The City of Minneapolis is committed to reducing climate pollution by 2030. To help accomplish this goal, the Minneapolis Health Department is announcing funding of more than $315,000 for 16 community-led projects related to urban agriculture and preventing wasted food.
As part of the City’s Climate Legacy Initiative, the funding will support efforts to create a fair and climate-resilient food system in Minneapolis.
"Tackling climate change demands a united front," said Mayor Jacob Frey. "That's why we're thrilled to support over a dozen local organizations through our groundbreaking Climate Legacy Initiative. From fostering urban gardens to preventing food waste, these groups are making a real difference. Together, we're building a more sustainable future for Minneapolis."
Homegrown Minneapolis community projects
Each organization’s project is building healthier communities by addressing one or more of the following areas:
- Growing food using sustainable production methods.
- Using energy-efficient controlled environments to extend the growing season into the colder months.
- Reducing wasted food through distribution to food shelves and other programs as well as composting.
“Thanks to the Climate Legacy Initiative, 16 exciting new projects will increase sustainable growing practices, energy efficient season extension, and prevent food waste across the city,” said Alison Babb, Minneapolis Health Department Homegrown manager. “The projects will also be addressing food insecurity, promoting health equity, and supporting the City’s ambitious climate goals.”
Award recipients
The wide range of projects represents the City’s commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our communities now and into the future.
Appetite for Change will receive $24,677: Appetite for Change aims to grow produce in urban gardens and a deep winter greenhouse for community distribution and youth education in North Minneapolis.
Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO) will receive $22,680: CANDO will use the funding to do a series of free workshops on sustainable growing methods for gardeners and urban farmers.
Church of the Incarnation will receive $20,040: The Harvest From the Heart food shelf plans to boost food waste prevention efforts in South Minneapolis. They will hire a bilingual (Spanish/English) driver from the community to help pick up rescued food from local businesses.
East Side Neighborhood Services Inc. (ESNS) will receive $20,175: ESNS will improve food support and programs for older adults through gardening initiatives, such as the expansion and care of garden beds.
“The gardens at East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS) are flourishing for the community, thanks to the Homegrown Community Grants Projects. This funding is helping us increase access to fresh, local produce for ESNS food shelf participants and community members, foster community involvement through volunteer opportunities in our garden spaces and incorporate sustainable growing and watering practices in the ESNS garden beds.”
Grapevine Collective will receive $5,000: As part of their effort to organize a community-led organic gardening project, the Grapevine Collective is helping to build handicapped accessible raised garden beds in New City Center.
“The Grapevine Collective is grateful for the support to build handicap-accessible garden beds at the New City Center for Healing Justice. We look forward to sharing gardening opportunities and fresh organic produce with the community.”
Hope Community Inc. will receive $25,000: Their Growing Food, Growing Leaders project will provide education about food waste prevention and sustainable urban agriculture while also restoring an 850 sq. ft. urban agriculture space.
Kingfield Farmers Market (Neighborhood Roots) will receive $13,860: Neighborhood Roots will strengthen its food redistribution program, Nourishing Neighbors, by buying unsold produce from its vendors. It will then be distributed to local food shelves.
Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) will receive $22,000: NACDI will use the funding to support its Four Sisters Urban Farm program and its food waste prevention efforts at the Four Sisters Farmers Market.
NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center will receive $25,000: NorthPoint aims to increase the redistribution of edible food they collect through their community food shelf and take part in more local food waste prevention programs.
Northside Residents and Redevelopment Council (NRRC) will receive $11,220: NRRC will create a community composting ambassador program to motivate Willard Hay and Near North residents to learn more about and adopt sustainable living practices.
“Homegrown funding supports NRRC's Green Team and encourages local youth to become catalysts for sustainability, fostering a greener future by learning about and implementing sustainable growing practices. Northside youth learn valuable skills while inspiring their community to follow suit.”
Open Arms of Minnesota will receive $22,536: The funding will support Open Arms’ community garden program, Open Farms, which supplies its core meal program as well as its new Cultural Meals Program.
“Open Arms is excited to partner with Homegrown Minneapolis as it will support our community garden program, Open Farms. This program produces vegetables and herbs used in our meal program for clients living with critical and life-threatening illnesses. The funds will support our North Minneapolis and South Minneapolis gardens, allowing us to install a drip irrigation system, establish a compost system, and increase growing space for both our core meal program and our new Cultural Meals Program, designed for East African, Hmong, and Latinx clients.”
Tamales y Bicicletas will receive $24,750: Tamales y Bicicletas will use a deep winter greenhouse to help urban farmers and community members grow crops throughout the year.
The Aliveness Project will receive $15,000: The Aliveness Project is planning on increasing the food waste prevention activities of their Food Shelf Program. This will expand the availability of the program’s nutritious food options.
“Thanks to the City of Minneapolis’s Homegrown initiative, the Aliveness Project will expand food rescue efforts, thereby increasing the availability of fresh, nutritious food offerings to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families," said Matt Toburen, executive director. “Our food shelf and hot meal program will continue to meet the increasing food insecurity needs of the community and ensure people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives.”
The Camden Collective will receive $14,600: The Camden Collective is using the funding to expand its food waste prevention program through increased food rescue from local businesses and create a bilingual organics recycling program.
“We are thrilled to be able to use this funding to double the capacity of our food rescue program and to reintroduce organics recycling to our waste reduction strategy,” said Anna Gerdeen, executive director.
The Sanneh Foundation will receive $24,999: The Sanneh Foundation is partnering with Black Radish Farms to bring fresh produce to the foundation’s free food distribution at Corcoran Park.
Twin Cities Food Justice (TCFJ) will receive $23,587: Through TCFJ’s Produce Preservation Program, excess produce will be preserved and distributed to food relief organizations at times of the year when produce is scarce.
”Twin Cities Food Justice is grateful for the support of the City of Minneapolis. The funding has allowed us to launch an innovative program to preserve the abundance of produce available during the summer to be distributed to those who are food insecure during the winter.”
Visit the City website to read the full project descriptions.
Climate Legacy Initiative background
Mayor Frey announced the creation of the Climate Legacy Initiative in July 2023, after working with various community leaders, grassroots advocates, unions and climate organizations, and City staff.
The CLI provides necessary funding to implement the City’s Climate Equity Plan, which provides a roadmap for climate work over the next decade. The community-wide plan sets a goal for Minneapolis to significantly reduce climate pollution by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050. It also includes plans to weatherize all homes, reduce utility bills, promote green job training, and plant more trees.