The Growing Justice Fund is a collaborative effort aimed at advancing equity in the food system by investing in efforts to solidify the leadership, dignity, and power of Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant people to identify and drive solutions that expand the market for good food purchasing. Through grants of up to $250,000, we support organizations working to strengthen food chains, build local wealth, and promote good food purchasing.
GROWING JUSTICE FUND envisions a future in which Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant people engaged in food markets as suppliers, producers, distributors, workers, and eaters at community-serving institutions are economically and physically thriving thanks in part to efforts by community-serving institutions to prioritize equitable good food purchasing, and are able to access larger percentages of food buying revenue. The Fund is designed to support the marginalized sector’s entry into large-scale purchasing opportunities, helping them gain economic viability and equitable access to opportunities.
Million dollars to be distributed in the next 10 years
Grant Applications received 2023-2024
Organizations funded 2023-2024
Million dollars distributed 2023-2024
The Growing Justice Fund offers grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 to support community-led initiatives that advance equitable food purchasing. These grants empower Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities engaged in food markets to secure institutional contracts and gain economic viability. Through large-scale purchasing opportunities with community-serving institutions—such as schools, hospitals, and elder care centers—these grants foster equitable access to food buying revenue and help build wealth in historically marginalized communities.
Planning Grants (up to $25,000) help organizations in the early stages of project development by funding strategic research, stakeholder engagement, partnership building, and project planning. These grants lay the groundwork for future implementation by strengthening leadership and preparing for sustainable initiatives.
Implementation Grants (ranging from $50,000 to $250,000) are designed for fully developed projects ready to scale. These grants focus on building infrastructure for equitable food purchasing, supporting diverse good food producers, food hubs, cooperatives, and policy and organizing advocates, ensuring that these communities thrive as key players in institutional markets.
Eligible applicants include community-led organizations, community-based organizations, Tribal Nations, or the instrumentalities of Tribal Nations, and other leaders that are:
Please note that only 501(c)(3) organizations, or those with a fiscal sponsor that holds a 501(c)(3) status, will be eligible to receive funding through the Growing Justice Fund.
The Fund seeks to support organizations that have been active in the food chain for at least the past two years* and organizations that have existing partnerships or aspire to build partnerships with others in the food chain.
*While we encourage applicants with at least two years of engagement in the food chain, this eligibility criterion is not required for planning grant applicants. The planning grant will be accessible to smaller organizations, emerging coalitions, and those in the process of movement-building.
Support for diverse good food producers, manufacturers, aggregators, small processors, and distributors to enter the institutional market and/or expand their business with institutions. These entities should be dedicated to specific community-serving institutions.
Support for community coalitions and organizations that build power to educate, engage, and mobilize communities in efforts that inform and influence public awareness, institutional practices, and educate government decision-makers around good food purchasing.
Support for inter- and intra-Nation work, including within Tribal Nations and across Tribal Nations, to increase food production and distribution for their direct communities, as well as distribution efforts to non-Tribal institutions serving Tribal and native peoples.
The application period for the Growing Justice Fund begins, and interested organizations can start submitting proposals.
The deadline to submit the Eligibility Quiz for the Growing Justice Fund closes at 5pm PT/8pm ET, and no further submissions will be accepted. This step is required to submit an application.
The deadline to submit applications for the Growing Justice Fund closes at 5pm PT/8pm ET, and no further submissions will be accepted.
Applications are carefully reviewed by the Growing Justice Fund team to assess alignment with the fund’s priorities and eligibility criteria.
After a thorough evaluation, the selected grantees for the Growing Justice Fund are chosen. Funds will be distributed in December.
The final grantees are publicly announced, while grantees begin preparations for implementation of grant funds.
In 2024, GROWING JUSTICE awarded over $5 million in grants to 36 organizations working to transform food systems in their Tribes, regions and communities.
Eligible grantseekers may need fiscal sponsorship to apply. The Growing Justice Fund has compiled the following resources about the process of finding and selecting an appropriate fiscal sponsor.
DIRECTORIES
HOW-TO
All eligible grantseekers are considered a “good fit” for Growing Justice Fund’s grantmaking and are encouraged to apply. To determine your eligibility, we strongly encourage you to complete the Eligibility Quiz as a first step. For more information, please review the “Who is Eligible to Apply” section. We also recommend reviewing “Our Funding Priorities” listed in the announcement and on our website: www.growingjusticefund.org.
Three informational webinars will be held for grantseekers in September. Registration information for each webinar is included below. Each webinar will discuss eligibility criteria and how to submit a complete and effective application aligned with the vision, values, and purpose of the Growing Justice Fund. Each webinar will be slightly focused around one of our three priority areas–we highly recommend you attend the one that best fits your priority area, however you are welcome to attend any session(s) you would like. A recording of the webinar will be available to all registrants. Click below to register.
Large institutions–such as schools, hospitals, and public agencies–are strongly encouraged to partner with an applicant who meets the eligibility criteria and will serve as the project lead.
Please refer to the eligibility section of our Request for Proposals for more specific eligibility information.
Yes, with a partner. Organizations that are NOT registered as 501(c)(3) nonprofit or government equivalent. Eligible applicants must be recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), government equivalent, or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity.
