In a move to spur community innovation in Seattle, the City of Seattle has unveiled a new funding opportunity aimed at redirecting unsold but perfectly safe and edible food from businesses to people in need. This grant initiative is a direct response to the City’s concerning food waste statistics: in 2022, 19% of all garbage from Seattle businesses was comprised of food, totaling 21,773 tons. At the same time, food banks and other hunger relief organizations report purchasing record amounts of food to meet growing demands. By preventing edible food from reaching garbage cans and compost heaps, we preserve its highest value – nourishing people, while removing a significant contributor to greenhouse gases.
“This grant opportunity underscores our One Seattle commitment to build stronger, healthier communities and address both food waste and hunger together,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “By promoting cross-sector collaboration and innovative approaches from the community, we can reinvent our food redistribution efforts while being good stewards of the environment – a win-win for our city.”
Food rescue, a critical but complex operation, involves the collection, sorting, storage, and redistribution of unsold food from businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, and hotels, to people. Seattle is calling on solution-oriented businesses and organizations to apply innovative solutions that reduce commercial food waste and increase donated or discounted food to people in need. The Food Rescue Innovation Grant will range from $50,000 to $100,000 and the application period is open from March 1 to April 26, 2024.
The grant aims to protect natural resources and the climate by reducing the amount of food going to waste. Awardees will be provided seed funding to test new approaches that could ultimately be scaled or replicated with private sector, nonprofit, or philanthropic funding. “Too often, food that is not sold during a day’s business goes straight to the landfill. With this new grant program, more businesses will be able to support our many food banks and hunger relief organizations that help redistribute this food to individuals and families in need,” said Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, Chair of the Parks, Public Utilities & Technology Committee. “I urge any commercial food business that finds itself regularly disposing of unsold food to apply for a Food Rescue Innovation Grant and look for ways to extend the life of their food.”