GROWING JUSTICE

Meet 2023 grantee CommonWealth Kitchen! CommonWealth Kitchen empowers diverse entrepreneurs to launch food businesses in the greater Boston area, through services and resources including an affordable shared kitchen, accessible food business education, coordinated access to markets and small-batch manufacturing. Check out these photos of just some of the nearly 50 businesses they support sharing delicious samples at UMass Boston’s “Eat like a local” vendor fair last year, several of which were picked up by dining services to keep hungry students happy! Growing Justice Fund is proud to support their expansion to greater leverage the power of inclusive entrepreneurship to build an equitable, sustainable food economy grounded in racial, social, and economic justice. UMass Boston Meal Mantra

Good food matters everywhere. That’s why Growing Justice awarded PG ChangeMakers a grant for their work fighting for better food pathways for currently and formerly incarcerated people in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Thank you for making such a huge difference in your community! To learn more about their work, visit: https://lnkd.in/eW7feRrP. Information on the 2025 grant cycle to be announced late spring. Sign up for our newsletter to get updates first! https://lnkd.in/enHFNCac

?? We're Hiring! ?? Growing Justice is looking for passionate changemakers to join our team! If you're committed to advancing values-based good food purchasing, check out these exciting opportunities: ?? Research Associate (Contract) – Support critical research that informs our strategy and impact. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/ey_eHEe6 ?? Operations & Communications Coordinator (Full-Time) – Help us streamline operations and elevate our communications. Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/eBVVfZUT ??? Applications close Sunday, March 16th! #Hiring #FoodJustice #GrowingJustice

Growing Justice exists because too many local food producers and providers don’t have access to the proper support they and their communities deserve. We’re honored to fund projects and incubators like Modest Family Solutions who grow their impact not just with health and nutrition, but also with showcasing all that is possible to imagine with some support. Information on the 2025 grant cycle is coming late spring. Sign up for our newsletter to get updates first!

We are loving onboarding and connecting with our new 2024 grantees, and are so grateful people are already thinking about the 2025 application. We appreciate your patience as we tend to our plans and plant some new seeds. ?? Information about the 2025 grant cycle will be announced in late spring — and the best way to hear about it first is by signing up for our newsletter! https://lnkd.in/eiE8MAab In the meantime, stay tuned to learn about our AWESOME grantees!

Happy Black History Month from the Growing Justice Fund! Black leadership, resilience, and innovation have shaped food systems for generations. At Growing Justice Fund, we are committed to investing in Black-led organizations that are reclaiming food sovereignty, strengthening local food economies, and ensuring equitable access to resources. To date, we have directly supported many Black-led organizations working to transform food systems through community-based agriculture, cooperative models, and advocacy for racial and economic justice in food and farming. We invite you to follow and support these incredible grantees leading change every day. Learn more about their work by visiting https://lnkd.in/ej8rA-rq. #BlackHistoryMonth #FoodJustice #GrowingJustice

We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Growing Justice Fund grants! This year, over $5 million will support 36 incredible community-led initiatives advancing values-based good food procurement and fostering equity across food systems. A tremendous thank you to our funders and Advisory Committee members for their invaluable guidance and support in making this possible. ???? Your commitment to strengthening Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities is helping reshape our food systems for the better. Stay tuned as we highlight the amazing work of these grantees in the months ahead! ?? ?? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/evHBvp2f Bidii Baby Foods LLC Dion's Chicago Dream Duwamish Tribal Services Fresh Approach Food for the Spirit Hawai?i Good Food Alliance Instituto para la Investigación y Acción en Agroecología Chicago Food Policy Action Council Migrant Justice / Justicia Migrante New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative Region One Education Service Center

?? REQUEST FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS ?? We’re seeking proposals for research projects that will increase understanding of the current state of the school food workforce in the United States and/or explore strategies to create a stable and respected workforce that can provide healthy meals to students while supporting resilient local and regional food systems. We anticipate awarding 5–7 subgrants with a project maximum of $250,000. The maximum grant period of performance is 18 months, running from Jun. 1, 2025 - Nov. 30, 2026. This subgrant research program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and cooperatively administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Food Insight Group, and Chef Ann Foundation. Learn more here (https://lnkd.in/dBPVmBsE). Apply by February 14, 2025.

What an incredible video showcasing our 2023 grantee, CommonWealth Kitchen (CWK), and their transformative approach to values-based good food procurement. CWK is rewriting the narrative of food systems by leveraging inclusive entrepreneurship to foster an equitable and sustainable food economy grounded in racial, social, and economic justice. As a Boston-based nonprofit, CWK empowers diverse entrepreneurs to launch and scale food businesses by providing a robust portfolio of resources, including: ? Affordable shared kitchen space ? Accessible food business education ? Coordinated access to markets ? Small-batch manufacturing support Currently, CWK supports nearly 50 diverse businesses, with over 75% being BIPOC-owned. Through innovative partnerships with anchor institutions like Harvard and MIT, CWK transforms surplus New England-grown produce into custom products, integrating them into institutional dining menus and retail spaces. Join us in celebrating the incredible work of CWK and their vision for a food system that empowers entrepreneurs and builds equitable opportunity!

?? Funding Opportunity Alert! ?? The 1890 Universities Foundation has announced the Distressed Borrowers and Financially Distressed Farmers?Assistance Network?(DBAN) Request for Applications (RFA)! Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, this program aims to support distressed borrowers, financially distressed farmers, and underserved farmers, ranchers, and foresters with holistic, tailored assistance to address their unique financial challenges. ?? Key Dates: Informational Webinar: Friday, January 17, 2025, 2:00 PM EST ?? To Register: https://lnkd.in/ebwRXPxb Submission Deadline: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 5:00:59 PM EST The Distressed Borrowers and Financially Distressed Farmers Assistance Network (DBAN) will: ?? Provide tailored, one-on-one support and technical assistance to distressed borrowers and underserved farmers, ranchers, and foresters. ?? Offer targeted outreach and personalized referral services to enhance access to USDA Farm Loan Programs, USDA initiatives, and other critical resources. This RFA is a unique chance to advance equity in agriculture and stabilize financially at-risk farmers while fostering innovation and collaboration. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/enZHyzXN