Frequently Asked Questions

About the Program

The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program helps expand the availability of nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods originating from Illinois farmers for Illinois' food insecure residents and underserved communities. The Program provides these grants to improve the capacity of Illinois’ local food system to support this objective and improve the affordability and accessibility of these foods for the state’s emergency food system by increasing Program participants’ capabilities to grow or raise, or properly aggregate, transport, handle, store, process, or distribute more of Illinois’ agricultural products to food banks and food assistance programs (e.g., food pantries), and, ultimately, to food insecure households, families, and individuals.
The Program targets fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Foods acquired through the Program must be surplus, seconds, or market‑grade and safe for consumption.
For this grant, local food refers to food that is grown, raised, harvested, or processed in Illinois.
No. Foods from the Program may not have fees assessed to recipient distribution sites/programs or to individuals/households.

About the grant

The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program is supported by funding from the State of Illinois through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and provides up to $1.5 million in capacity-building grants to strengthen the infrastructure of Illinois’ local and emergency food systems.
This grant supports capacity-building, meaning lasting improvements that increase your ability to move Illinois-grown, raised, or processed products through Illinois’ emergency food system. A good gut-check is this: after the investment, can you pick up, store, handle, process, transport, or distribute more Illinois product into the emergency food system.
Subject to appropriation, the grant period begins no sooner than July 2, 2025 and continues through June 30, 2026

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online only at feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered.
Your application must be submitted electronically at feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant and must be submitted by March 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT. If you don’t receive a receipt confirmation, you must notify the Awarding Agency within 48 hours. Late submissions are not reviewed. Applications will not be accepted if received by fax machine, hard copy, disk, or thumb drive.
The application is a Google form and automatically saves your progress as you fill it out, but you must be signed into a Google Account and using the same browser/device. When signed in, you'll see a "Draft saved" message, and your answers are stored for up to 30 days, allowing you to close and reopen the form (via the original link) to continue where you left off.
Tip: Draft your narrative responses and collect required attachments before submitting to help ensure a complete, on-time application.
No. There is no pre-screen or feedback system that flags mistakes before submission. Applicants should draft responses carefully and use the FAQ and office hours for support.
Awards are determined based on scoring using the scoring rubric. If there is more demand than funding, higher-scoring applications rise to the top. Program priorities, including serving underserved communities and strengthening Farm to Food Bank partnerships, can also weigh into decisions.
The goal is to fully fund each request, but there may be cases where an award is made for less than the full amount requested.
One is required (from a Feeding Illinois member food bank) to confirm a real partnership/distribution plan. More letters are optional and can strengthen an application, including letters from pantries or community partners, but they do not replace the required food bank letter.
Feeding Illinois food banks have autonomy and must provide match for purchases, so participation varies. Funding can be reallocated among food banks. There is no guarantee any given food bank will buy a given product; that’s why applicants should coordinate early with food banks and secure letters of support to a realistic distribution/partnership plan (what will be sourced, how it will move, and how it will reach food banks/pantries).
There is not a formal food bank letter template. A strong letter acknowledges the relationship and what it looks like (product, relationship, intent to work together). Applicants should talk with the food bank and avoid assumptions that product will automatically be accepted without coordination.
The form allows up to five uploads for letters of support.
“Baseline conditions” means where you are starting today, your current situation before this grant. Share any simple current details or estimates you have (for example: current capacity, current deliveries, current pounds moved, current storage/handling limits). Then explain what will change because of the grant (for example: increased capacity, more deliveries, more pounds distributed).
If you are new to the Farm to Food Bank program, it’s okay to say your baseline is zero (or “not currently participating yet”) and describe what participation will look like after the project.
Yes, there is a budget template available at the beginning of the application and it is referenced and linked again when you get to the budge narrative section of the application.
This is a Google Forms technical limit. Google Forms has an overall character cap across your full submission of 32,000 total characters per response submission. If your combined written answers are too long, you may see this message and the form will not allow submission until the total text is reduced.
Here are the best fixes:
1. Shorten a few of your longest narrative answers (even trimming a few paragraphs can solve it).
2. Aim for about 500 words per longer narrative answer as a planning guideline, then adjust up or down across the form.
3. Draft in the Prep Application first so you can track length and edit more easily before pasting into the form.
4. If you are still stuck after trimming, email grants@feedingillinois.org and include a screenshot of the error and which section you are working in so we can help troubleshoot.
Tip: File uploads do not count toward the character cap, so this issue is almost always caused by the total length of written responses.
Yes. We recommend drafting your responses in the Word or Google Docs application template first and using the built-in word count tool to track length before pasting into the form.
Yes, you are able to copy/paste from the application into your Word or Google Docs working files.
Yes for the scored narrative questions there is a maximum character count of 3200 characters and the form will ask you to shorten your response if you exceed that count. We recommended about 500 words per long response as a planning guideline so applicants can finish the full form without hitting the cap.
No. File uploads do not count toward the character cap. You noted you could convert a section to an upload if needed, but you do not want applicants to lose already-saved work.
A brief letter - on food bank letterhead and signed by an Executive representative of the food bank - stating that (1) the food bank is a member of Feeding Illinois and (2) is a subcontracted entity with Feeding Illinois for SFY 2026 to implement the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program.
No. Applicants will not be removed from consideration because templates were updated after they submitted.

