SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Food & Wine Alliance is giving away nearly $112,000 in grants to chefs, artisan producers, culinary nonprofits and businesses in 2022.
Applications for grants can be submitted online at texasfoodandwinealliance.org through Oct. 23.
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Grant winners will be announced and awarded at a ceremony at the Holdsworth Center in Austin on January 21, 2023.
The unique grant program has provided $532,500 in funding over the past ten years.
Eligible applicants for the grant program include farmers, artisan producers, chefs, wine/beer/spirits makers, culinary nonprofits, businesses and professionals whose projects and initiatives show innovation and impact on the community, according to a press release.
For anyone who needs assistance with the application process, the alliance is hosting a virtual grant info session via Zoom at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 11. A second in-person session will be held in Austin on Wednesday, October 12. Further details regarding times and location will be announced soon. For registration and information, email info@texasfoodandwinealliance.com.
“We’re so excited to celebrate 10 years of grant giving from the Alliance, which adds up to more than a half million dollars given in grants since we started,” said Cathy Cochran-Lewis, grant co-chair. “It’s incredible that the community has come together to provide funding to help innovative culinary projects succeed and help make dreams come true in this way.”
Here are the details for grants that will be awarded in San Antonio:
- Tito’s Handmade Vodka Entrepreneur Grant - a $6,250 grant awarded to an entrepreneur who has pursued their business dream despite setbacks. The winner of this grant has shown that success often comes from failures, as exemplified by founder Tito Beveridge and the pursuit of his Texas-made vodka.
- H-E-B Grant Supporting Diversity and Inclusion - a $5,000 grant open to San Antonio–area chefs, farmers, artisan producers, food-focused nonprofits and educational groups that prioritize education, diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Favor Delivery Grant for Local Restaurants - a $5,000 grant supporting a project or initiative by a San Antonio restaurant or food truck that gives back to the San Antonio community. This grant will be awarded to a restaurant or mobile food business that shows innovation in supporting the San Antonio community.
An additional $5,000 will be awarded in San Antonio for more generalized grant projects, officials said.
The Texas Food & Wine Alliance board of directors determines the amount of grant funding each year based on the organization’s fundraising efforts from key signature events, community partnerships and beneficiary events.
“We are so grateful to our sponsors, community partners and friends of TFWA for their continued support of our mission,” said Gina Burchenal, grant co-chair. “Their backing allows us to give back to the deserved culinary innovators who have contributed to this remarkable culinary landscape for Texas.”
Texas Food & Wine Alliance Grant Judging Committee for each city is composed of a private panel of prominent culinary professionals and community members.
Grants are awarded based on the grant criteria, application information, and goals of each applicant.
In 2021, Texas Food & Wine Alliance awarded $54,000 in grants to eight winners in Austin and four winners in San Antonio.
Grant winners from 2021:
- San Antonio
- A four-acre agricultural space dedicated to permaculture experimentation, Indigenous agriculture education and addressing food insecurity (Food Policy Council of San Antonio, $5,000)
- The first-to-market bottled, locally sourced olive leaf iced tea (Special Leaf, $5,000)
- A nonprofit aiming to reduce obesity and malnutrition by increasing accessibility to fresh produce (Gardopia Gardens, $5,000)
- A program of nonprofit and community outreach events providing a safe and inclusive space for all San Antonians (The Good Kind, $2,000)
- Austin
- A low-sugar barbecue sauce company inspired by the inherited foodways of generations of African Americans in Central Texas (Connie Jo’s All-Purpose Sauces, $7,500)
- A nonprofit social enterprise reconnecting refugees with farming heritage to fair wage, dignified employment opportunities (Multicultural Refugee Coalition, $5,000)
- A woman-led company making traditionally crafted fermented vegetable dressings from organic produce and pure avocado oil (The Cultured Carrot, $5,000)
- A bakeshop exclusively using Texas-grown heritage grains to make coveted pastries, bread and pizzas from a charming storefront in Dripping Springs (Abby Jane Bakeshop, $5,000)
- A nutrient-rich juice brand bringing the native flavors of Grenada to Austinites (Jeany’s Caribbean Elixirs, $5,000)
- A grassroots organization providing engaging garden and kitchen lessons to children in an equitable and culturally responsive manner (Partners for Education, Agriculture, and Sustainability, $5,000)
- A farmers market favorite specializing in globally inspired tacos and sandwiches using locally sourced vegetables and pork (Ninja Pig, $2,500)
- An agricultural venture connecting children and lifelong learners to food origins on a soil-focused educational farm (Barking Dog Farm, $2,000)