Take a bold step to enact systems-level change to ensure we’re making the best use of the food we grow with the ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund.
We’ve analyzed where grant funding is most needed throughout the value chain, and we’re seeking a solution mix across the portfolio that spans prevention, food recovery, and recycling.
We’re looking for organizations of all sizes that after receiving funding from the ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund – anticipated to be approximately $100k-$250k on average – will very likely receive additional capital from other funders and/or advance the impact of their solution.
Alongside the grants, we're also excited to provide non-financial support of various kinds to allow grantees to unlock additional funding and advance their impact.
We’re seeking a diverse portfolio of grantees that are thoughtful about their own approaches to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice and that share our ideal of a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system.
Catalytic funding is a critical lever in the fight against food waste, and this Grant Fund is designed to help organizations overcome system-level barriers, de-risk innovations, and solve agency problems – ultimately stimulating larger amounts of future funding from more traditional sources.
The Catalytic Grant Fund is designed to accelerate the development and implementation of food waste solutions across the full food system by providing non-recoverable and recoverable grants and post-grant support to initiatives with high impact potential as measured by food waste reduced and GHG emissions reduced. The Catalytic Grant Fund deploys its capital through an ongoing series of open call cycles that are built around specific, priority food waste themes.
Catalytic: The Grant Fund focuses on opportunities where its funding and support can unlock additional capital and/or impact that might not otherwise have been possible.
Data-Driven: The Grant Fund’s strategy for deployment is rooted in ReFED’s data, analysis, and subject matter expertise about where grant funding and innovation support is most needed.
Capacity-Building: ReFED leverages its position at the center of the food waste reduction ecosystem to provide its grantees with non-financial support through connections to potential funders, strategic partners, publicity opportunities, and other support, as needed.
The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund distributes recoverable and non-recoverable grants to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations across the food waste solution spectrum – from prevention to rescue to recycling – and considers initiatives including but not limited to research, general operations, capacity-building, pilots, and convenings.
In addition to funding, ReFED is committed to supporting the applicants and grantees of the Catalytic Grant Fund whenever possible through non-financial support and activities such as:
Featuring organizations actively fundraising in ReFED’s Deal Flow Report for the Food Waste Funder Circle
Making tailored introductions to other solution providers and prospective partners
Providing feedback and thought partnership on strategy, initiatives, pitch presentations, etc.
Amplifying the work of organizations through ReFED’s channels, including social media, the Capital & Innovation Market Update newsletter, speaking engagements, and the Food Waste Action Network
The Catalytic Grant Fund hosts a series of open calls – each with a particular thematic focus area where catalytic grant funding can have the greatest impact – through which grants will be distributed. We encourage all types of organizations with an initiative related to the Grant Fund’s current thematic focus area to apply for funding.
We'll be sharing out regular updates on upcoming information sessions and open calls for grantees via email. To receive updates, please complete the form below. For media inquiries or general questions, please email us at [email protected]. Interested in contributing to the Catalytic Grant Fund? Please email Alexandria Coari at [email protected].