Eligibility and Project Fit

Eligible applicants include Illinois-based farmers and agricultural producers, farmer cooperatives or producer-led entities, agricultural partnerships, Illinois-based community organizations, Illinois-based aggregators, and Illinois-based food banks.
Yes. Applicants must be physically located and operating in Illinois. Projects must support distribution of Illinois agricultural products within Illinois.
Yes. Applicants must identify at least one Feeding Illinois food bank partner and include a Letter of Support.
Tip: Draft your narrative responses and collect required attachments before submitting to help ensure a complete, on-time application.
Start this step as soon as possible. A valid UEI and an active SAM.gov registration are required to submit an application, and your UEI must match across your SAM.gov registration and the State of Illinois grantee systems.
Your required letter of support must come from a Feeding Illinois member food bank that can confirm your Farm to Food Bank partnership and distribution connection. You may also attach additional letters from partners involved in the work, such as an aggregator, pantry, or community organization. Extra letters do not replace the required food bank letter, but they can strengthen your application.
Probably not. Barn heat is typically considered a routine farm operating expense (utilities) or a production-related cost, which the NOFO lists as unallowable.

If the request is for a facility upgrade that clearly results in more food going through the Farm to Food Bank program and ultimately to food banks/pantries. Otherwise, another infrastructure grant might be a better fit.
It does not matter as long as the application clearly provides the farm’s details and the contact information for the person completing the application. The NOFO does not require that the farmer’s email be the one used to submit the application. What matters is that the application includes a valid email address and that the right people receive and respond to program communications (receipt confirmation, follow-ups, and any disqualification notices).
Yes, although the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council does not encourage or advise using a Fiscal Sponsor, unless the applying Project Entity cannot legally or administratively receive grant funds on its own. If the farm, food hub, food bank, food pantry, etc. is an eligible legal entity and can complete GATA requirements, applying directly is preferred. A clear explanation of why a Fiscal Sponsor is necessary or advantageous must be provided in the grant application.
If a Fiscal Sponsor is needed or desired, applicants may:
- Apply directly and request to use funds to establish a contractual relationship with a Fiscal Sponsor to perform administrative or financial functions on behalf of the applicant; or
- Use a Fiscal Sponsor to apply for an award on behalf of the implementing organization (i.e., Project Entity).
  - By doing so, the Fiscal Sponsor accepts all financial and legal liabilities for that grant recipient’s grant award at the time the agreement is signed.
  - Fiscal Sponsors submit the application as the applicant organization, and the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) responsible for all grant decisions and activities, including but not limited to implementation, subcontracts, and reporting to Grantor.
    The AOR would be an employee of the Fiscal Sponsor.
  - Fiscal Sponsors are bound by all the same requirements mentioned in this NOFO as other applicant organizations, including:
    GATA prequalified.
    Complete the Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ).
    In addition, have and provide a copy of an Agreement (e.g., MOU) between the Fiscal Sponsor and each Project Entity with the grant application, including clear disclosure of any fees.
If awarded:
- The Fiscal Sponsor signs the Subcontractor Agreement with Feeding Illinois.
- Funds, including grant reimbursements, flow through the Fiscal Sponsor’s accounting system.
- Both the Fiscal Sponsor and Project Entity are subject to monitoring and audit with the Fiscal Sponsor held directly accountable.
- A Project Entity cannot accept an award and later transfer the award to another organization (including a Fiscal Sponsor).
To qualify for IDHS grants, you must be registered and in "Good Standing" in the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal, which requires a SAM.gov account, a UEI number, and, typically, registration with the Illinois Secretary of State. If your organization is not yet incorporated, you cannot complete the necessary state registration or SAM.gov validation, making you ineligible to apply.
Start with a conversation. Email us at grants@feedingillinois.org and we can help connect you with the Feeding Illinois food bank that serves your county, so you can discuss your project and request the required letter of support.
The food bank letter is required for eligibility and existing relationships are not a scored item in the 100-point rubric. Partnerships and equity considerations may be considered if applications are otherwise comparable.
No, there is no penalty for requesting rollover. Your score is based on the rubric and whether your narrative answers are complete and aligned.
Yes — the program can support reimbursing farmers for product and adding value through processing, as long as food ultimately moves through the emergency food system and is distributed without added fees to agencies/neighbors.

What the grant can fund

Capacity-building projects that remove bottlenecks and increase your ability to move Illinois product, such as:
- Facility upgrades and equipment necessary to support Farm to Food Bank objectives
- Cold storage and distribution infrastructure (refrigeration, racking, temperature monitoring, dock/loading improvements)
- Transportation and logistics capacity (refrigerated vehicles, trailers, delivery equipment)
- Processing and packaging systems tied to distribution capacity (wash/pack, handling systems)
- Technology and tracking tools that reduce waste and improve coordination
Common unallowable costs include:
- Routine food purchasing unrelated to capacity expansion
- Routine farm operating expenses (seed, feed, fertilizer, utilities)
- General operating or overhead costs not tied to capacity-building
- Debt repayment or land acquisition
- Fundraising and lobbying
- Equipment or improvements not directly tied to Farm to Food Bank participation
If you are unsure whether a cost belongs, use this rule: If it does not clearly increase capacity to move Illinois products through the emergency food system, it is probably not the right fit for this grant.

Equipment and Purchasing

Yes. Awarded grantees must follow Feeding Illinois and IDHS equipment procurement requirements before making certain equipment purchases.
Please review the attached Equipment Procurement Requirements document for full instructions, required documentation, quote requirements, and vendor verification steps.
Prior written approval is required for any single equipment purchase of $9,000 or more:
- $9,000 to $9,999.99: Submit a written request to Feeding Illinois and receive written approval before purchasing.
- $10,000 or more: Submit a written request to Feeding Illinois. Feeding Illinois must obtain prior written approval from IDHS TEFAP before the purchase is made.
All equipment must support the approved project and program goals, and costs must be incurred, invoiced, and paid by June 30, 2026 to be eligible for reimbursement.
Awardees are required to submit three vendor quotes with reimbursement documentation to support the reasonableness of the purchase price.
Vendor quotes are not submitted with the application. They are submitted after award as part of reimbursement documentation. We encourage securing quotes as soon as possible because they will also contribute to your budget narrative.
If your project includes equipment, start your research early. Lead time, shipping, and installation can take longer than expected, and your narrative should reflect a realistic timeline for ordering and installation within the grant period.
Generally, no. Each entity receiving state funds must meet eligibility and registration requirements.
Per the NOFO, all rollover requests are at the discretion of the Awarding Agency and are based on sufficient appropriation and performance criteria including, but not limited to:
- Grantee has performed satisfactorily during the previous reporting period.
- All required reports have been submitted on time, unless the Awarding Agency has provided a written exception.
- No outstanding issues are present (e.g., in good standing with all pre-qualification requirements and no outstanding corrective action, etc.)
Go ahead and complete your budget for FY26 and then note in the FY27 budget worksheet that with a 90-120 lead time the equipment may not be received or paid for until after 6/30/2026.
Yes, but If it's over a $5,000 equipment purchase - new or used - it's dependent on approval by IDHS as part of the application review process. If it's under $5,000, there's less scrutiny required. Also, the equipment cannot have been previously purchased with state or federal funds.
If the used equipment is coming from a retired farmer, they can qualify as a vendor if:
- Are not involved in carrying out the grant project;
- Have no decision-making authority over the grant;
- Are simply providing goods at a fair market price with some independent price verification.
The farmer may not be treated as a vendor if they:
- Are also a project partner or subrecipient;
- Are part of the applicant organization; and
- Pose a conflict of interest or sale is not at arm’s length.
Why is a "Sole Source Justification" explaining why - clearly describing what is being purchased and why it is necessary for the project, and a contract or purchase is only available from one specific vendor without a competitive bidding process. Efforts to determine whether other vendors exist should be (1) documented and (2) explain how the price was determined to be fair.
This may be justified when:
- Only one vendor exists that can provide the required goods or services.
- The equipment is unique or proprietary.
- The vendor has exclusive distribution rights.
- There is an emergency situation that will not permit competitive bidding.
- Compatibility with existing equipment or systems is required.
Note: Sole source is not justified simply because a vendor is preferred, convenient, local, or previously used

