The Rapid Response Community Fund supports community organizations with the resources to feed their neighborhoods and networks across the bi-state St. Louis Region. Co-sponsored by Community Health Commission, Forward Through Ferguson, Gateway Early Childhood Alliance, and Regional Response Team, we are taking immediate action to feed people impacted by SNAP disruption, federal changes, and ongoing food insecurity.
Grassroots organizations, community groups, churches, and neighbors are filling the gaps. Our traditional food infrastructure is critical, and it cannot meet the need alone. We are connecting donors to immediate impact with small-dollar general operating grants made weekly to groups neighbors know and trust.
The Fund’s small-dollar grants help fuel community groups meeting immediate food needs across the bi-state St. Louis region.
Purpose
Now the longest in history, the 2025 federal shutdown has delayed SNAP payments and reduced food access for over 40 million participants, including over 200,000 in the bistate St. Louis metro area. This emergency moment happens within the ongoing crises of tornado recovery, food deserts, and fewer access points communities harmed by longstanding disinvestment – particularly North County, the Metro East, and North City.
The fund prioritizes small community groups and food justice organizations ready to scale existing food services, provide direct cash assistance to impacted families, deliver food to homes, or become a food distribution partner for the first time.Â
We complement and actively coordinate with the region’s large-scale food infrastructure, multiplying access points with grants of $1,000 – $10,000.
Funds raised will be used to:
- Remove barriers for small groups who fill a crucial role in place-based food security but may not have the resources or infrastructure to partner with larger regional entities.
- Increase access points by getting dollars immediately to community-rooted groups able to put food into people’s hands, especially where there are geographic gaps.
- Coordinate connection between food, needs, and capacity.
- Expand the table to groups who serve their community but don’t “focus” on food
Who Can Request Funding or Food?
Any neighborhood group, church, organization, or other community group that can distribute quality food quickly and equitably within the following geographic areas is eligible to apply:
- Madison & St. Clair Counties in Illinois
- The City of St. Louis, St. Charles County, & St. Louis County in Missouri
501(c)3 status is not required. For example, a mutual aid network without nonprofit status and a small neighborhood restaurant ready to give out free food can both apply. Community Health Commission manages these grants.
Transparency and Accountability
The Food Security Rapid Response Fund is committed to a transparent process. This is a fund for and by community.
- 100% of funds will pass directly to community organizations and groups.
- Grants will go out weekly.
- 100% of funds donated in November will go to community within 1 month of donation.
- This page will include a public list of grantees and funded services
- Meeting minutes from the Decision Making Committee will be public within a week of each meeting.
We will update this page in advance if our scope expands to include mid- to long-term strategies. All donations in November will be applied to immediate needs.
FAQs
Who makes funding decisions?
A committee of the following 9 people will make weekly funding decisions:
- Marissa Hardwrict, Washington University in St. Louis
- Michelle Higgins, St. Johns Church
- Andrea Jackson-Jennings, Regional Response Team
- Val Joyner, St. Louis Housing Authority
- Annissa McCaskill, Forward through Ferguson
- Tamyka Perine, Gateway Early Childhood Alliance
- Riisa Rawlins, Community Health Commission of Missouri
- Bethany Springer, St. Louis Community Foundation
- A Metro East leader to be shared shortly
Why should I donate to the Rapid Response Community Fund instead of another organization or fund?
First, if you want to donate directly to a grassroots organization working on immediate food security, please do! If you already donate to them, please continue! If you support a food pantry, the Food Bank, or Operation Food Search, excellent!
This Fund supplements – not replaces – the amazing food access and justice work happening every day. Unfortunately, the need is so great that the food system as it stands now is not enough. If it were, we would not have ongoing food insecurity and inequity.
Small grassroots organizations, community groups, churches, and neighbors are filling the gaps, but many are unable to plug into large distribution efforts. Our region needs flexible funds that trusted groups rooted in community can leverage to meet changing needs.
This fund is unique in the philanthropic and food delivery landscape for several reasons, some of which include:
- Regional, bi-state approach. We are not limited by county lines or politics.
