Two kids smile while sitting at lunchroom table

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.

OUR AGENCY PARTNERS    OUR CHILD HUNGER WORK


Current Grant Priorities

Youth Food Access

Youth Food Access grants fund starting and expanding school and nonprofit programs that increase food access to youth and their families during the school year and over the summer.
Children at lunch table at school

Innovation

Innovation grants fund solutions for increasing or improving food access in the community, meeting food distribution supply needs, or addressing structural or systemic barriers contributing to food insecurity.
Food being packed into boxes.

Capacity Building

Capacity Building grants fund partner-determined needs that increase services or improve food access in local communities.
Produce coolers at a food pantry.

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

Collaborative Transformation grants fund strategic partnership-based programs and initiatives that advance and complement hunger relief work.
Two employees at a food pantry.
Wooden Spoon storefront in Mankato

Innovative Solutions that Fill Unmet Need

Grant Funds Support

ECHO Food Shelf in Mankato and Heaven's Table Food Shelf in Fairmont are two recipients of Collaborative Innovation grants from Second Harvest Heartland in 2021. About one year into these projects, both are seeing success.

Learn More

To learn more about the Second Harvest Heartland Partner Grant Program and view current grant opportunities, please visit Agency Zone. Questions? Contact grants@2harvest.org.