By HANNAH SPANGLER

FarmWeek

Applications opened Feb. 6 for Illinois’ new $1.5 million Farm to Food Bank Capacity-Building Grant Program designed to strengthen the state’s local food system and expand access to fresh protein and produce.

“We’re looking for farmers, ag producers, food banks, food pantries and community partners all looking for help with infrastructure,” said Sharon Dodd, an administrator of the program, about who can apply for the grants of $1,000 to $100,000. 

The goal is to help farmers and food providers build the capacity they need to move more Illinois‑grown, raised or processed ag products to “neighbors” facing food insecurity, especially in underserved areas and communities.

The set of grants is part of the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program, supported by funding from the State of Illinois through the Illinois Department of Human Services. Originally developed through state legislation in 2017 and 2018, the program evolved into a statewide pilot by 2020 and laid the groundwork for partnerships that helped Illinois move surplus food from farms to food banks.

In its first three years, from 2020 to 2023, the program helped move 3 million pounds of food that otherwise might have gone to waste, according to Feeding Illinois, which partnered with the state and Illinois Farm Bureau during the pilot. 

Dodd said the effort proved farmers were willing to participate, but many lacked basic infrastructure needed to harvest, store, process or transport food destined for donation.

Those capacity gaps are what the new grants aim to address. Farmers in the pilot often struggled with cold storage, aggregation space or equipment to efficiently collect and move surplus goods. Food banks, for their part, relied on temporary systems that weren’t built for long-term use. 

Dodd said this new funding is meant to support permanent infrastructure, whether at a farm, food pantry or elsewhere in the supply chain.

“Whoever gets the grant money will implement something that will last,” Dodd told FarmWeek. “It has to be sustainable.”

Eligible projects focus on infrastructure that improves the movement of Illinois‑grown food, including refrigerated vehicles or trailers, cold storage, racking, temperature‑monitoring systems, packaging equipment and scheduling or traceability tools that reduce waste and improve flow. Routine operating costs, debt repayment, land acquisition and fundraising or administrative expenses are not allowable.

Frequently asked questions and detailed guidelines can be found at feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant. Feeding Illinois will host three virtual sessions on its social media channels from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 11, 18 and 25, where participants can ask questions about the capacity‑grant process, eligibility, timelines and allowable costs. 

Additional questions may be directed to grants@feedingillinois.org.

The application for 2026 grants will be available on Feeding Illinois’ website through March 6, with awards announced April 10. Once awarded, grantees must pay eligible project costs upfront and will be reimbursed afterward.

This story was distributed through a cooperative project between the Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.