Supporting a More Equitable Food System Request for Proposals (RFP)

Through this RFP, NYHealth aims to advance racial health equity through two of our  Healthy Food, Healthy Lives strategies: (1) promoting Food Is Medicine interventions and (2) supporting healthier, culturally responsive food purchasing. 

NYHealth will support local, community-based efforts to create more equitable local food environments. Organizations led by and supporting people of color that bring healthy food into racially and economically marginalized communities throughout New York State are eligible for grants of up to $50,000.

Unequal access to healthy, affordable food is a major contributor to the disproportionately high rates of food insecurity and diet-related disease in communities of color. 

The communities most affected by these disparities often have the best solutions to improving food equity. In New York State, countless community-based organizations are working to improve food access and nutrition, led by people of color who bring unique assets and strengths and deep connections to communities. However, systemic barriers often exist, and historically, organizations led by people of color have not had equal access to or benefited from traditional philanthropic funds and resources. We seek to support organizations led by and supporting communities of color to implement projects that are informed by and responsive to community needs. 

NYHealth defines organizations led by people of color as groups where the majority (greater than 50%) of senior leadership self-identifies as non-white (Black or African descent, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, or other non-white ethnicities). Senior leadership may include the governance body (board of directors, council of elders, etc.) and any staff or volunteers with significant decision-making powers.

People of color is meant to be inclusive of Black, Latino/Hispanic, South Asian, and other ethnic and racial groups. Like any shorthand, the term is not perfect. For more information, please visit The BIPOC Project.

The Food Is Medicine Coalition and The Aspen Institute define Food Is Medicine interventions as “a spectrum of programs and services that respond to the critical link between nutrition and health. Food is Medicine interventions include:

• The provision of foods that support health, such as medically tailored meals or groceries, or food assistance, such as vouchers for produce.
• A nexus to the health care system.”

NYHealth supports organizations that help to ensure that public institutions (e.g., schools, senior centers, Head Start programs) adopt policies and practices to improve the nutritional value of food purchases and to help create additional opportunities for farmers and food producers with smaller operations to compete for larger contracts.

See more examples of NYHealth-funded programs that prioritized food equity and justice through ioby, and visit the NYHealth website for a list of current Healthy Food, Healthy Lives grantees.

All applicants are required to be New York State-based. Nonprofit organizations and tribal governments are eligible to apply. If relevant, organizations can partner on an application; however, there must be one lead applicant. Past NYHealth grantees as well as organizations that have not previously received NYHealth funding are welcome to apply. Applicants may use a fiscal sponsor if not incorporated into a 501(c)(3). Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Yes, the maximum project duration permitted is 24 months.

Yes, past NYHealth grantees and organizations that have not previously received NYHealth funding are welcome to apply.

Yes. However, if an organization submits multiple LOIs for consideration, no more than one project would be invited to submit a full proposal. We encourage you to identify the project that is the highest priority for your organization and most aligned with the goals of the RFP.

• Lobbying
• Capital expenses (e.g., construction/renovation, furniture, vehicles, health care equipment)
• General operations or projects that involve funding of ongoing services undertaken by an organization

Yes, NYHealth will host two information sessions to answer questions on Wednesday, September 20th (register here) and Tuesday, October 10th (register here). Additionally, you can send questions via email to HFHLequityrfp2023@nyhealthfoundation.org before the LOI due date. Please note that because of the large number of applicants, questions asked very close to the due date may not be answered in time.

LOI Deadline: Monday, October 23, 2023, at 1 p.m.

Full Proposal Invitation/ LOI Declination Notification: December 2023

Full Proposal Deadline (invited applicants only): Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 1 p.m.

Award/Declination Notification: March 2024

Individual project budgets are capped at $50,000. Funds requested must be commensurate with the work proposed.

No. All information must be included in the LOI fields.

You are not required to include references in the LOI or your full proposal; however, applicants will be expected to provide references if asked by Foundation staff. If you would like to include references, please include them in the body of the LOI form or proposal.

Yes, NYHealth allows a 15% maximum administrative overhead.

Approximately eight to ten organizations will be funded with grants of up to $50,000 each.

Only applicants that submitted an LOI and are invited to submit a full proposal will gain access to the full proposal application via e-mail.