Food banks depend on secure funding to maintain stable operations and address the needs of their communities. It is often through grant funding that many food banks are given the opportunity to broaden their access throughout wider communities and expand programs that directly affect them.

Recognizing this need, The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) made grantmaking a core function of service delivery in 2018. Angela Supernaw, GFN’s strategic grants director, and her mighty team of three work to ensure the network’s food banks receive strategic funding to operate at their highest efficiency.

Food banks use grant funding to accelerate different strategies. Some may use grant funding to buy vehicles or establish cold chain to recover and distribute food more effectively. In other instances, grant funding might go toward power generators so the food bank can continue operations during power outages, GPS systems to maximize fleet efficiency or critical trainings for food bank staff.

Grants also assist specific food bank-led programs like school meal initiatives. Since Supernaw started, GFN has awarded over $4 million in child hunger grants to food banks in 17 countries.

Another example comes in the form of agricultural recovery programs. Grant funding for agricultural recovery programs has steadily increased since GFN first issued such grants in 2018. Several food banks that received early agricultural recovery funding, including ABACO in Colombia, FoodForward South Africa and Leket Israel, are now considered powerhouses in that area within the network, as their successes have built exponentially since the initial funding.

FoodForward SA’s agricultural recovery program began in Cape Town with GFN’s grant support. Just a year later, the program expanded to Durban, followed by Northern Cape Region three years after its initial launch — each expansion with continued support from GFN.

As food banks receive grants, Supernaw’s team works closely with food bank staff to ensure their understanding of the grant application process. The team provides food banks with tailored training, guiding them on project design and grant application.

Oftentimes, food banks are new to the grant application process and the team remains mindful to the varying levels in experience. To assess food banks’ comfort in the process, the team reviews several key aspects: how the food bank presents themselves to funders, how effectively they summarize current challenges and opportunities and how well they outline solutions to their service areas.

This understanding serves as a reference point, allowing the team to meet each food bank where they are and tailor training to their specific needs. As the team refines these trainings, they also identify lessons learned and opportunities to improve policies, processes and programming that support food banks.

Beyond these tailored efforts, GFN’s technical assistance plays a significant role in maximizing the impact of grant funding. While the grants team focuses on grant specifics, GFN’s field services team brings expertise in food bank organization and operations. They provide food banks with essential guidance on options for the best use of grant-funded resources — whether that means determining the truck capacity needed to drive through terrain in select service areas, selecting the best types of produce for recovery or identifying the proper cold room for operations.

Technical assistance has also expanded learning opportunities for food banks through initiatives such as GFN’s Community of Practice, enhanced programming at regional events or the new Agricultural Recovery Hub.

As Supernaw puts it, “the marriage of technical assistance with grant funding is where the magic happens.” The grants team relies heavily on the field service team to ensure that food banks receive the training and support needed for grant-funded projects to thrive.

The ultimate goal is for a food bank to leave feeling fully confident in their operations and ability to apply for future grants with funders. This gained confidence also helps build trust with funders by showing how the food bank demonstrates progress toward its funding goals.

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GFN’s strategic grants go beyond financial aid. They equip food banks with the tools, resources and knowledge needed to address hunger and build long-term resilience.

In 2024 alone, GFN provided over $6 million to food banks globally. Supernaw and her team continue to increase funding year over year, committed to pinpointing financial resources for the network’s food bank partners.

Through the effectiveness of her leadership and team, Supernaw has helped shape a grant-making process that strengthens food banks while preparing for sustained success in addressing hunger and food insecurity.