Funding Guidelines

Empowering Positive Change

The UNFI Foundation awards grants annually by Invitation Only. Recipients must have a presence and influence positive change within communities in the United States or Canada.

Funding Priorities

We partner with nonprofits that are driving meaningful change in our communities, supporting initiatives that create a more sustainable and equitable food system.

Climate Smart Agriculture
Supporting regenerative producers who work hard every day to grow healthier food. Sustainably produced food means healthier soil, cleaner air, and more tasty, nutritious food for families.
- For example: technical assistance, certification support, land access and restoration, capital access, market access, and research initiatives aimed at advancing regenerative agricultural practices and transitioning more acreage to regenerative practices.
Food Access Innovations
Improving food access in underserved areas through innovative programming and systems change. The principal strategy for this focus area is wasted food prevention, but we are also interested in alternative distribution models, nutrition incentive programs, and other food as medicine approaches.
- For example: efforts in wasted food prevention that reroute food to those in need
Food Equity
Nourishing equity, inclusion, and justice in the food system through equitable food business development
- For example: efforts to support BIPOC and women-owned food entrepreneurs or efforts that support equitable food procurement
Local Food Economies
Empowering local food economies for inclusive and resilient food systems.
- For example: efforts that shift institutional procurement or efforts that create and support critical infrastructure such as food hubs and aggregators.

Our Grant Process

The UNFI Foundation currently operates on a nomination-based system for our grant programs. We do not accept unsolicited proposals and due to our small staff size, we are unable to schedule introductory meetings

Associate Nominations

UNFI associates identify and nominate causes in their local communities, ensuring our grants reach organizations making a difference where our team members live and work.
Invitation to Apply

Our Foundation Ambassadors review nominations and extend invitations to apply for a grant to organizations who meet our funding priorities.
Review

Our Foundation Grant Reviewers carefully evaluate and score all applications, ensuring alignment with our mission of promoting food system equity and sustainability.
Annual Grant Awards

Grants are awarded annually, providing support to selected organizations for a one-year grant period.