245 food pantries receive $4.05 million in
emergency funding from State of Colorado
Aid purchase and distribution of Colorado-grown produce and nutrient-dense foods
The Governor’s Office, Colorado Department of Human Services, and Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger have come together to announce the distribution of $4.05 million in emergency funding from the State of Colorado to a total of 245 food pantries. View a full list of grant awards by region.
Food pantries across Colorado are experiencing increased demand within their communities. In addition to the continued impacts of inflation, the recent reduction in benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – related to the end of the public health emergency – has led to more families and individuals turning to food pantries for food assistance and nutritional support.
Recognizing the ongoing need in Colorado communities, state lawmakers and Gov. Polis allocated additional funding for quick release to local organizations that directly provide access to food in their communities. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) redirected $14 million in supplemental state funding specifically for food banks and food pantries this year. The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger (Blueprint), a collective impact organization focused on shifting power dynamics and building capacity in communities, is distributing $4.05 million of those funds through its existing Food Pantry Assistance Grant (FPAG) program.
“This important support is part of our work to make sure Coloradans have access to healthy food in their communities and the resources and support they need to thrive,” said Gov. Polis.
The grant distribution program exists to support organizations working directly in Colorado communities so everyone can access healthy food options near where they live. Hunger Free Colorado led its establishment in 2018, with support from its Colorado Food Pantry Network, the state legislature, and then-Governor Hickenlooper. In 2020, enacted legislation made CDHS the grant administrator and expanded market opportunities for Colorado’s agricultural products.
Grant opportunities continue to be open to all food pantries in the state, with a focus on purchasing meat, dairy, and fresh produce from local farmers, ranchers, and producers. This current grant cycle also focuses on expanding access to culturally relevant and nutritionally appropriate foods.
“All of the food pantries awarded funding align with the program goals and our commitment to equity,” shared Dana Wood, the Blueprint’s Community Investment Manager. “By working with CDHS and the Governor’s office to distribute these grants, we’re moving closer towards our vision of a Colorado where everyone who lives here can access the food they choose, where they want it, and when they need it.”
Nearly 300 food pantries across the state applied for FPAG funding, with the combined requests totaling more than $9.8 million. Sixty-one current grantees, who sought the same grant award amount as 2022 - 2023, will receive funding immediately. The remaining 237 applications included new applicants for FPAG, past grantees, and current grantees seeking more funds. Collectively, these food pantries sought nearly $8.8 million in funding, with the average request amounting to $37,675 per applicant.
BACKGROUND ON 2023 GRANT CYCLE
To ensure ongoing access to food for community members, particularly those impacted by the end of SNAP emergency allotments, state lawmakers and the Governor’s Office have allocated additional funding to be released quickly to community organizations that provide charitable food. The State of Colorado has provided $14 million in supplemental funding for food banks and food pantries in 2023.
To get funding to food pantries quickly and efficiently, the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger will distribute $4.05 million to food pantries through its existing Food Pantry Assistance Grant (FPAG pipeline. This is likely the only round of funding for the 2023 - 2024 cycle.
FPAG was created to support organizations working directly in their communities to ensure that everyone has access to healthy food options near where they live. The new funding is intended to help meet increased need in Colorado communities as SNAP benefits have decreased significantly for families and individuals. Individual food pantries can request $2,500 - $50,000, and groups can request $51,000 - $100,000.
Specifically, the new grants hope to aid food pantries in the purchase and distribution of Colorado-grown produce, products, and nutrient-dense foods as well as to expand access to culturally relevant and nutritionally appropriate foods. It cannot supplant other current or future funds, such as existing rent costs, repair expenses, or general overhead. Such a focus ensures that the charitable food system is grounded in equity and responsive to existing community needs.
This grant opportunity is open to all food pantries in Colorado, including:
Current FPAG grantees for 2022 - 2023 who need supplemental funding
Past grantees and those who have never applied before who seek funding for 2023 - 2024
Funding Eligibility & Other Info
Funding available: $4.05 million
Individual request range: $2,500 - $50,000
Group request range: $51,000 - $100,000*
*Note: Food pantries cannot apply both as an individual and as an organization in a group application. Only the group application will be considered in those cases.
Timeline: The application will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, and close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10. Awards will be announced on May 22, 2023.
To apply: You must submit your application via the official FPAG application online between April 26 - May 10. You can make a copy of the application template to draft your responses and then copy and paste responses into the Google Form to submit. Applications will not be accepted in any other way (e.g. mailed, emailed, Google Documents, Microsoft Word or PDF). Once you submit this application, a copy will be emailed to you.
After you apply: A team of community reviewers from your area will review applications and make award determinations.
Current FPAG grantees:
Current FPAG grantees may be eligible for an expedited award process. You will not need to complete a full application if applying for the same FPAG award amount as 2022 - 2023 since your food pantry underwent a community review process within the past year and instead only need to answer a limited number of questions addressing their capacity and local need.
If current grantees would like to apply for a different award amount, they will have to complete the full application and undergo the standard community review process. The requested amount of supplemental funding is not guaranteed.
Those applying for the same amount of FPAG funding must still answer the following questions in the application form to confirm eligibility for the supplemental grants:
Is your food pantry experiencing increased need, and would the additional supplemental funding support your community?
Can you spend down at least 50% of the supplemental funds by Auguest 30, 2023 and the remainder by June 30, 2024? (Important note: If at least 50% is not spent by August 30, then the remainder of the award will be forfeited.)
New FPAG applicants or past recipients not currently receiving funds:
This grant is open to all food pantries that meet the following requirements as defined by CRS 26-2-139. To be eligible to apply, you must:
Be a food pantry. "Food pantry" means an individual site that buys food or receives donations of foods that are then directly distributed to those in its community. This includes faith-based organizations.
To the extent practicable, food purchased by grant recipients using this money should be designated to one of the following:
A Colorado agricultural product; or
An agricultural product that holds cultural significance for Indigenous First Nations people, or for other cultures of subcultural groups, including the ways in which those agricultural products are produced (like halal or bison as examples).
80 percent of all funding must be spent on food purchases (locally in Colorado, when possible).
20 percent can be spent on direct and indirect non-food expenses associated with the direct distribution of this supplemental funding.
At least 50 percent of this supplemental award must be spent by Auguest 30, 2023. (Important note: If at least 50 percent of funding is not spent by August 30, then the remainder of the award will be forfeited.)
The entirety of the supplemental funding must be spent by June 30, 2024.
Preferred requirement: Have equitable strategies in place to co-create solutions to food access issues with communities served.
Note: Only “food pantries” are eligible for this supplemental FPAG funding since “food banks” have already been awarded other funding. Organizations serving Jefferson County only and receiving funding from The Community First Foundation's Jefferson County Food Pantry Assistance Grant will not be prioritized for this funding but may still apply.