GFI overview and eligibility (PDF) – GFI descripción general y elegibilidad (PDF) – GFI aperçu et éligibilité (PDF)- GFI Apèsi sou lekòl la ak kalifikasyon (PDF)
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The Global Food Initiative (GFI) is an ongoing fund established by the Church of the Brethren to enable Brethren to participate effectively in addressing pressing world hunger needs. The fund will respond to proposals to address domestic hunger and homelessness, as well as hunger and development needs around the world. GFI primarily seeks to address food insecurity through education, capacity building, and by equipping people with tools and resources to secure their own food. Priority is given to applications that focus on sustainability and addressing root causes of food insecurity. Funding is not guaranteed, but all applications will be considered and reviewed thoroughly.
Application process
- Completed applications are sent to the GFI Manager via email or by submitting the online web form. If you have questions, please email jhosler@brethren.org
- All applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants may be asked to submit additional information or to answer follow-up questions.
- Based on the amount of funding requested, there may be additional layers of review required by the Global Food Initiative Review Panel, a panel of volunteer experts who assist the GFI Manager in evaluating grants.
- Applications are reviewed based on the capacity of the GFI Manager (part-time position) and the availability of the GFI Review Panel. As such, the timeline is contingent on the number of grant applicants in the review process. If there is a surge of grant applications, the process will be delayed.
- Timelines for review are also contingent on the follow-up questions needed for the Manager and/or Review Panel to fully examine and consider an application. Depending on the nature of the project and application, review timelines may range between two and six months.
Eligibility restrictions and types of projects
The primary work of GFI is to address food insecurity through education, capacity building, and by equipping people with tools and resources to secure their own food. Priority is given to applications that focus on sustainability and addressing root causes of food insecurity.
Only a limited portion of GFI grants can go to support US congregational efforts to address hunger through community meals, food pantries, and other types of direct food or meal provision. There is a $2500 cap for direct food purchases for grants awarded in 2025, including community meals, food pantries, blessing boxes, or produce purchase. Congregational grant applicants are encouraged to prioritize efforts that initiate or expand church gardens, promote gardening knowledge, teach nutrition, and/or train people how to cook healthy and affordable meals.
Outside of the United States, Global Church of the Brethren partner denominations are the primary partner organizations eligible for GFI grants. Other grantees may include long-term partner organizations with GFI and other organizations with Church of the Brethren connections.
For US applicants, applications must come from a Church of the Brethren congregation, camp, or related ministry. Church applicants cannot serve as a “pass through” to another organization; the goal of domestic GFI grants are to support congregational or church-based ministries. If a congregation is partnering with another organization, there should be evidence of significant congregational involvement. If you have questions as to whether a ministry is eligible for a GFI grant, please contact the GFI Manager at jhosler@brethren.org
Review criteria for GFI grants
As GFI grant applications are reviewed, the following criteria are examined and weighed:
- Community Impact – How well does this project impact the local community, beyond the organization or individuals implementing the project?
- Community Participation – How involved are community members in the various levels of this project, thinking of the project development, implementation, and evaluation?
- Capacity Building – How well does this project build capacity for a community or organization to meet future needs? For instance, is it building skills and experience or supplying needed infrastructure?
- Food Security or Clean Water Access – How well does this project improve food security or clean water for recipients or participants?
- Environmental Sustainability – How well does this project seek to address environmental concerns in its proposal, such as pollution, runoff, or restoring degraded environment?
- Project Sustainability – How well does this project proposal address the project’s sustainability, through its budget, income generation, capacity building, and other means?
- Budget Feasibility – How realistic and feasible is the project budget?