Item Description:
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Est Food Recovery Grant Program; neg grant agmts to provide funding to organizations that collect, process, and/or redistribute surplus food to Hennepin County residents, NTE $300,000
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that a Food Recovery Grant Program be established to provide funding for organizations that collect, process, and/or redistribute surplus food to Hennepin County residents; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate and award grant agreements for a combined total not to exceed $300,000; and that following a review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
In Hennepin County, enough edible food is discarded each year to fill Target Field 1.5 times. Most surplus food from restaurants, food retailers such as grocery stores, and households ends up in the trash. The impact of discarded food on our climate and environment is significant, food never eaten requires resources to grow, harvest, transport, and prepare - even when it ends up being discarded. At the same time, food security needs have increased exponentially over the last four years.
The county is committed to reducing health disparities by partnering with food recovery organizations to promote access to healthy, culturally relevant food and increase food security for residents. The Food Security Planning Team, a cross-departmental effort, is collaborating to address food security through various lenses, including health, economic security, and environment. One way to increase access to healthy foods is through the collection and redistribution of surplus food. Food recovery is also crucial in reaching the County’s Zero Waste and Climate Action Plan goals.
Food recovery efforts have long been funded through the county’s Business Waste Prevention Grant Program, however, after a cross-departmental audit of the county’s food rescue system was conducted in 2023, engagement with food recovery organizations revealed these organizations needed more support. Establishing a standalone grant program for these entities will better address their unique needs.
The Food Recovery Grant program will provide funding to organizations that collect, process, and/or redistribute surplus food to Hennepin County residents. Funds for food recovery will be used to develop or expand collection and redistribution of edible food destined for disposal.
Eligible expenses include:
• Storage infrastructure directly related to food recovery activities.
• Equipment and materials required to process food for upcycling, preservation, or value-added foods using surplus foods that would have gone to waste.
• Staffing costs for work directly associated with food recovery activities.
• Transportation vehicles and equipment used to collect surplus food.
• Measurement devices and software to increase food recovery efficiencies.
The Environment and Energy, Human Services, and Public Health departments will award organizations food recovery grant funding in 2024 through a request for proposals process. This combined RFP process is designed to maximize county resources and create a more streamlined process for applicants addressing food security through a wide variety of approaches.
Current Request:
This request seeks approval to establish a Food Recovery Grant Program to provide funding for food recovery organizations to collect and redistribute surplus food to people.
The 2024 Environment and Energy budget includes $300,000 in expenditures for the Food Recovery Grant Program. Funding for these grants come from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
Impact/Outcomes:
The Food Recovery Grant Program will expand food recovery efforts, increasing the amount of surplus food that will be recovered by organizations while also feeding more people in need. This decreases the amount of food waste and advances the county’s zero waste and climate goals. The program will provide funding to at least five organizations per year, resulting in a reduction of approximately 200,000 pounds of food waste annually.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval