Kroger Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Kroger Company Foundation invests in organizations in communities where its corporate sisters Kroger and Kroger brand companies operate. Its grants support hunger relief, health and nutrition.
IP TAKE: While grants are typically modest, this is an accessible funder that accepts applications online. Note that it is not, however, an approachable funder and its giving space is limited. It has also supported some far-right political candidates, so it is unlikely to support more progressive food systems efforts.
PROFILE: The Kroger Company Foundation, established in 1987, is the philanthropic arm of national supermarket conglomerate Kroger. The foundation maintains founder Barney Kroger’s legacy of giving, focusing its grantmaking on “ending hunger, improving food security, and bringing fresh, wholesome food to families who need it the most.” The foundation supports organizations located in communities around the country in which Kroger and Kroger brand stores operate.
Grants for Food Systems
As a grocery retail chain, Kroger focuses the vast majority of its grantmaking on issues of food and hunger. In addition to funding a number of food banks in regions where it operates, the foundation supports nonprofit organizations that work to promote food security and access to nutritious food in its giving regions. Grantees include Food Lifeline, Second Harvest, Forgotten Harvest, Food Gatherers, and Second Helpings.
Outside of the Kroger Foundation, Kroger Company’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste initiative is an ambitious plan to completely eliminate food waste in its company structure by 2025. The project involves a $10 million innovation fund, increased food donations, public policy advocacy, and collaboration with prominent nonprofits like Feeding America and the World Wildlife Fund.
Grants for Diseases and Public Health
While Kroger does not have a specific grantmaking program dedicated to disease-related causes, it has a history of supporting such establishments. For example, past grantees include the Markey Cancer Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association. The majority of Kroger’s public-health related grants go to support local food banks such as the Marysville Food Pantry in Marysville, Ohio; and the North Texas Food Bank located in Dallas, Texas.
Important Grant Details:
While Kroger’s grant amounts can range anywhere from less than $100 to over $300,000, most grants typically range from $1,000 to $50,000.
The Kroger Company Foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications and requests for funding throughout the year. Grantseekers may submit their applications online via the foundation’s Community Gifts page. Grantseekers with additional questions may contact the foundation at (513) 762-1591.
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