What is a Nutrition Equity Zone?
A Nutrition Equity Zone (NEZ) is an area within a community intentionally developed to realize a vibrant and fair food system that is powered by community engagement, collaboration, and partnerships. Within a NEZ, community presence is alive, serving as the driving force behind its initiatives. Residents within NEZs are active agents of change, deeply invested in the collective effort to flip the food system to fairness.
NEZs have many pathways for residents to get fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods through community-run markets, cooperative grocery stores, or urban agriculture initiatives. They are also hubs of education and empowerment. Holistic health workshops, cooking classes, and gardening events led by residents are a few examples of the diverse capacity building opportunities available within NEZs.
A hallmark of NEZs is the presence of local growing initiatives. Community gardens and urban farms are common, providing residents with opportunities to actively engage in food production and cultivation. These are linked to pathways for residents to activate their skills and resources to generate economic opportunities within their community. Whether through small-scale food production, value-added food processing, or entrepreneurship ventures, NEZs empower residents to create and sustain local economies that lead to healthy people and communities.
With a focus on sustainability, NEZs across the city are connected for advocacy and activism. Community organizers and grassroots leaders from different NEZs link together to strategize and mobilize around issues related to food justice and equity. Through collaborative partnerships with residents, organizations, and institutions, NEZs leverage their collective power to mobilize systemic changes to transform the food system so that it works for all.
*A concept developed by the Nourishing Power Network Advisory Council.
Funding Opportunity
The purpose of this planning grant is to identify two (2) collectives (at least 3 different organizational partners per proposal) who are collaboratively doing the work and have “skin in the game” to achieve nutrition equity in Greater Cleveland. Skin in the game means that these partners are deeply embedded in the community with extensive lived and work experience solving problems related to injustices of the food system. Our goal is to work with these two collectives to formally recognize their creativity, innovation, collaborative spirit, and ongoing investments to realize freedom, hope, and dignity in food traditions resulting in holistic health for BIPOC communities in Greater Cleveland. This unique funding opportunity is designed to work with these collectives to connect and amplify their work as they plan to become a Nutrition Equity Zone.
LEARN MORE AND APPLY HERE
The RFP contains all details related to eligibility, funding process, application questions, and templates.
**PLEASE NOTE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL OCTOBER 30TH AT 11:59PM**
Frequently Asked Questions
There is $140,000 available with a maximum award of $70,000 per grant
December 13, 2024 - June 13, 2025
A collective of three of more organizations located in Cuyahoga County. The organizations must includes at lease one non-profit and may include a mixture of other organizations types, such as businesses, government, schools, coalitions, neighborhood associations, etc.
The lead applicant must be a nonprofit or, if not a nonprofit, the lead applicant must engage a fiscal sponsor to receive this award.
More information can be found in the RFP.
Yes! You can have more than 3 organizations in the collective.
Yes, but the Advisory Council members’ organization cannot be part of the 3 leading organizations of the collective. The Advisory Council member cannot receive ANY funding from this award. The Advisory Council members’ organization is not eligible to receive funding if the Advisory Council member is on the payroll of the organization for more than 50% of their time (i.e. more than 20 hours a week of paid time). If an Advisory Council member is part of an application, they are NOT allowed to review ANY applications to the planning grant.
Awardees will be selected through a traditional grantmaking approach. Please refer to the RFP for details and scoring rubrics.
Allowable Expenses
- Personnel (salary, fringe)
- Other Project Costs, such as:
- General project related supplies
- Marketing and promotional materials for project goals
- Community engagement costs (e.g., food at meetings, stipends for participation)
- Consultation
- Mileage for in town and statewide travel for meetings: $0.67 per mile
- Administrative Costs (up to 5% of direct costs)
Unallowable Expenses
- Equipment over $500 (unless approval is provided in writing prior to award)
- Purchase of land or buildings
- Alcoholic beverages
- Goods and services for personal use
- Lobbying that is substantial in relation to the organization’s overall activities or is in support of or against a political candidate or specific legislation.
- Construction
- Capital or building campaigns
- Religious efforts for religious purposes
- Fundraising dinners, galas, or events
We cannot identify one at this moment, but we know that there is work happening on the ground that would be identified as a Nutrition Equity Zone.
We do not imagine that a Nutrition Equity Zone is a whole city, but it could be larger than one neighborhood. Ultimately, the size of your Nutrition Equity Zone will be determined by you and your collective work.
No. One of the organizations must be a 501(c)3 in good standing with the IRS to be capable of accepting the funds or have a fiscal sponsor.