SLC.gov

June 26, 2025

Salt Lake City continues to increase residents’ access to fresh, healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food by funding 12 community food projects through the Sustainability Department’s 2025 SLC Food Microgrant program. 

This year, over $56,500 in funding was granted to community-led projects aligned with recommendations from the City’s Resident Food Equity Advisors Program.  

“We often talk about building a more resilient Salt Lake City, and this is one way we’re doing it—by supporting neighbors and community groups who grow food, share knowledge, and improve access to locally sourced, culturally meaningful foods,” said Mayor Mendenhall. “These microgrants are small investments with big returns for our health, our environment, and our connection to one another.” 

Community groups that are engaged in addressing growing food, inclusive outreach, dignified food access, or healthy food environments were selected for up to $5,000 of funding. Twelve groups were awarded funding in 2025:  

·         Backyard Urban Garden (BUG) Farms,  

·         Community Health Centers, Inc.,  

·         Food Not Bombs Salt Lake City,  

·         Food, Movement, and You – University of Utah Center for Community Nutrition,  

·         Frog Bench Farms,  

·         Neighborhood House,  

·         New American Goat Club,  

·         Orenda Urban Farm,  

·         Proyecto Xilonen,  

·         Rose Park Bee Club,  

·         Urban Pepper Project, and  

·         Vanavil Community Garden. 

Additionally, 96 individual residents or households were awarded $250 each to support their own home food production efforts such as vegetable and herb gardens, fruit trees, food preservation, backyard chickens, and beekeeping.  

“From installing gardens and educating youth, to placing new free-access fridges, these microgrants go toward tangible improvements in our city’s food system,” said Sustainability’s Food System Resilience Program Manager Maria Schwarz. “We are grateful for the work our awardees do.”  

The program received funding from the City Council in FY25 for $50,000, bolstered with some additional support from Okta through the Solar Stewards donation agreement. 

See more about the grant program and funded community organization projects at https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/community-food-microgrant