity, inclusion, and justice in the food system through equitable food business development For example: efforts to support BIPOC and women-owned food entrepreneurs or efforts that support equitable food procurement Empowering local food economies for inclusive and resilient food systems.

For example: efforts that shift institutional procurement or efforts that create and support critical infrastructure such as food hubs and aggregators. The UNFI Foundation currently operates on a nomination-based system for our grant programs.

We do not accept unsolicited proposals and due to our small staff size, we are unable to schedule introductory meetings UNFI associates identify and nominate causes in their local communities, ensuring our grants reach organizations making a difference where our team members live and work. Our Foundation Ambassadors review nominations and extend invitations to apply for a grant to organizations who meet our funding priorities.

Our Foundation Grant Reviewers carefully evaluate and score all applications, ensuring alignment with our mission of promoting food system equity and sustainability. Grants are awarded annually, providing support to selected organizations for a one-year grant period.

Direct grants to individuals International organizations or projects Political campaigns and legislative lobbying efforts Projects that exclusively serve religious purposes Sponsorships, advertising, or fundraising