(CHAFFEE COUNTY, CO) March 3, 2026 – The Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF), in partnership with the City of Salida, Chaffee County, The Colorado Trust, and El Pomar Foundation, is pleased to announce the launch of the Phase 2 Food Access Grant. This funding opportunity will support community-driven solutions that strengthen food access infrastructure and systems across Chaffee County over the next 12 months.

Up to $200,000 in funding is available, with individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 depending on project scope. The grant builds on the Food Action Roadmap and priorities identified by the local Safety Net Leaders Group and participants in the Fall 2025 Food Access Strategic Planning Session.

“This next phase is about strengthening the systems that ensure our neighbors have consistent, reliable access to food,” said Betsy Dittenber, Executive Director of CCCF. “We’ve listened carefully to nonprofit leaders, food providers, and community partners. This funding is designed to support collaborative, lasting solutions that improve coordination, reduce waste, and build long-term capacity across our local food network.”

Funding Priorities

The Phase 2 Food Access Grant prioritizes projects that create sustainable, network-level improvements rather than one-time emergency responses. Examples of eligible projects include:

  • Expanding sustainable cold storage nodes and aggregation facilities that reduce food waste and enhance distribution of locally produced food
  • Strengthening shared infrastructure, partnerships, and coordinated services that improve food access systems countywide
  • Building leadership and coordination capacity for food system planning and immediate needs services

Projects focused solely on maintaining existing services, long-term initiatives exceeding 12 months, or funding for a single food provider or producer are not eligible.

Grant Term & Timeline

Funded projects may run for up to 12 months, from June 1, 2026 through May 30, 2027.

Key dates include:

  • Application Opens: April 1, 2026
  • Pre-Application Information Session: March 12, 2026 
  • Application Deadline: April 30, 2026
  • Award Notifications: May 18, 2026
  • Project Implementation: June 1, 2026 – May 30, 2027

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include registered nonprofits (501c3, 501c4, or 501c6), government agencies, faith-based organizations, tribal entities, and fiscally sponsored projects serving Chaffee County residents. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to implement proposed outcomes within 12 months and provide evidence of community need, collaboration, and sustainability beyond the grant period.

Organizations interested in applying or learning more can visit www.chaffeecommunity.org/foodaccess or contact .

About CCCF
Founded in 2018, Chaffee County Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization established to promote and facilitate philanthropy in Chaffee County, created by and for the people in that area. CCCF acts as a catalyst to inspire positive change through the power of philanthropy to enrich the lives of all people within the county. Its goals are to make informed philanthropy accessible to all, build local nonprofit capacity, and enable community conversations. Since 2018, CCCF has actively supported nonprofit organizations for the betterment of Chaffee County and the local communities. To learn more, visit www.chaffeecommunity.org.