SEED Grant Pre-Submittal Meeting

press release: The City of Madison Food Policy Council announces the 2016 SEED Grant cycle to address food access issues in our community. SEED Grants are small grants designed to support new and recently emerging projects or programs that support access to healthy food in our community.

The City of Madison 2016 Budget includes $50,000 in grant funds to be given out by the Madison Food Policy Council. The Madison Food Policy Council is encouraging any organization, group, or agency that is devoted to making food more accessible to apply. Any proposal that improves the local food system will be considered. The maximum of any one grant will be limited to $10,000.

In June of 2013, the United Way of Dane County, the Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin, and the Goodman Foundation released a 10-year plan to increase access to fresh and healthy food for all children in Dane County. The Healthy Food for All Children 10-year Plan outlines many different strategies and objectives to accomplish this goal, including both short and long-term policies, programs, and actions. The Madison Food Policy Council is requesting that applications for the grant funding address one of the “short-term program programs/policies/actions” outlined in the plan that can be found on the United Way of Dane County website.

Those interested should go to the City of Madison website for the grant application guidelines and application form. Applications are due on Friday, February 19, 2016 by 1:00pm, and should be submitted to Mark Woulf, Food and Alcohol Policy Director, at mfpc@cityofmadison.com or mailed/hand-delivered to the Mayor’s Office at 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 403, Madison, WI 53703. Applications submitted via standard mail must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, February 17, 2016.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a pre-submittal meeting to discuss the grant application and explore potential collaboration opportunities with other organizations in attendance. The pre-submission meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6:00pm at the Catholic Multicultural Center (located at 1862 Beld St., Madison, WI 53713).

Applications will be evaluated by a subcommittee of the Madison Food Policy Council in February 2016. Decisions will be announced in early March. Additional questions can be directed to the Mayor’s Office, 608-266-4611.