Social enterprises–such as small food production or distribution businesses–are strongly encouraged to apply.
Please refer to our eligibility section of our Request for Proposals for more specific eligibility information.
Growing Justice Fund funds are guided by the limits to philanthropic funding of tax-exempt organizations, such as 501c3 organizations. The Growing Justice Fund aims to support community-defined needs and has not imposed additional restrictions at this time. Applicants are encouraged to include information about how proposed activities will support equitable good food purchasing in service to the vision and values of the Growing Justice Fund.
Applications are due Tuesday, October 14th, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET.
Grant seekers are strongly encouraged to complete the Eligibility Quiz by Monday, October 6th, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET to allow ample time to receive an invitation and submit an application.
The Growing Justice Fund aims to select grantees by mid-December and publicly announce grantees by early January 2026.
Growing Justice Fund grants can be issued for 1-2 years for implementation grants and up to one year for planning grants. Applicants should specify the requested time duration in their proposals.
Many grantseekers will work with partners across the food chain to submit proposals to advance equitable good food procurement. We applaud these efforts! These grantseekers should ensure that the project lead meets all the eligibility criteria and that the partners are listed as part of the “team” in the application.
The Growing Justice Fund is actively adjusting our reporting requirements for 2025 grantees. Reporting will include a limited narrative report and quantitative metrics self-selected by grantees, budget, and virtual check-ins and/or onsite visits as determined. For further information or clarification, please contact support@growingjusticefund.org.
Yes, if the work involves organizations whose primary function is NOT operating a food pantry, food bank, or emergency food distribution program (e.g., distributing food boxes directly to individuals or households).
The Growing Justice Fund is focused on building infrastructure for equitable food procurement that shifts power dynamics in the food system. We prioritize projects that create long-term, systemic change by helping BIPOC producers engage with sustainable, market-driven opportunities, particularly through institutions like schools and hospitals, rather than relying solely on charitable food systems.
That said, organizations, including farmer groups and aggregators, that have been selling into the LFPA program are welcome to apply as long as they also work with or target institutional markets outside of charitable food as a long-term strategy and seek funding for that particular portion of their work. Our focus is on projects that help BIPOC producers engage in institutional purchasing channels that generate lasting economic impact while embodying equitable good food values (e.g., environmentally-conscious, fair/safe labor standards and wages, etc.).
No.
While our grant program may support projects operating within school settings or involving farm to school components, our primary focus is on significant, sustained institutional purchasing—not on educational or promotional activities alone (such as taste tests or school garden visits). We are seeking to fund efforts that result in meaningful, recurring procurement relationships–based on two or more of our values (link)–that support values-based food chains and deliver real economic benefit to producers.
Some farm to school initiatives do engage in larger-scale purchasing and may qualify if they demonstrate ongoing, high-volume commitments (not just one-off pilots or small discretionary buys). We encourage applicants to describe how their work supports consistent, equitable market access for producers through institutional contracts or purchasing programs that go beyond classroom engagement.
No.
Our grant program does not fund direct-to-consumer or direct market efforts such as farmers markets, CSAs, or sales to individual restaurants or small retailers. Our focus is on institutional procurement—defined as high-volume, values-based purchasing by entities like schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, food banks, or other public/private institutions.
That said, we recognize that in some cases, what might appear to be a direct market channel, such as a restaurant or community food business, may act as an intermediary within an institutional purchasing chain. For example, a mission-driven restaurant or caterer may aggregate food from local producers and deliver it to a school district, hospital, or other institution under a larger procurement contract. In such cases, the work may be eligible if there is a clear connection to institutional buyers and a demonstrated impact on sustained purchasing from producers.
The Growing Justice Fund supports work that takes place within the United States, U.S. territories (such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), or on Native land recognized as part of a sovereign Tribal Nation.* We are unable to fund work outside of these regions.
*Note: We recognize and respect the sovereignty of Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples whose ancestral and current homelands may not align with U.S.-defined borders.
Thank you for your interest in the Growing Justice Fund. While you may not be eligible for this specific opportunity, we deeply value the work you are doing. We encourage you to stay connected with us, as we occasionally share new funding opportunities and resources that align with our mission. In the meantime, you may find relevant opportunities through broader platforms like JustFund and Philanthropy News Digest. You’re also welcome to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media if you’d like to stay on our radar for future opportunities or collaborations.
Additional Funding Opportunities:
Get started on your Growing Justice application today!
For any additional questions, please contact support@growingjusticefund.org.
Si desea solicitar el Fondo en un idioma distinto del inglés, póngase en contacto con support@growingjusticefund.org para obtener información sobre la solicitud en el idioma específico.
Yog tias koj xav ua ntawv thov Pob Nyiaj no ua hom lus uas tsis yog Lus Askiv, thov tiv tauj rau support@growingjusticefund.org hais txog rau cov ntaub ntawv qhia paub txog kev ua daim ntawv thov uas ib hom lus tshwj xeeb twg.
GROWING JUSTICE FUND is a pooled fund co-created by Native and BIPOC food systems leaders to shift power to communities to strengthen local and regional supply chains through investment in values-based institutional purchasing.
