Durham nonprofits can apply for $20,000 to $50,000 from a $250,000 county food security fund until noon Monday, Oct. 26. Five to 10 awards are expected in November.
Durham County has $250,000 to give to nonprofits working to make sure residents have enough to eat. Applications close at noon Monday, Oct. 26.
Grants range from $20,000 to $50,000. The county expects to fund five to 10 organizations for 12 months, according to the grant program page run by the county’s N.C. Cooperative Extension office. Winners are due to be announced in mid-November, with grant agreements signed in January 2027.
The Board of County Commissioners announced the round at its Oct. 12 meeting.
Why the county funds this
The program page says 14% of Durham County residents are food insecure, citing Feeding America. In the county’s most recent Community Health Assessment, 12% of people surveyed said they had skipped meals or cut their size in the past year because they did not have enough money for food.
Who can apply
An applicant must be:
- a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or a group fiscally sponsored by one
- doing work in Durham County that benefits people in the county
- able to show clearly how the project improves food security for Durham households
- not already funded by the program. Spring 2026 winners cannot apply this round.
The county gives priority to groups rooted in the communities they serve and to projects that involve the people most affected in decisions. It also favors partnerships and projects that reach residents facing extra barriers, such as older or disabled adults without transportation and families earning just above the SNAP and WIC limits.
What the money can pay for
The program lists these examples:
- giving out food directly
- helping residents sign up for nutrition programs
- building a group’s own capacity
- better coordination between food providers
- training in growing, preparing or sourcing food
Who won last time
Eight groups shared $325,000 in the spring 2026 round, according to the county’s list of funded projects.
| Organization | Project | Award |
|---|---|---|
| GRAB NC | More food for young people, plus cooking, nutrition and life skills classes | $45,000 |
| NC PTA | Bigger school food hubs and parent leader training | $45,000 |
| Meals on Wheels Durham | Meals for people just home from the hospital, plus produce boxes | $45,000 |
| Believers United for Progress | More hot meals and food boxes, staff for its community kitchen | $45,000 |
| Emanuel Food Pantry | Bigger food delivery program | $45,000 |
| Hannah’s Community Kitchen | More deliveries and on-site food distribution | $45,000 |
| Terreiro de Arte e Cultura | Meals for an after-school program, a community garden and youth farming lessons | $30,000 |
| Durham Tech Community College Foundation | Food pantry renovation and food distribution across its campuses | $25,000 |
What it means for you
- If you run a nonprofit: read the application instructions and apply online by noon Monday, Oct. 26. Instructions are also in Spanish, but applications must be in English. A recording of the Sept. 30 information session is linked from the program page.
- Questions: Food Security Coordinator Raina Goldstein Bunnag, rbunnag@dconc.gov or 919-560-9228.
- If you need food help yourself: the groups in the table above run pantries, meal deliveries and community kitchens in Durham. Our farmers markets page lists markets in and around the city.
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