Food Security Request for Proposals

We are currently meeting with applicants and look forward to announcing our partner programs addressing food insecurity in Olmsted County soon!

 

Food Security Request for Proposals  

United Way is working to bring an end to inequity in Olmsted County and help people reach their potential. Ensuring access to healthy and culturally relevant foods is a critical for creating conditions in which everyone in our community can thrive. 

Food insecurity is often referred to as hunger, but it is so much than the physical feeling someone has when they don’t have food. Food insecurity is defined as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways” (USDA, n.d.). Food insecurity can take many forms including worry that food will run out, purchased food will not last, meal sizes are cut or a meal is skipped, family members eat less than they should or the family cannot afford a balanced meal.

The COVID-19 pandemic reversed progress in food security made in the last 2 decades. This is especially true for people who were already struggling to make ends meet. Across Minnesota, visits to food shelves in 2022 increased by 55%, including a 39% increase in visits by seniors. In Olmsted County, visits to food shelves increased by 64% (Hunger Free Minnesota, 2023). Moreover, stark disparities in financial stability are evident throughout Minnesota and Olmsted County. A far greater proportion of residents who are Black (25%), Indigenous (31%), or Hispanic/Latino (16%) earn incomes below the Federal Poverty Level compared to white residents (7%; U.S. Census 2021a). Consequently, these community members are also more likely to experience food insecurity.

Special thank you to Matthew Gabb, Kelly Kirkpatrick, and others who contributed to the Olmsted County Food Security Assessment, of which we relied heavily on to understand the food systems in Olmsted County. You can find the report here.

What We’re Funding: 

We seek to invest in local non-profit programs that provide access to high-quality, nutritious, and culturally relevant foods through at least one of following program delivery methods:

  • Food banks, shelves, and pantries
  • Culturally-responsive and/or location-based supplemental food programs
  • Meal delivery, mobile pantries, and congregate dining programs
  • Community-based access to fruits and vegetables 

Programs are required to primarily serve residents with low-incomes (generally < 185% FPL) who are experiencing barriers to food security. See our supporting research for examples of eligible programs.

Additional investment details: 

  • We anticipate making awards to 4-6 programs that improve food security for residents of Olmsted County  

  • Food security grants provide unrestricted program-level funding. Funds are intended to be used for general program operations in alignment with your proposal. Funds are not restricted to any specific line item or program activity.  

How to Apply: 

Thank you for your interest in applying to the food Security Grant. We are no longer accepting applications at this time. 

Proposals will be evaluated by a team of community volunteers, in coordination with United Way of Olmsted County staff. Reviewers will evaluate proposals on the following criteria: 

  • Eligibility: Proposal meets all eligibility requirements and includes all required information 

  • Impact: Proposed program demonstrates strong impact or potential for impact, as demonstrated through program outcomes, continuous improvement, and effective collaboration 

  • Equity: Proposed program effectively serves residents who disproportionately experience barriers to high-quality, nutrituous and culturally relevant foods  

  • Budget: Budget is complete and appropriate for program plans. 

We take a holistic approach to review grant applications. This means reviewers consider how the overall application meets the criteria outlined above. To assist you in understanding how proposals will be reviewed, we are making available our complete evaluation rubric.

To be considered for a Food Security grant, programs must meet the following eligibility criteria:  

  • Serve primarily low-income residents of Olmsted County

  • Improve access to high-quality, nutritious and culturally relevant foods as described above  

  • Be a program of an eligible nonprofit agency 

Eligible nonprofit agencies include: 

  • Agencies designated as a 501c3 

  • Government agencies/units 

  • Faith-based organizations, provided they can demonstrate that there will be no explicitly faith-related content included in their programming and that there are no discriminatory restrictions on service recipients 

  • Community organizations without 501c3 status, provided they can document their relationship with a fiscal sponsor with 501c3 status. 

Funding will not be provided for: 

  • Individuals  

  • For-profit entities 

  • Political campaigns, candidates, parties, or partisan activities 

  • Programming that includes theological functions or requires religious participation. 

We enter partnerships with our grantees with a spirit of service, mutual respect, and transparency. Where our expectations do not align with those of our partners, our team will work with grantees to develop mutually beneficial solutions. If you have questions or concerns about the expectations outlined here, we invite you to speak with our staff at any point during the proposal process. 

United Way of Olmsted County holds the following expectations of our grantees: 

  • Meet with United Way staff at least annually to touch base on your program operations, community needs, and our relationship. 

  • Report annually on program performance measures, including: 

    • Total number of program participants 

    • Participant demographics when available (including race, gender, income, disability status, and city of residence)  

    • Additional performance measures to be co-developed by program staff and United Way 

If you do not currently collect all of this information, our team is available to support you in building your data collection routines to facilitate shared learning about your program and its participants.

  • Submit updated organizational information at least annually, including: 

    • Organization and program budgets 

    • Board of Directors roster 

    • Financial documents, in accordance with United Way’s financial reporting policy 

    • Demographic information about your organization’s staff and Board of Directors, where your data collection and privacy practices allow. 

  • Support United Way’s fundraising and community change efforts; for example, by sharing our program information with your participants, helping us to develop client stories for marketing materials, or hosting an employee giving campaign.

  • Funded program partners and United Way sign a funding agreement annually throughout the grant period. You can find a sample agreement here.

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