How is this year’s Prize different from those of previous years?
In 2018 and 2019, the New England Food Vision Prize limited eligibility to Higher Education Dining Service Directors and had a set prize value of $250,000. The current prize program expands eligibility to K-12 food programs, and invites organizations further up the supply chain to collaborate and apply directly.
The 2025 Prize has been modified to better meet the needs of food system partners, schools, and local producers in this time of great uncertainty and federal funding cuts.
Modifications include:
- Three application periods with a four week turnaround from submission deadline to decision
- Simplified application process
- Streamlined criteria used to review and recommend applications
- Existing projects and programs encouraged to apply
- Award requests can range from $25,000 – $100,000
- Up to $1.5 million available for 2025 Prizes
Eligibility
Who is eligible for the New England Food Vision Prize?
Schools, nonprofit organizations, government entities, and municipalities. While for-profit businesses may participate as project partners, they may not serve as the primary applicant.
I’m not a 501(c)(3), municipality, or state government. Can I still apply?
Entities that do not fit into one of these categories may not serve as the primary applicant, but may apply as part of a team, with the primary applicant meeting this criterion. If you need help finding (a) partner organization(s) please send us an email at info@kendall.org! We’ll be happy to connect you with one of our partners to assist you.
Do projects need to include academic institutions?
Yes. We require a commitment from at least one K-12 and/or higher education institution as part of each application. This may include: private colleges/universities, public colleges/universities, community colleges, public K-12 schools/districts, private K-12 schools.
If I am applying as an academic institution, do I need another institutional partner?
No.
Can a project team include non-academic institutions, like corrections or hospitals?
Yes, as long as the requirement of at least one academic institutional partner is met.
Can Early Childhood Centers apply as primary applicants?
Prize impact should be focused on K-12 and higher education institutions. If there is an opportunity for an early childhood center to partner with a K-12 school or college/university on sourcing local products, they are welcome to be a part of a Prize team.
I don’t have an existing educational institutional partner. What should I do?
The team at Farm to Institution New England is available to help connect you with a school or higher education institution interested in partnership: tania@farmtoinstitution.org
Can I collaborate with an organization outside of the six New England states?
All applicants and educational institution partners must be based in New England.
Do you consider food from Pennsylvania, New York, or other nearby states “regional”?
No. The food associated with the project must be grown/sourced/caught within the six New England states.
Is there a maximum number of partners, including educational institutions, that can be part of a project?
No, there is no maximum number of partners allowed on a single application. Applicants should keep in mind that the primary applicant will be responsible for distributing funds between partner organizations.
Application and Selection Process
What are the application requirements?
Applications will provide an overview of the program or project and explain how it will support local and regional food purchasing by one or more school nutrition or campus dining programs. See the Application page for more information and instructions.
What can Prize funding be used for? Is there anything that funding cannot be used for?
Funding may not be used for recurring purchases of food. Allowable food expenses include one-time expenses for recipe development, taste tests, and promotional events.
Funding may be used in the following ways:
- Infrastructure investment
- Equipment purchase
- Revolving Fund
- Capacity and staffing
- Training and certification
- Your idea here!
Can we submit more than one application with different partners?
Only one application may be submitted by an applicant at any one time. However, your entity may be a partner in another application at the same time as they are an applicant themselves.
If we are not awarded a Prize in one round, can we reapply?
Yes, if you are not awarded funding in one Prize round, you are welcome to re-apply in a subsequent round.
If we are awarded a 2025 Prize, can we apply to subsequent rounds in the same calendar year?
No. Winners are eligible to be partners in other Prize applications, but they cannot submit additional applications as primary applicants after winning a prize.
Who is part of the review team for applications?
Applications will be reviewed by staff of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation and up to four external reviewers.
Who is part of the review team for applications?
Applications will be reviewed by staff of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation and up to four external reviewers.
What kind of recognition, announcement, ongoing press will come with an award?
The Foundation will issue a public email and web announcement of the winners of the Prize.
What are the reporting requirements for Prize awards?
Reporting and check-ins with grantees help the Foundation team learn about what’s working, build relationships and expand our network, and develop increasingly responsive grant making programs for future grantees. We are flexible and accommodating when it comes to reporting. We also love to share stories about the impact of Prize projects with other funders, our Board, and make connections across the region to ensure learning from this work is shared broadly.
Prize winners agree to provide the Foundation staff with:
- One-year Prizes: 6 month verbal check in (30 minutes), final written report (2-3 pages), and a final financial statement.
- Two-year Prizes: 1 year verbal check in (30 minutes), final written report (2-3 pages), and a final financial statement.
- Financial statement details: One-page financial statement that confirms the Prize funds have been fully spent and that they were spent as intended. This statement must include the dollar amount spent as well as the goal of the prize as noted in the original proposal.
Written reports should answer the following:
- What have been the key accomplishments during this grant period?
- What have been the key challenges you’ve faced and how have you addressed them?
- What have you learned during this grant period that is of importance to your work?
- Is there anything else the Kendall Foundation can be doing to support you?
Financials
How much financial information will be necessary to include in the budget? Are there limits to the use of funds for indirect and overhead costs?
A high-level budget for the project should be included showing the associated activities and expenses. Indirect costs (i.e. fiscal sponsor percentage taken) may not exceed 10% of the project budget. “Indirect” costs do not refer to staff time or other operations necessary.
Does the application have to specify how funding would be distributed amongst partners and are there any restrictions as to where the funding can go?
Yes, the budget must specify how funding would be distributed amongst partners if applicable. The applicant – if successful – will have full responsibility for proper disbursement of the prize funds, including ensuring that funds are accounted for by each collaborator.
How will the prize be awarded?
The prize funding will be awarded to the applicant shortly after award announcements. You may consider having project partners execute a memorandum of understanding stipulating how funds will be managed, distributed, and expended in accordance with the proposed project.
Will selected projects ever be awarded partial funding?
No – applicants will either receive the full amount of funding applied for or no funding. We therefore encourage you to request the full amount of money required to make your project a success.
Does the prize need to be spent or can it be used to establish a revolving fund, for example?
As long as the funds are utilized in a manner consistent with the priorities of the Prize program, they do not have to be spent right away. A revolving fund would be permissible. In these instances, additional terms for the use of the funds may apply.
Can the prize award be used as seed funding, or partial funding for a bigger project?
Yes.
Can the prize award be used to fund an existing project?
Yes, a project being new is not required for this round of the Prize, as long as it meets the goals of the Prize and the eligibility requirements.
Is there a match requirement?
No.
Do you have a question that isn’t answered here?
Please feel free to reach out to us for assistance.