The City of Pittsburgh’s Food Justice Fund (FJF) is a grassroots-focused grant program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and established by City Council in July 2023. The fund was created in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council to address systemic inequities in the city’s food system and advance food sovereignty, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods. The FJF prioritizes community-led projects that support access to healthy, affordable, culturally relevant foods and contribute to the development of an equitable and sustainable local food ecosystem.

The 2025 grant cycle offers a total of $1.5 million, with individual awards ranging from $2,000 to $75,000. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits or individuals/entities represented by a fiscal sponsor, and must have an annual operating budget of $500,000 or less. Applications are due by Monday, April 14, 2025, and recipients will be announced in Fall 2025. All awarded funds must be expended by June 30, 2026.

Funded projects must offer one or more of the following services: free food distribution, support for community gardens or nonprofit urban agriculture, public benefit enrollment (e.g., SNAP, WIC), operation of farmers markets or farm stands, food and nutrition education, composting or food waste reduction initiatives, and job training or youth employment in food-related fields. While direct financial aid to for-profit businesses is not allowed, applicants may pay businesses as vendors for services or goods.

All applicants must submit a budget using a provided Excel template and follow published eligibility and evaluation criteria. Application guidance materials, a sample application, technical assistance scheduling, and office hours are available online to support applicants throughout the process.

Grant decisions will be made by a 15-member FJF Governance Committee composed of community leaders, food system practitioners, and City officials. These members were selected to ensure diverse representation and shared decision-making power with those most affected by food insecurity and structural barriers to food access.

For assistance, applicants can contact Gabbi McMorland, Food Justice Fund Coordinator, at gabriel.mcmorland@pittsburghpa.gov.