Background: On Saturday November 1, 2025, SNAP – the federal government’s food assistance program – was frozen for the first time since it began over six decades ago. In Alameda County, 166,000 residents rely on $35M of SNAP funding each month to purchase food.
That’s $35M that will not put food on the table for tens of thousands of children in our community, tens of thousands of senior citizens, and tens of thousands of hard-working adults who rely on SNAP to get them through the month. That’s $35M that will not be spent at our grocery stores, corner stores, and farmers markets.
The Alameda County Community Food Bank and its 370+ partner organizations are stepping up and need our help. Thank you to the following partners who have donated to support our neighborhood organizations and the people they serve during this time: the Office of Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, the Office of Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro, and Oakland Thrives.
Find food pantries here | Donate to the Alameda County Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund here | Apply to the Alameda County Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund
WHAT: The Alameda County Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund provides one-time, rapid response grants to community partners in Alameda County, CA for food distribution to residents.
WHO: Any Alameda County 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is distributing food to SNAP recipients is eligible to apply for a grant. Due to limited funds we may not be able to fund all organizations and/or at the level they request. We intend to continue raising money for the fund and hope to serve as many organizations as possible while ensuring that we’re strengthening the overall food system network.
Priority will be given to neighborhood-based organizations serving children, elders, immigrants, and people with disabilities and organizations who are intentionally partnering with other organizations, including schools and community colleges, faith-based institutions, and businesses to build upon existing capacity and infrastructure wherever possible.
HOW: Submit a short application to the online portal here. Grant recipients will be required to submit a short report about the use and impact of grant funds.
WHEN: Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted. Grant applications will generally be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours to provide immediate support.
Who: If you are enrolled in the 5th-8th grade at one of our Partner sites, you can apply for a Youth Opportunity scholarship to try something new!
What: Apply for up to $500 to cover the cost of a class or program you want to do, such as dance classes, music lessons, art courses, sports and more. Check out the resource lists for ideas.
When: Contact your YOS Site Liaison to find out when the applications are due.
How: Please follow these steps in order to apply:
- Create a Submittable login account.
- Complete the following online application. You can save a draft of your application and work on it later if you want.
- Submit your application when you are done. Once you hit submit, your application is final and cannot be edited. (If you need to make any changes, please check in with your YOS Site Liaison.)
Please Note: Before you apply, find out if the activity provider can accept a check for payment.
Questions? Please contact Aly Quiroz-Perez, PVF Program Associate: aperez@venturesfoundation.org.