Money basics

This is a reimbursement‑only grant. Grant recipients are responsible for paying project costs up front and then submitting reimbursement requests with supporting documentation as described in the Subrecipient Agreement. Reimbursement requests may be submitted no more frequently than monthly and no less frequently than annually.
Yes. This is a reimbursement‑only grant, so applicants should plan for how project costs will be covered before reimbursement. Feeding Illinois will share information about potential short‑term financing resources for awarded grantees.
Because the grant is tied to the state fiscal year, extensions are unlikely. Applicants should plan timelines carefully to complete eligible purchases by June 30, 2026.
Because the grant is tied to the state fiscal year, applicants should plan timelines carefully. If a project cannot be completed by the end of the state fiscal year, the applicant may request rollover to December 31, 2026; rollover is considered on a case‑by‑case basis.
If a project cannot be completed by the end of the state fiscal year (June 30, 2026), successful applicants may be eligible to rollover grant budgeted, unused grant funds as of 6/30/26 into SFY 2027. Any funding carried forward must be expended by 12/31/2026.
All rollover requests are at the discretion of the Awarding Agency and are based on sufficient appropriation and performance criteria including, but not limited to:
- Grantee has performed satisfactorily during the previous reporting period.
- All required reports have been submitted on time, unless the Awarding Agency has provided a written exception.
- No outstanding issues are present (e.g., in good standing with all pre-qualification requirements and no outstanding corrective action, etc.)
Awardees are required to submit three vendor quotes with reimbursement documentation to support the reasonableness of the purchase price.
Yes. Indirect costs may be applied up to a maximum 15% de minimis, if eligible, and must be approved through ICRES.
Per the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council, allowable pre-award costs can go back to the application open date of February 6, 2026, with appropriate documentation.

Any costs, including in-kind matches or matching funds, incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.
No. A vendor quote and a vendor invoice are different documents.
- A vendor quote is a price estimate you receive before you purchase. It shows what the vendor would charge for the item or service (often including model details, quantity, and pricing).
- A vendor invoice is the bill you receive after you purchase (or when the vendor requests payment). It shows what you were charged and what you owe or paid.
For equipment purchases, awardees are required to submit three vendor quotes with their reimbursement documentation to support that the purchase price is reasonable.
Typically no. Reimbursement can occur as costs are incurred (often monthly). The subcontract between Feeding Illinois and awardees will outline the process.
Reimbursement can only be processed once all required documentation is received and complete. Plan for about 30–60 days from when a complete reimbursement request is submitted to when payment is issued. To be safe, especially near fiscal year-end, plan closer to 60 days.
Feeding Illinois refrains from giving tax advice or financial statement guidance to grantees; but generally most grant awards, whether for business or individual, are considered taxable income and must be reported on your tax return.
Feeding Illinois will provide a Form 1099 to grantees, upon request and submission of a required Form W-9.
The NOFO allows successful applicants to request a rollover of unused, budgeted funds from 6/30/26 into SFY 2027, with any approved rollover funds expended by 12/31/2026. Rollover requests are considered case by case and are at the discretion of the Awarding Agency, based on factors like appropriation, performance, and good standing.
Feeding Illinois and IDHS will provide guidance and any necessary forms to request rollover of award funds for FY 27.
Tip: If you think you may need a rollover, plan early. Send questions to grants@feedingillinois.org. Keep your timeline realistic, especially for equipment lead times.
Applicants should identify and justify pre-award costs in the budget narrative. Per the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council, allowable expenses can go back to the application open date of February 6, 2026, with appropriate documentation.
Any costs, including in-kind matches or matching funds, incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.
Respectfully, the NOFO does not state pre-award costs are eligible beginning July 2, 2025. Per the NOFO, the notice is not an authorization to begin performance (to the extent that it allows charging to State awards of pre-award costs; pre-award costs are incurred at the non-State entities own risk unless they have received written prior approval to begin performance).
Per the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council, allowable expenses can go back to the application open date of February 6, 2026, with appropriate documentation. Any costs incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.
Per the Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council, allowable expenses can go back to the application open date of February 6, 2026, with appropriate documentation. Any costs incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.

