The Clif Bar Family Foundation offers two types of grants—Open Call and By Invitation Only. The Open Call grants are designed to support either general operating costs or specific projects of eligible organizations. These grants are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits or organizations fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3). Applications for Open Call grants are reviewed twice annually, with submission deadlines on March 1 and August 1. Grant decisions are typically announced around four months following each deadline. The grants generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 and have a one-year duration.

The foundation’s grantmaking focuses on six key strategic priority areas. These are regenerative and organic farming, food production workers' health and safety, climate justice, healthy food access, inclusive outdoor access, and reducing pollution in indoor and outdoor environments. In each of these areas, the foundation aims to promote systemic change through community-driven initiatives and local to national-level implementation.

Grants are primarily intended for grassroots organizations with operating budgets under $3 million. Priority is given to those that demonstrate strong community ties and align with the foundation’s mission and values. The foundation emphasizes efforts that advance its strategic goals while focusing operations within the United States and its unincorporated territories.

Ineligible uses for grant funding include capital construction projects, deficit funding, endowments, religious or faith-based organizations, individuals, government agencies, media projects, medical centers, product donations, and fundraising or sponsorship activities. This restriction ensures the foundation's resources are directed toward impactful community-based initiatives aligned with its core values.

The application process is competitive, and guidelines suggest that applicants carefully assess alignment with strategic priorities and organizational capacity. While no specific application questions or evaluation rubric is provided, the foundation clearly communicates the characteristics of prioritized applicants, suggesting that alignment with these attributes may be a key factor in funding decisions.

Applications can be submitted online via the Clif Bar Family Foundation’s website. While deadlines are fixed, the foundation does not specify whether the program is recurring beyond its current cycle or if any rolling opportunities are available under the Open Call grants. Further clarification on future cycles and detailed evaluation metrics may be obtained directly from the foundation if needed.