Island Community Food Security Program

The Island Community Food Security Program is designed to support the expansion of local markets while simultaneously supporting goals related to community food security, particularly increasing access to affordable local food and improving health and food safety.  The program will focus on strengthening local food systems through community-led education and outreach activities, namely:

• Linking farmers to consumers;
• Promoting good nutrition and healthy food choices;
• Building community self-reliance and collaboration;
• Enhancing the pride and joy of growing, preparing, and eating food;
• Building the capacity for people to create change through education and empowerment; and
• Creating multi-sector partnerships and networks that work toward community food security. 

The program will also promote entrepreneurial development, planning and public education partnerships among community organizations, government and industry which explicitly support PEI residents in obtaining safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diets through a sustainable, local food system that maximizes community self-reliance.  

Am I eligible to apply for Island Community Food Security funding?

The following includes a summary of program and funding eligibility. Before completing the application form, please review program and funding criteria in the Island Community Food Security Program Guidelines .

Eligible Recipients

• Mi’kmaq First Nations and other Indigenous groups;
• Non-profit organizations with a registered charity number, business number, and/or incorporated number;
• Agriculture industry organizations, clubs, and associations; and
• Community-based coalitions, networks, municipal governments, schools, early childhood centres.

NOTE:  

• Organizations must have capacity to enter into a legal agreement to receive funding (i.e., a charitable organization number or a provincial incorporation number);
• Projects brought forward by individuals not affiliated with an organization are not eligible; and
• When more than one group collaborates on a project application a letter of support from the partnering organizations should be included.

Eligible Activities/Expenses

• Implementing food literacy training for foodservices and/or procurement staff;
• Developing a sustainable seasonal lunch menu for schools or early childhood centres using local healthy food;
• Providing an opportunity for learning through classes or workshops focused on food literacy. (e.g., teaching meal planning, nutrition, budgeting skills, and/or cultivation practices);
• Providing an opportunity for intergenerational learning and/or collaboration related to food;
• Establishing and/or maintaining community/school gardens, greenhouses or indoor gardens to increase individual, family, and community access to fresh produce;      
• Infrastructure costs and related expenses for community fridges/pantries (e.g., fridges, freezers, small buildings, etc.);
• Sourcing fresh, local food and promoting local food production for community meals;
• Events which promote local, healthy food and farming on PEI;
• Materials, supplies and small equipment;
• Training delivery costs (e.g., room rental, training supplies, printing and photocopying);
• Professional fees (related to project only);\
• Promotion and marketing initiatives;
• Travel (in province only);
• Facility rental (excludes space already owned by organizations involved in the project); and
• Other reasonable project-related expenses as identified in the project application and approved by the program committee.

NOTE: 

• Projects must include some aspect of skill building or learning for participants. Learning may include healthy eating, growing food, food budgeting, buying healthy foods, cooking healthy foods, local foods, food systems, or others;

What do I need to complete the application form?

Information required for all programs:

Application Form

• Applicant contact information;
• Business or organization information, including CRA registration number;
  • If applicable, partnership information
• Project start and end date;
• Additional sources of project funding;
• Recipient type (i.e. primary producer, agricultural landowner, processor);
• Type of industry (i.e. dairy, potato, beef, hog, grains and oilseeds);
• Signature for declaration and consent to personal information; and
• Demographic information (optional).

Island Community Food Security Project Details:

• Project proposal (1-2) pages with the following sections:
  • Cover page;
  • Executive summary;
  • Project objectives;
  • Timeline;
  • Results;
  • Sustainable CAP outcome;
  • Budget;
  • Evaluation;
  • Communication of support (if applicable)

For more information contact:

PEI Department of Agriculture 
11 Kent Street
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown PE C1A 7N8
Telephone: (902) 368-4880
Email: foodsecurity@gov.pe.ca 

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) is a new $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. The agreement includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities funded by federal, provincial and territorial governments..