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School Food Infrastructure Fund

United Way East Ontario has been selected by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to receive $1 million funding to further distribute to eligible non-profit organizations within Ontario and Nunavut under AAFC’s School Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF). For more details see the AAFC news release.

The SFIF helps non-profit organizations improve the infrastructure and equipment of food programs across Canada.

As announced by the Government of Canada in Budget 2024 , SFIF is provided to complement the National School Food Program and the guidance provided under the National School Food Policy. Funding is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Objectives of SFIF:

  • support the purchase and installation of infrastructure and equipment that increases the capacity of community organizations to produce, process, store, and distribute food for school food programs,
  • strengthen wider community and local food systems through investments in infrastructure that expand the reach and impact of school food programming,
  • help ensure that children have the nutritious meals they need to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

We are pleased to be collaborating with United Way East Ontario in their work to further distribute funding. The following United Ways are also supporting the work of United Way East Ontario: United Way Northumberland, United Way Elgin Middlesex, United Way Stormont, Dundas, & Glengarry and United Way Windsor-Essex-Chatham-Kent.

Non-profit organizations with projects within the catchment areas of these United Ways and Nunavut that meet the eligibility criteria may submit proposals.

The following are priorities for UWEO SFIF:

  • Increase the capacity of community organizations to produce, process, store, and distribute food for school food programs (immediate).
  • Expand reach and impact of school food programming to ultimately strengthen wider community and local food systems.
  • Expand reach and impact to ensure that children have the nutritious meals they need to learn, grow and reach their full potential (intermediate).
  • Priority to be given to those already serving schools attended by children and youth from lower-income families as well as visible minority and Indigenous communities.

The Call for Proposals for the SFIF will open on February 12, 2025 (9:00 am EST) and close on March 19, 2025 (5:00 pm EST).

Who Can Apply?

Eligible community organizations must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a registered charity (with its own registration number) or a registered non-profit organization (OCN BIN).
  • Have a volunteer board of directors that meets regularly.
  • Hold an annual general meeting.
  • Have sufficient liability insurance for the program or project in question.
  • Have financial statements audited by a licensed professional accountant*.

* Charities with revenues less than $250,000 may submit revised financial statements in lieu of audited financial statements. However, these must be from a licensed professional accountant.

Other Criteria

  • The proposed activities must improve the well-being of people living in Simcoe Muskoka.
  • The applicant (or sponsoring organization, as the case may be) must be financially solvent.
  • Each application must include a letter of support from the partner school or school board.
  • Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

How do I apply

You can apply through the Agency Portal starting February 12, 2025. Applications submitted after 5:00 p.m. EST on March 19, 2025 will not be considered.

Funding decisions will be communicated to applicants on May 1, 2025.

Please contact SFIFinfo@unitedwayeo.ca if you do not have an account.

Should you have any questions or need more information, please visit School Food Infrastructure Fund | United Way East Ontario

Funded under the School Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF) by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.