The food security crisis is one of the most urgent issues our world is facing. In recent years, food insecurity has become a growing challenge, disproportionally impacting low-income and marginalized communities across the globe.

Food security requires investment from the public, private, and NGO sectors to address the current hunger crisis and meet the demands of the world’s growing population. Having proudly collaborated with Citi and the Citi Foundation for over 10 years, Global Citizen has seen Citi and the Citi Foundation’s support for efforts that help combat food scarcity with the innovative solutions the world desperately needs.

The Citi Foundation has announced its first-ever Global Innovation Challenge to help scale the impact of nonprofits around the world that are developing innovative solutions to improve food security. 

This philanthropic initiative will provide a collective $25 million to 50 organizations working to pilot or expand ideas and projects that are designed to improve food security and strengthen the financial health of low-income families and communities. And they are seeking applicants to this program right now.

Funding the NGOs that are working to improve food security is a critical step in making sure that the right actors are able to share in the mission to End Extreme Poverty NOW.

If you’re trying to do some quick math, we’ll help you out…that’s $500,000 that the Citi Foundation seeks to award organizations, with a focus on four priority areas:

• Access: The Challenge seeks to support community-based NGOs to improve or scale direct access to food to meet the needs of a growing number of individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and the economic strain of overall household expenses.
• Affordability: The Challenge seeks to support community finance efforts that enable low-income individuals and communities to address the affordability of food, thereby reducing their financial burden.
• Availability: The Challenge seeks to support innovative solutions or pilots that could address challenges in the food supply chain while also catalyzing positive community benefits, such as spurring the creation of new jobs and businesses.
• Resilience: The Challenge seeks to support communities to more effectively prepare for and respond to crises that disrupt food security, ensure a secure food supply for the future, and make communities more resilient to food related external shocks. 

The Citi Foundation has posted materials with all the details you’ll need to find out if an organization is eligible to apply, and a super informative FAQ. Question 5 in the FAQ lists specific details on what geographic areas are eligible.

Applicant organizations must register to confirm eligibility through the Citi Foundation's portal by 4 p.m. EDT on March 22, 2023. Once registration is confirmed, organizations can submit completed applications by 4 p.m. EDT on April 5, 2023.