University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Show me the money! Funding ideas for scratch cooking initiatives

Jar of coins

Moving to more speed-scratch and scratch cooking is great, but it may call for new equipment. Where will that money come from?

GRANTS

Take advantage of grant funds to help you buy equipment! Here is a list of perennial grant opportunities. Note this list may not be all-inclusive, and grants may become inactive. Application periods may vary.

Chef Ann Foundation

National Dairy Council

Illinois State Board of Education

St. Louis District Dairy Council

School Nutrition Foundation

USDA

OTHER IDEAS

How else can you get afford equipment? Get the community involved with fundraising!

  • Try something simple, like a GoFundMe-type site.
  • Work with the PTA or other groups to host fundraisers, like a walk-a-thon, cooking competition, trivia night, or other events.
  • If you already have some capacity for scratch cooking, have a bake sale or pancake breakfast!

Make sure to set a specific dollar goal, tell the community what the money will be used for, and how that will benefit students.

You can also look at online auction sites, or scan online ads for used equipment. Restaurants and other operations often sell off equipment when closing shop, and you may be able to find some great values.