The Fund is offering grants of $100K to $250K for for-profit and nonprofit solutions that reduce the amount of surplus produce lost on farms.

Today, ReFED, a U.S.-based nonprofit that works to advance solutions to food waste, announced its Catalytic Grant Fund is now accepting applications for solutions that can help to reduce the 17.6 million tons of surplus produce—the harvested or unharvested fruits and vegetables that do not make it to the consumer—that U.S. farms generate each year. Now in its second year, the ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund is a regranting initiative designed to accelerate the development and implementation of high-impact solutions that reduce food loss and waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Nearly half of the surplus produce on U.S. farms is edible, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, representing a critical loss of essential calories, vitamins, and antioxidants that could nourish millions of Americans,” says Angel Veza, senior manager, innovation initiatives at ReFED. “We’re excited to provide catalytic capital—capital that is patient, risk-tolerant, and flexible, designed to unlock additional funding—to organizations with promising solutions that effectively reduce on-farm food loss.”

For this open call, the Catalytic Grant Fund is seeking effective technologies, solutions, and initiatives that can reduce on-farm loss, maximize the value of quality surplus produce, and establish new market opportunities while increasing profitability for farmers. Letters of intent are due by January 21, 2025. Successful initiatives can receive funding ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 along with nonfinancial support from ReFED—which will be leveraging its knowledge, network, and data to help them grow.

Since 2022, the Catalytic Grant Fund has established a portfolio of 16 grantees and distributed $2.1 million in recoverable and non-recoverable grants thanks to the support of funders such as Ballmer Group, Google, and Toast.org. Emphasizing the catalytic nature of the grants, the grantee portfolio has leveraged those dollars 15x, raising an additional $30.2 million in follow-on funding. This is the Fund’s third open call—previous open calls have focused on food waste reduction among consumers, and restaurants and foodservice companies.

To learn more about the Catalytic Grant Fund’s open call, including eligibility requirements, contact Angel Veza at [email protected], or visit https://grantfund.refed.org/. You can also register for an informational webinar on December 11, 2024, at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.