Funding Opportunities about Wasted Food
Wasted food is a growing problem in our modern society and an untapped opportunity. In 2019 alone, EPA estimates that about 66 million tons of wasted food were generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (60 percent) was sent to landfills. EPA estimates that more food reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other single material in our everyday trash, constituting 24 percent of the amount landfilled and 22 percent of the amount combusted with energy recovery in 2018.
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EPA Grants
Every year, EPA awards more than $4 billion in funding for grants and other assistance agreements. From small nonprofit organizations to large state governments, EPA works to help many visionary organizations achieve their environmental goals. With countless success stories over the years, EPA grants remain a chief tool to protect human health and the environment.
Visit the EPA grants webpage for more information.
EPA specific funding opportunities for reducing wasted food are listed below. We will update this page with any future opportunities specific to wasted food.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
EPA is excited to offer the second round of SWIFR grants for Tribes and intertribal consortia! These grants will provide approximately $20 million in awards ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million each. The entities eligible to apply under this announcement are federally recognized Tribes, including Alaskan Native Villages and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma. Intertribal consortia are also eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for the SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia is March 14, 2025. EPA hosted and recorded two webinars about this funding opportunity. For the full details, please visit EPA’s SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia webpage.
EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
EPA has selected 11 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers (i.e., Grantmakers) that will receive $600 million to serve as pass-through entities nationwide through the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM) cooperative agreements.
The Grantmakers will provide subgrants to community-based nonprofits and other eligible subrecipients for assessment, planning, and project development activities. Grants may address a wide range of environmental issues and consist of a variety of project types including (but not limited to): improving food access; stormwater issues and green infrastructure; mitigating climate and health risks; workforce development that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants; environmental justice training for youth; and climate resiliency and adaptation.
- Tier 1 grants are for assessment projects up to $150,000; Tier 2 grants are for planning projects up to $250,000; and Tier 3 are grants for $350,000 for project development. In addition, $75,000 will be available for capacity-constrained community-based organizations through a noncompetitive process under Tier 1.
- EPA Regions 2, 3, 8, and 10 are now open and accepting applications.
Applications for Tier 1 assessment grants and Tier 2 (one-year) planning grants are due April 30, 2025. Learn more about this funding opportunity.
Grants.gov
All EPA grants and other federal grants can be found on Grants.gov. Additionally, all EPA grant applicants must use Workspace to submit applications through Grants.gov.
Other Federal Agency Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Applications to this Request for Funding must focus on approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach. Projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. These approaches must demonstrate current needs and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of proposed work should result in societal benefits, including promoting rural prosperity and enhancing of quality of life for all those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to utilization and consumption.
Apply by May 15, 2025. Learn more about this program and how to apply.