Review and scoring

Eligible applications are reviewed and scored by the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council and the Administering Entity. The Advisory Council, in collaboration with the Administering Entity, makes award determinations.
Applications are scored on a 100-point rubric:
Executive Summary - 5 points
Organizational Information and Experience - 15 points
Need and Program Benefit - 30 points
Project Design, Capacity, Feasibility, Sustainability - 40 points
Budget and Fiscal Accountability - 10 points
Cost sharing (match) is considered in the review process. To be considered for funding, applications must achieve a minimum score of 70.
The goal is to fund strong, complete proposals. However, partial awards may be made after applications are reviewed and scored, including when a budget includes items that are not eligible under the grant.

After you are awarded

Selected applicants receive a Notice of Award (NOA). The Subrecipient Agreement must be signed to accept the award and conditions.
Yes. Competitive grant appeals are limited to the evaluation process (evaluation scores may not be protested). Appeals must be submitted in writing within 5 business days after the grant award notice has been published. Instructions and the appeal submission contact are listed in the NOFO.
Reimbursements are generally submitted as costs are incurred (often monthly), not only at the very end. Final reimbursement procedures/timelines will be provided after award.

Office hours and support

Office hour dates and details are posted at feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant. Office hours are held live on Facebook. Visit the Feeding Illinois Facebook page during the scheduled time and ask questions in the chat. Sessions will be recorded and posted.
No — to keep the process fair (and compliant with open meeting/equity requirements), one-on-one sessions aren’t offered. Please email questions and answers will be shared publicly via the FAQ when applicable.

Compliance, records, and site visits

Plan to keep records for at least three years after the grant, and longer if your organizational policy requires it.
Site visits or inspections are always possible when receiving state funds. Keep your records, maintain and insure equipment, and ensure funded equipment remains in working order and on your property.

Match Basics

Yes. A (1:1) match of non-State funds is required for capacity-building grants (i.e., a minimum overall matching contribution of 100% of the grant award is required).
- This must include a minimum cash match of 50% of the grant amount from the recipient's own funds, private donations, or local/federal government funds.
- The remaining 50% of the match may be provided as in-kind (non-cash) match to meet the total required 100% match. In-kind contributions
  - Non-monetary assets such as the value of volunteer time, donated equipment, services, or use of space. The value of in-kind contributions must be reasonable and accurately documented.
EXAMPLE: If your application for an irrigation system has anticipated total costs of 175K, your application must clearly outline that the applicant is contributing 87,500, and is seeking an 87,500 grant.
Yes. At least 50 percent of the match must be cash. You can provide more than the minimum, including 100 percent cash match. In fact, cash matches are preferred and require less documentation.
Yes. The key requirement is that cash match meets the minimum. The remainder can be in-kind if it is allowable and properly documented.
Yes, if you provide a clear example of donated use of equipment like a forklift where the donor provides documentation that supports the value and use tied to the project.
It depends on when you purchased the cooler or freezer. If you want to propose this, explain it clearly in the narrative and be prepared to support the valuation. Examples: Equipment donation, possible billable hours of time, part of a person’s salary, or donated labor.
In-kind match must be within the project period and must be documented. Because food valuation and documentation can be complex, submit this as a written narrative if you plan to use donated food as match for your specific scenario.
Match waivers may be considered on a case-by-case basis if approved by the administering entity and Advisory Council. Food banks are not eligible for a match waiver.
No. Food banks are not eligible for a match waiver and must provide the full match.
The required match contributions can be in the form of:
- Cash contributions: Actual money from the recipient's own equity investments, private or philanthropic donations, or local/state government funds.
- In-kind contributions: Non-monetary assets such as the value of donated labor/volunteer time, donated equipment, materials, services, or space directly related to the approved project supporting the objectives of the Farm to Food Bank Program.
  - The value of in-kind contributions must be reasonable and accurately documented.
You can apply for up to $100,000 in grant funds. The match is separate and is provided in addition to the grant request—it does not reduce the maximum request to $50,000.
Yes. The NOFO allows in-kind (non-cash) match for a portion of the required match. Examples of in-kind match contributions include the value of donated labor/volunteer time, donated equipment/materials, donated services, or donated use of space—as long as the contribution is directly related to the approved project and supports the objectives of the Farm to Food Bank Program. In-kind values must be reasonable and accurately documented, and all costs/match must be verifiable and documented.
Likely yes, if the labor/installation is directly tied to the approved project and is reasonable and well-documented. Match is 1:1 overall, and it must include a minimum cash match equal to at least 50% of the requested grant amount; the remaining match may be in-kind. The NOFO is the official, binding guidance for final allowability.
Yes, donated produce (and other food) may be used as in-kind match if it is documented and directly tied to the approved capacity-building project. In-kind match must be within the project period, and match should align with project expenditures and be incurred during the grant period (through June 30, 2026).

