Frequently Asked Questions
Supporting Food Waste Solution Providers
The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund
Frequently Asked Questions
Current Open Call: Reducing Restaurant Food Waste
When will selected grantees and restaurants know if they’ve been selected to participate in a pilot?
We aim to notify selected grantees and restaurants about whether or not they’ve been selected to pilot their solution by Q3 2024.
Why are traditional food donation and compost pick-up services out of scope for this current open call?
Normally food donation and composting pick-up services require that restaurants hold the excess food until it can be picked up at a time that works for the food donation organization or composting company. However, restaurants often do not have enough space or storage to hold the food outside of their hours of operation. Additionally, some services charge restaurants for pick-up without a demonstrated economic advantage for the restaurant, which has been a barrier to restaurants participating in these programs. As such, ReFED is looking to support new food donation and compost models that address these barriers (i.e., limited storage space, and costs) so that restaurants are able and incentivized to adopt food donation and composting solutions.
We have a solution that we want to pilot. How can we demonstrate the ROI of our solution at this stage of its development?
We understand that some solutions are still in the pilot phase. As such, you can share with us your current business model and the estimated ROI for restaurants. Feel free to use a percentage range for the ROI, illustrative numbers to demonstrate your solution’s economic metrics, etc.
What types of restaurants are eligible to participate in the pilots?
Small to medium-sized independent restaurants (ideally with less than 10 locations) are encouraged to submit an intake form. The submission period is now closed.
When do you expect the pilots to take place?
We anticipate the pilots taking place in the Summer and Fall of 2024.
I’m a chef and restaurant owner who’s interested in piloting a food waste solution. Do I have to pay? How can I get involved?
We’re glad that you’re interested! Participating in a pilot is free for restaurants. If you could fill out a brief intake form with your information, we’ll be sure to keep you updated. You can access the intake form here.
What is Toast.org's role in this open call?
We're extremely grateful that Toast.org — the social impact arm of Toast — has generously donated $1 million to the Catalytic Grant Fund and is serving as the anchor funder for this open call. Toast.org is dedicated to enriching the food experience for all and creating a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world. Building on their commitment to strengthen the restaurant community and increase environmental sustainability, Toast.org is supporting ReFED's efforts to pilot and scale food waste solutions for restaurants. For any questions about the Catalytic Grant Fund or this open call, please contact Angel Veza at ReFED at [email protected].
I have other questions. Who should I reach out to with my inquiries?
With other questions, please reach out to Angel Veza at [email protected].
General Catalytic Grant Fund Questions
What is the average grant size?
We anticipate the average grant size to be approximately $100,000 to $250,000.
Are organizations outside of the U.S. eligible for funding?
We will consider overseas companies that are currently operating in the U.S. or are seeking funding to expand to the U.S.
ReFED is a national nonprofit working to end food loss and waste across the food system by advancing data-driven solutions to the problem.