A food bank -- which collects, warehouses and distributes food to a network of nonprofit feeding programs -- is often a community’s leading and largest anti-hunger organization.
MAZON is a major supporter of the nation’s food bank network, and provides these vital food distributors with general operating support and project funding. MAZON funds only those food banks whose member agencies pay shared-maintenance fees. The vast majority of our food bank grantees are affiliated with America’s Second Harvest.
General range of Food Bank grants: $5,000-$20,000. Organizations wishing to apply for a grant to purchase food or capital equipment must receive permission from MAZON before submitting an application. Applications seeking more than $20,000 in this category are discouraged. |
Food Banks and Advocacy
MAZON has always encouraged food banks to go beyond
food distribution and involve themselves in the
larger picture of anti-hunger work.
Our philosophy, reflected in our guidelines and
grantmaking, has been that food banks have an
obligation to use their status and visibility
to a) educate their supporters about the role
and limits of charities in feeding hungry Americans;
b) advocate for public policies beyond those that
result in more donations of food to charity; and
c) train and encourage their agencies to do the
same.
Food banks that embrace this philosophy and play
leading roles in their state’s direct service
and anti-hunger advocacy efforts are MAZON’s
funding priority.
As a result, all food bank applicants
must demonstrate involvement in anti-hunger advocacy
and public education. This includes demonstrating,
through organizational mission statements and
publications, commitment to addressing the broader
causes of hunger as well as meaningful participation
in local, state or national anti-hunger advocacy
and education efforts.
Funding Restrictions
MAZON prefers that grants in this category not
be used for the purchase of food. Food-purchasing
grants are generally small and are restricted
to food banks demonstrating that they serve a
predominantly rural area. Capital equipment grants
also are restricted to rural food banks.
Learn more about MAZON’s grant application
process. |
