At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our community came together to meet one of the most immediate needs in our community – the access to food. Local partners, including restaurants and food suppliers, worked tirelessly to provide food to vulnerable Boiseans. Today, the City of Boise opened a grant application to further support food security in our community. This $1.5 million grant is part of the $34 million in American Rescue Plan funding Mayor McLean and Boise City Council approved to go directly into the community to serve Boiseans who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
“Ensuring that Boiseans have access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food that is locally sourced can make all the difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor McLean. “I am proud of the many ways our community stepped up to help one another during the height of the pandemic. This funding allows us to continue the work of improving food security in our city.”
The Food Security grant is a two-part grant. The first phase is focused on identifying an organization that will serve as a “Hub” and develop a strategic action plan that uses collaborative and innovative approaches to address food security needs among low-income individuals and families in Boise while strengthening the local food production and distribution systems. The organization that is selected will receive a $150,000 grant to complete the Strategic Action Plan over the course of six (6) months, with an additional two (2) months for reviews and adjustments.
The application submission deadline is October 31, 2022, at 10:59 p.m. MST.
Phase two will include an additional $1,350,000 to implement the program outlined in the Strategic Action Plan, as approved by the City of Boise.