- Other major food and fund distribution sources we are aware of require membership in specific networks. We do not.
- Transparent spend-down timeline, 100% out-the-door policy, and clear decision makers from day 1.
- Funding staff time, transportation, and supply costs required to actually distribute food.
- Connecting cross-issue groups to food distribution (e.g. a LGBTQ+ service org).
I was going to donate directly to a grassroots group working on immediate food security – should I donate to you instead?
No. We do not advocate for donors to divert funding you would otherwise send directly to grassroots groups.
Can I earmark dollars for a more specific purpose or type of group?
The short answer is no, donations made directly to the Fund go into one pool.
The longer answer is maybe, namely if you have a significant funding source that you are contractually required to restrict. To discuss, please email Alaina, RRT Director of Operations, at asmith@stlgives.org. We will explore whether we can facilitate a donation directly to groups that meet your criteria, or if it is feasible to meet your needs within the Food Security Rapid Response Fund. Completed donations cannot retroactively be restricted.
If you don’t necessarily need to “restrict” funding but want to make sure that a specific need or population is being served, please reach out to Alaina at asmith@stlgives.org. We can talk through high-level information on the number and type of requests so you can judge if the Fund aligns with your mission.
Where can I donate to the Fund?
Donations are processed by St. Louis Community Foundation, and you can donate directly here: https://stl.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=8029
What expenses are eligible?
Direct expenses that help more people get food in November and December are eligible. We have broken down examples in more detail below. If you think an expense is required to put food in hands and it isn’t clearly listed, please include it in your request.
Eligible expenses:
- Food and food production
- Supplies required for food distribution/access
- Direct staffing and administrative costs
- Direct cash assistance
Food & Food Production: Food and ingredients to be distributed, ingredients organizations use to prepare food, and farming supplies. Food must be distributed free of charge. For example:
- Non-perishables, pantry items, fresh produce and meet, water, drinks, etc.
- Ingredients to cook & make meals, hot meals, frozen meals
- Seeds, saplings, inputs to farmed and home-grown food
Related Supplies: Items necessary to distribute food and/or increase access. For example:
- Supplies to farm, harvest, cook, package, or process food
- Boxes, bags, supplies to transport and distribute food
- Individual food supplies like paper plates, utensils, etc.
Direct Staffing & Administrative Expenses: If the administrative support helps get food directly to a family during the month of November or December, then it is an allowable expense. For example:
- Staff hours specifically to increase food access (e.g. extra food pantry hours, farming shifts, staff delivering food, etc)
- Gas, new storage fees, delivery costs, etc. to receive, transport, and distribute food
- Compensation for canvassers to reach food insecure families
- Community navigators or outreach workers who are immediately and directly connecting families with resources
- Gas card stipends for families or volunteers who are picking up and/or delivering food
Cash Assistance: Grocery cards, cash, and other cash means of supporting people struggling to access food. Grant requests for direct cash assistance are strongest when the group has run a similar operation before and/or if they will target an existing list of clients/families impacted by SNAP disruption or another specific loss of food access.
Does this fund cover operational overhead?
No. Unfortunately, while we recognize that utilities, rent, and non-direct service staff have a large impact on a group’s ability to serve families, funds from the Rapid Response Community Fund may not be used for these purposes in the months of November and December.
Are these general operating grants?
Yes. Grants are made as general operating dollars. We do not expect you to set up grant-specific expense coding and we will not ask for expenditure reporting.
That said, we ask that you calculate your ask according to the allowable expenses and honor the purpose of the Fund. The Funding Request form asks applicants to briefly describe how they came to their dollar request.
What is the minimum and maximum request amount?
Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000.
Groups have the option to also share their total need, if it is above $10,000, which we use to help mobilize donations and demonstrate the full picture for larger funders. If the rate of donations starts to catch up to the number of requests, we could increase the award maximum.
Submissions that requested over $10,000 before we implemented the maximum will be considered at the $10,000 level and their total need will be kept on file. We introduced the cap to maximize our impact on small organizations who are eligible for fewer institutional resources, and to align grants with the pace of donations.
Is verification of SNAP eligibility required?
