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    Chicago Food Policy Action Council

    ActiveFood, Agriculture & Nutrition
    Chicago, ILWebsite7733542091

    About Chicago Food Policy Action Council

    The Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) co-facilitates, advocates, and implements policies that advance food justice and food sovereignty in Chicago and the broader Metro Chicago region, ensuring all residents—especially Black, Indigenous, and residents of color—have the right to produce and access culturally appropriate, nutritious, sustainable, and fair food.

    Focus Areas

    food justice and equityinstitutional procurement and Good Food Purchasingsupport for systemically marginalized farmers and food businessescapacity building and technical assistance for local food enterprisesincreasing access to healthy, local food in community meal sites and institutionsevents and convenings (Food Justice Summit)

    Who They Fund

    community fund awardees (local community organizations)food cooperatives / market co-ops (e.g., Southside Market Co-op)microgrant recipients (individuals or small organizations)

    About Chicago Food Policy Action Council

    Chicago Food Policy Action Council’s recent giving shows a clear preference for flexible support to local food enterprises, cooperatives, and community organizations working inside Metro Chicago. One of the largest listed grants went to ChiFresh Kitchen Cooperative in Chicago through fiscal sponsorship, and another major award supported ChiFresh Kitchen in 2025 after fees were removed from a broader funding stream. That combination of direct project support, pass-through funding, and fiscal sponsorship points to a funder that works through intermediaries as well as direct awards. The foundation’s active programs center on Good Food Purchasing Program alignment, food access, and support for systemically marginalized farmers and food businesses. Its grants also reach community fund awardees, microgrant recipients, and technical-assistance partners, including organizations building local food capacity and access to healthy meals. Several awards in the recent grants list are tied to community fund disbursements, bridge lending, and fiscal sponsorship, which suggests a practical role in moving money to specific projects and enterprises rather than only making large institutional grants. CFPAC’s work is tied to food justice and food sovereignty in Chicago and the broader Metro Chicago region, with an emphasis on Black, Indigenous, and residents of color.

    What Chicago Food Policy Action Council Funds

    In food-system coordination, Chicago Food Policy Action Council supported ChiFresh Kitchen Cooperative with a $500,250 fiscal-sponsor grant in 2023 and ChiFresh Kitchen with a $168,450 award in 2025 tied to grant funds passed through after fees. Those awards show how the foundation channels money into local food infrastructure and enterprise support. For community-based food access, the foundation made a $80,000 Community Fund award to North Lawndale Greening Committee and a $45,000 award to Roots Eggs and Greens. The same program also supported Food Hero L3C at $67,540, linking funding to local food businesses and neighborhood-facing work. Technical assistance is another visible thread. Southland Development Authority received $40,000 in 2024 for technical assistance, while Adelante Center for Entrepreneurship received $42,000 in 2025 under the Community Fund. The foundation also backed microgrant work through organizations such as Centro de Trabajadores Unidos and Housing Helpers.

    How Chicago Food Policy Action Council Gives

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from Chicago Food Policy Action Council that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowCloses in 3 days (Jun 29, 2026)Award: $40K – $80K

    GFPI Community Fund (Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative Community Fund)

    food justicefood sovereigntylocal food systems+7 more

    Who can apply: Systemically marginalized, locally based food producers and food businesses that are small to midsize (less than 150 employees and/or less than $750,000 in annual revenue), are legal entities, align with GFPP values (local, sustainable, healthy, humane, fair), serve or plan to serve Metro Chicago community meal sites/public institutions, and have plans for collaboration with other mission-aligned organizations. Eligible entities may be privately, cooperatively, for-profit, nonprofit, or tribal nation-owned and operated.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $726K

    Total Assets

    $1.2M

    Total Revenue

    $2.1M

    Total Expenses

    $2.3M

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $34K and $64K, with a median of $42K.

    25th Percentile

    $34K

    Median

    $42K

    75th Percentile

    $64K

    Geographic Reach

    Local4 states funded

    About 84% of grants go to recipients in MI.

    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

    Leadership

    Rodger Cooley

    Deep Analysis

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    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSystem Status
    EIN: 30-0626664
    3 filings on record
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders
    regional food-system coordinators and action-team participants
    organizations using fiscal sponsors (fiscally sponsored projects)

    Funding Style

    pass-through funding / fiscal sponsorshipshort-term bridge lendingmicrograntingproject-restricted / program supporttechnical assistance funding

    Topics

    urban/regional food systemsfood market / food co-op capitalizationcommunity-led grant disbursementssmall-scale operating or start-up supportcapacity building via technical assistanceregional food-system coordination (RE-AMP UFSR)

    Typical grant sizes sit at $34,000 at the 25th percentile, $42,000 at the median, and $64,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes larger pass-through and fiscal-sponsor awards, along with smaller microgrants, showing a layered giving approach rather than a single grant format. Recipients appear across multiple years, including ChiFresh Kitchen Cooperative, Open Collective Foundation, and several Chicago-based community partners, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-time-only support. The foundation is an operating grantmaker with active programs that include unsolicited applications in the GFPI Community Fund and the Suburban Cook County Microgrant. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.

    Where Chicago Food Policy Action Council Makes Grants

    Giving is heavily concentrated in Illinois, with 84% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Chicago is the main recipient city, with additional Illinois grants reaching South Chicago, Sauk Village, Maywood, Waukegan, Sheldon, and Champaign. Outside Illinois, the recent list includes Walnut, California; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Kansas City, Missouri. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based across the grants shown.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Chicago Food Policy Action Council

    What kinds of organizations does Chicago Food Policy Action Council fund?

