Grantmaking
As one of the largest food banks in the country, we fuel hunger relief in a variety of ways. That includes making grant funds available to support effective and equitable solutions to local hunger.
Funding Local Hunger Relief Solutions
We’re experts in distributing millions of pounds of food, leading effective hunger-alleviating programming, and advocating for equitable policies. And we’re responsive and empowering through our grantmaking, which supports the innovative and collaborative ideas that will most meaningfully meet local community hunger needs.
Core to our mission of ending hunger together is listening to the needs and ideas of our community partners, and then funding their change-making. Grant funds support our partners as they launch programs that go beyond traditional hunger relief services, improve access to healthy food, and fight the stigma of reaching out for help in times of need.
The organizations we grant hunger-relief funds to are local food shelves (our contracted Agency Partners) and youth food access partners, like schools.
Current Grant Priorities
Youth Food Access
Innovation
Capacity Building
The Second Harvest Heartland 2023 Capacity Building Grant supports program and operational capacity building projects that increase or improve food access in local communities.
- Agate Housing and Services – Food Centre, Minneapolis, MN, $20,000
To repair the meat freezer in the Food Centre in preparation for resuming free meals open to the public. - City of Reconciliation – iHelp Market Square, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000
To expand iHelp distribution sites in Saint Paul, start up a free restaurant, and open a shopping area for free groceries. - Clearwater-Clear Lake Food Shelf, Clearwater, MN, $50,000
To build a new food shelf building that will serve Wright County and surrounding counties. - Community Aid Elk River (CAER), Elk River, MN, $25,000
To build a new garage, which is part of the CAER facilities improvement and expansion plan, that will increase assistance services in Sherburne County and surrounding counties. - Community Bridge, Minneapolis, MN, $36,400
To hire a Community Engagement Specialist for community outreach and volunteer engagement. - Little Kitchen Food Shelf, Minneapolis, MN, $7,000
To increase food storage and distribution and create a new website with online registration forms and shopping checklists. - Hallie Q Brown Community Center, Saint Paul, MN, $42,200
To increase capacity as a food hub for local community partners. - Mount Olivet Lab School, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000
To expand access for BIPOC communities to healthy and culturally relevant food through their project, NOURISH & Grow. - Pipestone County Food Shelf, Pipestone, MN, $11,000
To increase the efficiency of shopping processes and operations and complete the build out of the new SuperShelf space. - Prairie Five Community Action Council, Montevideo, MN, $50,000
To renovate a new space that will house both the Chippewa County Food Shelf and the Prairie Five Meals Program at one location. - Redwood Area Food Shelf, Redwood Falls, MN, $6,000
To construct a truck delivery bay at the new Redwood Area Food Shelf building. - Scott Carver Dakota CAP Agency, Shakopee, MN, $25,000
To hire a Food Rescue Specialist to increase food rescue partnerships and a Community Outreach Specialist to build partnerships with schools in the Prior lake and Savage area. - The Salvation Army – Noble Worship and Service Center, Brooklyn Park, MN, $39,100
To hire a Food Shelf Coordinator and increase food shelf storage and distribution. - Vineyard Community Services, Saint Paul, MN, $25,000
To increase operational days and hours of Fruit of the Vine Food Shelf and expand food distribution through food rescue, new food sources, and purchasing culturally relevant food.
Collaborative Transformation
