10/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/07/2024 09:42
A new 2024 comprehensive evaluation report from Extension - University of Wisconsin-Madison found the City of Madison's SEED grant program has been successful in its mission of supporting new and emerging projects that expand access to healthy food across the City.
The report determined SEED grant funding has provided several benefits to the Madison community over the last decade, including:
Over the past ten years, SEED grants have helped multiple local initiatives get off the ground and grow. Those who have been awarded SEED grants in the past told the UW Extension that "SEED money was a small igniter for bigger things," and "it's a really nice dollar amount to kickstart something." Another noted how an initial $3,600 SEED grant helped their program blossom into an effort with an annual budget of $167,000.
For many, the City of Madison's initial investment allowed them to improve their chances of getting more financial support from other avenues, because that "stamp of approval" proved to other funders that they had the right partnerships and plans in place. About 80 percent of SEED grant recipients said the grant helped them get access to additional funding.
"In a sense, [the SEED grants program shows] the City is committed to the [project] idea and willing to put a little bit of skin in the game as well, because they believe in it and want to see it," one recipient told the UW Extension.
You can find the full report here on the City of Madison's SEED grant website.
2024 SEED Grant Recipients
The following local organizations received SEED grants in the most recent cycle:
About the SEED Grant Program
The program awards small grants through the Madison Food Policy Council, with approximately $50,000 being dispersed every year. The maximum individual grant amount is $10,000. An analysis by the UW Extension found that most of the grant awards from 2014 to 2020 were for less than $3,500. Grants helped fund a variety of initiatives, including community garden programs, community and school meals, emergency food assistance, infrastructure improvements, and nutritional programming.
You can learn more about the program, including how to apply, on the City of Madison's website.