Emergency Food Assistance

Overview

The Emergency Food Assistance (EFA) Program supports emergency food agencies, including nonprofits and associations of government, with the costs of providing emergency food services including operations, transportation, supplies, equipment capacity building, technical assistance, advocacy, and staffing. The program is funded by 2 state funds: Emergency Food Network (EFN) and Qualified Emergency Food Agency Fund (QEFAF).

Funding Sources EFN & QEFAF

Emergency Food Network

The Emergency Food Network (EFN) is a grant program for non-profit 501(c)(3) agencies and local government programs including emergency food pantries, food banks, prepared meal sites, and others whose primary mission is to meet the emergency food needs of low-income Utahns. EFN funds are distributed statewide through the State of Utah, Department of Workforce Services, Housing and Community Development Division, State Community Services Office (SCSO) to eligible entities. EFN funds may be used by eligible entities for costs of providing emergency food services including operations, transportation, supplies, equipment capacity building, technical assistance, advocacy, and staffing.

Qualified Emergency Food Agency Fund

The Qualified Emergency Food Agency Fund (QEFAF) is also a state-funded competitive grant available to qualified emergency food agencies in Utah. The application to be a qualified emergency food agency is included within the grant application. Eligible activities under the QEFAF grant include activities related to: warehousing food and food ingredients, distributing food and food ingredients to other agencies and organizations providing food and food ingredients to low-income persons, and providing food and food ingredients directly to low-income persons.

Eligibility

EFN Eligibility Requirements

In order to be considered eligible for this grant, an organization shall meet the following requirements:

  1. Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or local government program operating an emergency food program. Eligible organizations include:
    1. emergency food pantries,
    2. food banks,
    3. prepared meal sites,
    4. and other organizations whose primary mission is to meet the emergency food needs of low-income Utahns.

QEFAF Eligibility Requirements

In order to be considered eligible for this grant, an organization shall meet the following requirements:

  1. Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, association of governments, or municipality currently operating a food pantry.
  2. Applicant must operate programs with the primary purpose of:
    1. Warehousing food or food ingredients;
    2. Distributing food or food ingredients to other agencies and organizations providing food or food ingredients to low income persons;
    3. or Providing food or food ingredients directly to low-income persons.
  3. Applicant must collect and maintain required records of tax-deductible donations.

Expected Measurements and Outcomes 

Outcomes will be customized based on the projects and goals proposed in individual grant applications. Unduplicated counts of households served with emergency food by EFA funds is a required outcome indicator.

Contact 

For more information about the Emergency Food Assistance Program please contact:

Apply for Emergency Food Assistance Funding