Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Carrot Cache

Carrot Cache Community Resources Inc. is a non-profit funding organization rooted in Toronto, Ontario, created from the profits of The Big Carrot, an employee-owned natural food business. One-third of real estate business profits were dedicated to building a foundation that supports long-term food security and sustainable agriculture. Since its inception, Carrot Cache has granted more than $2.6 million to organizations and individuals, invested in co-operatives, and provided loans that have been repaid and recycled into new projects.

The organization focuses on strengthening regional food economies, local organic agriculture, and community food strategies. It funds farms, worker co-operatives, not-for-profit organizations, small food businesses, community groups, and research and advocacy projects that contribute to a sustainable and just regional food system in Ontario.

Carrot Cache operates a Small-Scale Grants Program that runs on a defined annual cycle with clear timelines for expressions of interest, invitations to apply, final application deadlines, and notification and payment dates. Grants generally range from $500 to $5,000 and are directed to grassroots food initiatives such as organic farms, community gardens, food justice projects, and media-based education that promote sustainable, local food systems.

The organization prioritizes applicants who face systemic barriers and who lack access to conventional funding sources. This includes Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, remote and rural communities, tenant farmers without collateral, and community-focused projects that have little or no access to other grants. For non-profits and grassroots groups, Carrot Cache emphasizes small, under-resourced organizations with very limited staff and no major foundation, corporate or government funding.

To remain focused on transformative, community-based food systems work, Carrot Cache applies clear eligibility rules. It funds projects that improve or create change within local food systems in Ontario, including ecological production, infrastructure, distribution, education and systems-level initiatives. At the same time, it does not fund emergency food projects such as food hampers, projects outside Ontario, cost recovery for completed work, or organizations that are already well supported by foundations, corporations, government or United Way. Organizations that have already received Carrot Cache funding three or more times are also ineligible, ensuring that resources are spread among a wider group of emerging initiatives.

Grant recipients span small farms, urban agriculture projects, seed and land rematriation initiatives, community gardens, Indigenous food sovereignty projects, small food businesses, and advocacy and research organizations. Examples include rooftop gardens, micro-farms, market gardens, food skills workshops, fermentation-based enterprises, and community-led infrastructure such as greenhouses, cold storage, and irrigation systems. Through these investments, Carrot Cache aims to build resilient local food systems, support culturally relevant food production, and foster long-term ecological and social sustainability.

Carrot Cache maintains public accountability through annual reports and financial statements, which are made available on its website. These documents summarize the number and type of grants awarded, highlight funded projects, and outline financial stewardship of the foundation’s resources. This transparency helps demonstrate how business profits from The Big Carrot are continually reinvested into community-based food initiatives for lasting impact.