The Philadelphia Food Justice Initiative (PFJI), a collaboration between the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Reinvestment Fund, provides funding to support community-led projects aimed at achieving food justice in Philadelphia. The initiative focuses on empowering communities to grow, sell, and consume healthy food, prioritizing areas where access to fresh food is limited and inequities persist. PFJI’s guiding principles emphasize health justice, addressing systemic barriers that historically marginalized communities face in achieving food security and well-being.

For the current funding cycle, approximately $550,000 is available, with individual grant awards capped at $50,000. There is no minimum grant amount. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, cooperatives, and collectives engaged in food justice work within the City of Philadelphia. Both retail and non-retail food businesses may apply. Priority is given to projects led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, individuals living with disabilities, and those with lived experience of health injustice. Applicants must commit to maintaining tobacco-free business environments and ensuring fair compensation for all staff and partners involved in the project.

To apply, interested parties must submit their proposals through the Reinvestment Fund’s SmartSimple platform. The Request for Applications (RFA) outlines eligibility requirements, applicant responsibilities, and detailed application instructions. The application portal is currently open, and submissions must be completed electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 16, 2024. An informational webinar will be held on November 15, 2024, to assist applicants. Applications submitted early are encouraged to avoid technical issues.

Since its inception in 2019, PFJI has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to 27 organizations, with a focus on supporting BIPOC-led and women-led initiatives. Previous grant amounts have ranged from $4,000 to $100,000. The initiative has prioritized projects that tackle systemic inequities in food systems, create sustainable local food solutions, and offer equitable economic opportunities. Recipients of past grants and details about the initiative’s impact are available in the PFJI Impact Reports.

Final grant decisions for the current cycle will be announced no earlier than the week of January 20, 2024. The initiative’s emphasis on community-driven, equitable food systems underscores its commitment to advancing food justice and addressing longstanding disparities in access to healthy food.