The Vital Farms Local Impact Grantmaking Program – Spring 2025 is a targeted funding opportunity designed to support communities where Vital Farms’ farmers live and work. Administered in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO), this grant initiative aligns with Vital Farms’ mission to improve the lives of people, animals, and the planet through ethical food practices. The program will distribute a total of $125,000 to eligible projects focused on four key issue areas: Animal Welfare, Improving Access to Food / Transparency in Food Systems, Youth & Education, and Agriculture.

Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and other IRS-approved entities such as government agencies, school districts, and churches. To qualify, applicants must serve at least one of the following Missouri counties: Adair, Bates, Benton, Cedar, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Howard, Howell, Laclede, Lawrence, Moniteau, Morgan, Oregon, Pettis, Polk, St. Clair, Texas, Vernon, Webster, or Wright. All proposed projects must demonstrate a direct impact in one or more of these communities.

The application period opens April 2, 2025, and closes May 14, 2025 at 11:45 p.m. CST. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis as funds are available, with final recommendations made by CFO and Vital Farms based on merit and alignment with the program’s goals. Applications must be submitted through the grant portal, and applicants should be aware that the system uses a character count for all responses, which includes letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation.

Vital Farms and CFO emphasize non-discriminatory grantmaking. Applicants and eventual grantees must comply with non-discrimination standards across all operations, including employment practices and access to services.

For program-related questions, applicants can contact Ashley Fleming at afleming@cfozarks.org or (417) 864-6199. For technical support or application process questions, Rachel Tripp can be reached at rtripp@cfozarks.org or the same phone number.