About Channel One
Strengthen food access and build healthy communities by distributing food, providing programs that reduce hunger, and partnering with the community to address food insecurity and related health needs.
Focus Areas
hunger relieffood distributionchild nutrition (backpack programs)senior nutrition / Commodity Supplemental Food Programgrocery deliveryprepared meal programs
Who They Fund
food-insecure individuals and familieslow-income communitiesunhoused/homeless populations
Funding Style
direct servicein-kind/material support
About Channel One
Channel One Inc directs large-scale grantmaking toward food distribution and hunger relief, with repeated support for the same regional partners across 2023 and 2024. The biggest grants in the recent record went to Community Action Center of Northfield, including $969,169 in 2024 and $896,976 in 2023, showing sustained backing for local food access work. Similar multi-year support appears for Community Pathways, which received $952,903 in 2023 and $750,723 in 2024, and for Wafer, which received $947,992 in 2023 and $438,812 in 2024. The foundation’s active programs also show direct contracting for prepared meals in Olmsted County, including an expanded meal access request tied to 6,000 meals per week at 10 locations. Channel One Inc’s recent grants are centered on food shelf operations, meal provision, and distribution networks that serve food-insecure individuals and families, with a strong emphasis on community-based delivery. The pattern is practical and service-oriented, focused on getting food to people through local organizations rather than on individuals or program investments.
What Channel One Funds
Channel One Inc’s giving is concentrated in food access work, especially food shelf and pantry operations. Community Action Center of Northfield received $969,169 in 2024 for food distribution, while Community Pathways received $952,903 in 2023 for the same purpose. The foundation also backed meal and distribution services through Wafer, which received $947,992 in 2023 for food distribution. Several grants support place-based partners serving nearby towns, including Society of Vincent De Paul in Faribault and Semcac in Rushford, both funded for food distribution. The active grant programs add another dimension: prepared meals. In Olmsted County, Channel One Regional Food Bank solicited food service management proposals for 2,000 or 6,000 meals per week across 10 locations, linking its funding to direct meal delivery for Minnesota children and adults.
How Channel One Gives
Channel One Inc gives at a fairly broad range of grant sizes, with a 25th percentile of $13,558, a median of $31,212, and a 75th percentile of $71,104. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. Its structure is operational and direct-service oriented: the foundation does not fund individuals and makes no program-related investments. The available program information also shows solicitation-based contracting for meal service providers, including a request that accepted unsolicited proposals in one case.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$12.5M
Total Assets
$7.1M
Total Revenue
$26.1M
Total Expenses
$27.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $14K and $71K, with a median of $31K.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$31K
75th Percentile
$71K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
VIRGINIA MERRITT
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Channel One?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime