Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance

The Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance program, administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service under solicitation USDA-AMS-TM-CCG-G-26-0001, provides approximately 7.5 million dollars to improve the capacity of emergency food assistance operations to distribute high-quality, nutrient-dense proteins and fresh or minimally processed foods. The selected grant recipients will act as prime administrators, providing the management, oversight, and expertise necessary to run a competitive subaward program. These subawards, which must range between 10,000 and 200,000 dollars, are intended for food banks, faith-based organizations, and other public or private nonprofits to invest in cold chain equipment, including refrigeration, freezers, refrigerated vehicles, trailers, and repackaging equipment. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by October 1, 2026, and must include a project narrative with a 30-page limit, an executive summary of no more than 250 words, and required SF-424 and SF-424A forms. Evaluation is based on a multi-stage competitive merit review focusing on the suitability of the implementation plan, the applicant's capacity to manage subawards, the realism of the project schedule, and the alignment of the budget with program goals. All subaward recipients must operate within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or designated U.S. territories, and the period of performance for each subaward is limited to 12 months. Compliance with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and federal civil rights obligations is mandatory.