Consumer Food Waste

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Thematic Focus Area

Consumer Food Waste

As a group, consumers are the largest generators of food waste, but it's not always easy for them to change wasteful behaviors. This first Open Call is focused on solutions and innovations in need of funding that can enable consumers to actively reduce their food waste at home — as well as in restaurant and foodservice settings — by making it obvious, affordable, and convenient. To bolster these solutions, the Catalytic Grant Fund seeks to support initiatives at a local, regional, and/or national level that include but aren’t limited to:

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Targeted research or projects that identify actionable interventions for reducing consumer waste

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Testing ways to reduce post-consumer plate waste – including managing portion sizes, the number one food waste opportunity as measured by GHG emissions avoidance and net financial benefit – in a way that makes the solution financially viable for businesses while successfully reducing wasted food

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Developing technologies, prototyping concepts, or enhancing existing solutions that simplify food waste prevention and food donation for consumers, while being broadly available and affordable

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Offering recycling solutions that make food waste diversion from landfills simple, convenient, and accessible for individuals in a way that supports proper management of the end product

The ultimate goal behind this thematic focus area is to get consumers to take action. To that end, broad consumer food waste education and awareness campaigns will not be considered for funding.

Meet the Current Independent Review Committee

Associate Professor of Professional Practice in Finance, The Milano School of Policy, Management, & Environment, The New School

US Regional Director, Village Capital

Founder & Innovation Strategist, Flavor Forward Strategy (Previously Yum! Brands)

Sustainable Food Systems Specialist, Natural Resources Defense Council

SVP Chef Innovator, Restaurant Associates

Co-Founder, Do Good Foods

Senior Consumer Scientist, Unilever

Co-Founder, Zero Foodprint and Mission Chinese Food

Senior program Marketing Manager, Climate Culture, RARE

Director of Procurement & Sustainability, CAVA

Professor, Dept. of Agricultural, Environmental & Developmental Economics, Ohio State University

Managing Partner, Fairbridge Park

Matt Wampler

CEO & Co-Founder, ClearCOGS

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Nominate someone for the independent review committee

The Independent Review Committee is a highly valued group of leaders and experts coming from a variety of backgrounds; tailored for each open call, it serves as an integral part of the broader team managing the Catalytic Grant Fund by contributing to the overall grantee selection process. If you are interested in participating as an Independent Reviewer or know of someone that you’d like to nominate for the Committee, please contact Angel Veza at [email protected].

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