News & Insights

Fresh Taste has announced the 2025 Austin Fresh Fresh Call for Ideas.

Idea submissions are due by September 2nd, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Austin Fresh seeks to encourage fulfillment of the goals of Austin’s Quality of Life Plan Community Narrative Strategy 3.2 by supporting organizations working to do the following in Austin:

1. Build the Austin economy through food-related businesses including grocery and culinary enterprises.
2. Innovate emergency food efforts and nutrition assistance programs that expand healthy food options.
3. Expand access and quality of green spaces and food production.
4. Develop and promote culturally relevant food justice education.
5. Promote information on existing food resources and activities to Austin residents.

Fresh Taste will reach out to request full proposals on or before September 26, 2025. The deadline for full proposals is October 27, 2025. Grant decisions will be made by a committee of foundation representatives and community members. Grantees will be notified by December 2, 2025.

For more information or to apply for this program, visit the Fresh Taste website.

In 2020, a collaboration of funders created Austin Fresh, an annual fund with an initial five-year aim to work collaboratively with partners to expand healthy retail options, support community gardens and local food production, grow food enterprises, and protect and strengthen food assistance programs in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. During those five years, Austin Fresh supported nineteen organizations with grants totaling $6.6 million.

Based on an evaluation of the program, we are pleased to announce that Austin Fresh will continue for another five years, with a minimum one-million dollar commitment for each year (2025-2029).

(Photo: Gardeneers)