Applications open for Circular Food Innovators Fund Program in Canada

The focus areas include supporting local small businesses, implementing new reuse systems, enhancing existing reuse systems, promoting reusable foodservice ware, reducing single-use and takeaway items, supporting both for-profit and not-for-profit businesses, fostering sustainable food and beverage services, developing reuse system infrastructure, and enabling culturally-based programming for urban off-reserve Indigenous-led organizations.

Available funding for CFIF Projects ranges from $5,000 to $35,000 per applicant, with a total maximum of $250,000 available. Additional funding is available for Green Workforce Projects, ranging from $500 to $5,000 per applicant, with a total of $25,000 allocated for these initiatives.

CFIF provides funding to small businesses and organizations to implement or improve reuse systems that collect, wash, and redistribute foodservice ware for further use. Proposed projects must either implement a new system or demonstrably enhance an existing one to be eligible for funding.

Eligible applicants include small for-profit businesses with fewer than 99 full-time employees, registered charitable and not-for-profit organizations, Business Improvement Areas, and academic institutions. Applicants must either provide food and beverage products for takeaway or delivery, or support reuse system infrastructure for food businesses.

Applicants must be physically located within Toronto, or declare that the funding will support a project implemented within Toronto. Urban off-reserve Indigenous-led organizations may also apply, including for projects delivering culturally-based programming outside Toronto. Previous CFIF grant recipients may apply if the proposed project is demonstrably different in objectives, goals, or anticipated impacts from previously funded projects.

For more information, visit City of Toronto.