No.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any neighborhood group, church, organization, or other community group that can distribute quality food quickly and equitably within the following geographic areas is eligible to apply:
- Madison & St. Clair Counties in Illinois
- The City of St. Louis, St. Charles County, & St. Louis County in Missouri
501(c)3 status is not required. For example, a mutual aid group without nonprofit status and a small neighborhood restaurant ready to give out free food can both apply. Community Health Commission manages these grants.
Intermediaries that can sub-grant dollars or distribute food to a larger network are also encouraged to apply.
What types of food distribution are accepted?
Applicants can choose distribution methods that work best for their community. Single distribution events, hot meals, food deliveries, and grocery cards are all acceptable methods of ensuring neighbors are well-fed. Partnerships between community gardens and neighborhoods are also welcome.
If you have an idea that isn’t listed, feel free to reach out to us at rrt@stlgives.org to see if it’s a good fit for the Fund.
How and how often will the dollars be paid out?
Funded groups can select a mailed check or direct bank deposit. Grants are processed by St. Louis Community Foundation through Commerce Bank.
Each week, a “slate” of 10-20 requests are selected for funding, and the prior week’s donations are split between them. Each selected request receives at least $1,000, beyond which requests may be funded in part or in whole. Grantees receive email notification and, if payment information is received promptly, payment is sent the end of that same week.
Not being selected on a given week does not mean you will not be funded. Eligible requests will continue to be considered each week without re-applying.
What reporting is required?
When requesting funds or food, organizations will supply:
- Type of group or organization
- Categories of services
- Location of food distribution or service
- Estimated number of people to be supported
In early 2026, recipients will be asked to complete either a short call or a brief written update.
We will ask for:
- Estimated number of people supported
- Any changes to services provided
- Brief description of the impact and ongoing need
Our goal is to minimize administrative burden. Information we do request is critical to mobilize funders to action and/or recruit partners in neighborhoods with the biggest gap between the need and the available supports.
How will my information be shared?
Aggregate information on total requests and community needs will be shared publicly for the purpose of mobilizing funding, addressing service gaps, and maintaining a transparent funding process. Full request details will be accessed on a need-to-know basis by the fund’s decision-making Committee, Regional Response Team staff, St. Louis Community Foundation staff, and staff involved in the logistics of fund disbursement.
We are committed to transparent fund distribution. All funded asks will have group name, amount funded, and a summary of services listed on the public fund website. If funded, you will approve final information prior to its posting, and you will have the opportunity to request anonymity if there are safety concerns.
I heard that Governor Mike Kehoe announced state food assistance. Why do we need this fund?
At the end of October, Gov. Kehoe did direct transfers of funds to Missouri Areas on Aging and food banks; however, these funds were already earmarked for pay out. Gov. Kehoe’s order simply moved up the pay date, so the transfer does not address the November SNAP lapse or lost benefits directly.
I heard that President Trump is providing half of the usual amount of SNAP benefits. What does this mean for the Fund and our region?
While this decision, prompted by a federal judicial ruling, will pull money from an Agriculture Department contingency fund to cover some costs, it won’t fully address the gap. Unfortunately, the $4.65 billion available not only fails to cover the $8 billion monthly cost, it also puts local offices in a challenging position of determining how to distribute limited funding to families. While we don’t yet know what the full impact will be, administrative offices will have to recode systems so they offer partial payouts, which could delay access to benefits for weeks or longer.
Why was the Rapid Response Community Fund established?
The Rapid Response Community Fund was formed in response to the Fall 2025 federal shutdown, November 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) lapse, SNAP eligibility changes, and economic consequences caused by removal of federal funding. The Fund seeks to fill gaps in food access caused from lack of access to stable paychecks and government subsidies.
What is the Fund’s purpose?
The fund prioritizes small community groups and food justice organizations ready to scale existing farming and food work, provide direct cash assistance to communities impacted by SNAP loss, deliver food to homes, or become a food distribution partner.
Where can I donate to the Fund?
The Fund is held by the Regional Response Team’s fiscal sponsor, the St. Louis Community Foundation. You can donate directly to the fund here: https://stl.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=8029