To value donated products for match, use the uniform values in the 2026 Donated Product Valuation List (PDF ). If your product is not on the list, email grants@feedingillinois.org.

If a rollover is approved, any match tied to rolled-over costs should occur within the approved rollover window and be documented accordingly (rollover is case-by-case and, if approved, funds must be expended by 12/31/2026).
Yes, if your total project cost is $70,000, requesting $35,000 and providing $35,000 in match meets the 1:1 (100%) non-State match requirement.

Please note: the required match must include a minimum cash match equal to 50% of the grant amount (so a $35,000 request requires at least $17,500 cash match). The remaining match may be provided as in-kind (non-cash) if it is allowable and well-documented.
Use the Budget Narrative Worksheet to document your match plan. In the Match (Non-State) table, list each match source and use the Description & Documentation column to explain what it is and how you’ll document it.
In general, keep documentation that shows:
- What was donated (and how it supports the approved project)
- Who donated it
- When it was provided (dates/hours)
- How you calculated the value (and your backup)
For donated space, document the location and purpose, dates/hours used, and the rate you used to calculate the value (with supporting backup).
Unfortunately no, any costs – including in-kind matches – incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.
The following linked list contains the allowable, uniform values that should be used in calculating any anticipated In-Kind donations to cover an applicant’s match requirement.
View the 2026 Donated Product Valuation List (PDF)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hPTtLC7H9ehtHpwPWA7ddkVeFsasAMeS/view?usp=sharing
If an applicant has a product to offer that is not on the list, please email grants@feedingillinois.org
Yes. The NOFO states that the administering entity (with concurrence of the Program Advisory Council) may waive the matching requirement on a case-by-case basis—except for food banks (food banks are not eligible for a match waiver).

Per the NOFO, match waiver considerations may include projects that involve one or more of the following:
- Address a critical Farm to Food Bank Program capacity gap
- Demonstrate limited financial capacity and limited access to non-State funding sources
- Serve high-need or underserved Illinois communities
- Support equity and access considerations
- Fund a capacity-building investment essential to Program participation
- Are a small-scale project or involve a limited award amount
- Are driven by time-sensitive or market-driven conditions
- Show a public benefit that would not otherwise be achievable
Yes — if the work is directly related and essential to the approved capacity-building project. The best documentation is invoices (and proof of payment when applicable).
No — match waiver decisions are part of the application review process and depend on the full application context. You can still make your case clearly in your waiver request section.

Contact

If you have questions, please email grants@feedingillinois.org.
A frequently asked Question and Answer page is posted on the Feeding Illinois website (https://www.feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant ).
ALL questions submitted up to 5 business days prior to the end of the NOFO posting period will be posted on the website. Applicants are encouraged to check the website regularly during the posting period.
During the application window, Feeding Illinois will host virtual office hours. Dates and the meeting link will be posted on the program webpage and shared in announcements.

Staff and Contracted Labor

Yes, if the staff time is directly tied to capacity-building and is clearly justified in your narrative and budget. Think of it as time-limited work or contracted labor that helps build the system or process. Your narrative should explain how the capacity continues beyond the grant.
Possibly, if it is structured as time-limited or contracted work during the grant period and clearly tied to capacity-building. The position must be matched and your narrative should explain sustainability beyond the grant.
Pre-award costs are allowed only with discretion, review, and prior approval, and must be clearly identified and justified as pre-award in the budget narrative. If you are considering retroactive staff time, submit a written question describing the role, dates, and tasks.
Unfortunately no, any costs – including in-kind matches – incurred or expenditures prior to February 6, 2026 are not allowed.
Not necessarily. Indirect costs are intended to cover shared administrative burden, and the NOFO allows indirect up to the stated maximum. If you want to explain the staffing burden, you can — but you don’t have to itemize every task to claim indirect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Save-You-Time Checklist

Key Info and Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Program

About the grant

How to apply

Eligibility and Project Fit

What the grant can fund

Equipment and Purchasing

Money basics

Review and scoring

After you are awarded

Office hours and support

Compliance, records, and site visits

Match Basics

Contact

Staff and Contracted Labor

Get Involved