    The recent grants list includes community organizations, food businesses, cooperatives, fiscal sponsors, and technical-assistance partners. Examples include a cooperative, a community greening committee, a market co-op, and organizations serving as pass-through or fiscal sponsors.

    What are the typical grant sizes?

    Typical grant sizes are $34,000 at the 25th percentile, $42,000 at the median, and $64,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows larger awards, including a $500,250 fiscal-sponsor grant and several community fund awards in the $40,000 to $80,000 range.

    Does the foundation accept unsolicited applications?

    Yes, the active program descriptions say the GFPI Community Fund accepts unsolicited applications, and the Suburban Cook County Microgrant also accepts unsolicited applications.

    What are the main focus areas?

    The foundation focuses on food justice and equity, institutional procurement and Good Food Purchasing, support for systemically marginalized farmers and food businesses, technical assistance and capacity building, healthy local food access in community meal sites and institutions, and convenings such as the Food Justice Summit.

    Where does most of the giving happen?

    Most grants go to recipients in Illinois, and 84% of grants are in the HQ state. Chicago appears most often in the recent grants list, alongside several other Illinois locations such as Sauk Village, Waukegan, Maywood, and South Chicago.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Deadline: Applications open June 1, 2026 and close June 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT. Final award decisions in September 2026; funding disbursed in September 2026.

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    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    ChiFresh KitchenChicago, IL$168,4502025CCHD Grant Award less fiscal sponsor fee, and Chicago Regional Foos System Fund grant award less fiscal sponsor fee
    North Lawndale Greening CommitteeChicago, IL$80,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Food Hero L3CChicago, IL$67,5402025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Chicago Urban Farm SolutionsChicago, IL$64,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Southside Market Co-opChicago, IL$62,4542025Bridge Loan to Southside Market Co-op to be repaid in 30-days
    Zumwalt Acres FarmSheldon, IL$54,6252025Fiscal Sponsorship Funds passed on
    Roots Eggs and GreensSauk Village, IL$45,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Sunflower Soule Farm llcChicago, IL$44,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Phoenix Bean LLCChicago, IL$42,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Adelante Center for EntrepreneurshipWaukegan, IL$42,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    Windy City MushroomChicago, IL$40,0002025Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1
    CultivateKCKansas City, MO$8,0002025RE-AMP Urban Food System Resource Action Team Coordinator
    West Michigan Sustainable BusinessGrand Rapids, MI$8,0002025The RE-AMP Urban Food System Resource (UFSR) Action Team participant grant
    ChiFresh Kitchen CooperativeChicago, IL$194,7502024Fiscal sponsor
    Southland Development AuthorityChicago, IL$40,0002024Pass through funding for Technical Assistance
    Grace United Church of ChristSauk Village, IL$34,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    FoodHeroChicago, IL$34,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    Health Policy InstituteSouth Chicago, IL$34,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    Centro de Trabajadores UnidosChicago, IL$34,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    Universidad PopularChicago, IL$20,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    Housing HelpersMaywood, IL$20,0002024CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee
    Open Collective FoundationWalnut, CA$14,0002024Pass through funding
    ChiFresh Kitchen CooperativeChicago, IL$500,2502023Fiscal sponsor
    Open Collective FoundationWalnut, CA$177,5002023Pass through funding
    University of IllinoisChampaign, IL$10,0002023CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    ChiFresh Kitchen

    $168,450
    Chicago, IL2025

    CCHD Grant Award less fiscal sponsor fee, and Chicago Regional Foos System Fund grant award less fiscal sponsor fee

    North Lawndale Greening Committee

    $80,000
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Food Hero L3C

    $67,540
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Chicago Urban Farm Solutions

    $64,000
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Southside Market Co-op

    $62,454
    Chicago, IL2025

    Bridge Loan to Southside Market Co-op to be repaid in 30-days

    Zumwalt Acres Farm

    $54,625
    Sheldon, IL
    2025

    Fiscal Sponsorship Funds passed on

    Roots Eggs and Greens

    $45,000
    Sauk Village, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Sunflower Soule Farm llc

    $44,000
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Phoenix Bean LLC

    $42,000
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Adelante Center for Entrepreneurship

    $42,000
    Waukegan, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    Windy City Mushroom

    $40,000
    Chicago, IL2025

    Community Fund Awardee Disbursement Year 1

    CultivateKC

    $8,000
    Kansas City, MO2025

    RE-AMP Urban Food System Resource Action Team Coordinator

    West Michigan Sustainable Business

    $8,000
    Grand Rapids, MI2025

    The RE-AMP Urban Food System Resource (UFSR) Action Team participant grant

    ChiFresh Kitchen Cooperative

    $194,750
    Chicago, IL2024

    Fiscal sponsor

    Southland Development Authority

    $40,000
    Chicago, IL2024

    Pass through funding for Technical Assistance

    Grace United Church of Christ

    $34,000
    Sauk Village, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    FoodHero

    $34,000
    Chicago, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    Health Policy Institute

    $34,000
    South Chicago, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    Centro de Trabajadores Unidos

    $34,000
    Chicago, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    Universidad Popular

    $20,000
    Chicago, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    Housing Helpers

    $20,000
    Maywood, IL2024

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee

    Open Collective Foundation

    $14,000
    Walnut, CA2024

    Pass through funding

    ChiFresh Kitchen Cooperative

    $500,250
    Chicago, IL2023

    Fiscal sponsor

    Open Collective Foundation

    $177,500
    Walnut, CA2023

    Pass through funding

    University of Illinois

    $10,000
    Champaign, IL2023

    CDC Grant - Microgrant Awardee