Request for Proposals — Pittsburgh Eco-Agriculture Leaders Initiative

During the 2025-2026 cycle, PEALI is seeking proposals from:

Organizations must be led by the global majority (Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other People of Color) with annual budgets of $250,000 (or less), or $350,000 (or less) for returning grantees. Special consideration will be given to organizations led by immigrants and migrants of the global majority, women farmers, intergenerational organizations, and organizations that are youth-focused or led.

Organizations that received funding from Sampson outside of PEALI are ineligible to apply.
Organizations must be located in Allegheny County, with particular interest in:
- City of Pittsburgh Neighborhoods:
  - East End (Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington, East Hills, Wilkinsburg)
  - Hill District
  - Marshall Shadeland, California-Kirkbride, Northview Heights
  - Southside (Beltzhoover, Allentown, Mt. Oliver, Arlington, St. Clair)
  - West End (Sheraden, McKees Rocks)
  - Hazelwood and Glen Hazel
  - Manchester
  - Penn Hills
- Mon Valley

How to Apply:

The committee is accepting letters of intent (LOI) for this grant process through an online grants management system by invitation-only.

If your LOI is accepted, organizations will be invited to submit an application for grant funding.

Timeline:

The LOI process opens on Wednesday, November 19. LOIs are due on Wednesday, December 17 at 11:59 pm.
An information session will be held on Friday, December 5 from 11 am to 12 pm on Zoom.

Selected organizations will be notified around Tuesday, January 20 if invited to complete a formal application. The application will open mid-January and be due mid-February.

Funding Tiers are:

Grantmaking focus areas are:

For Non-Profit Organizations

Agriculture - Grant funding may be utilized to support efforts to improve our local food system. Examples include gardening, farming, and animal husbandry.
Food Solutions - Grant funding may be utilized to support efforts to improve our local food system. Examples include retail and distribution, policy advocacy, processing and manufacturing, transportation, equipment, and space/storage.
Business Development - Grant funding may be utilized to build capacity in new and existing food/agricultural nonprofits. Examples include business formation, legal assistance, cooperative development, and strategic planning.
Operations - Grant funding may be utilized to improve operations for new and existing food and agricultural entities. Examples include waste management, composting, and food safety training.
Community Development & Infrastructure - Grant funding may be utilized for land acquisition, land remediation, and equipment.
Community Education- Grant funding may be utilized for in-person or virtual community engagement/programming. Examples include educational workshops for residents, professional development for farmers or translators for multilingual residents.

For for-Profit Organizations

Agriculture - Grant funding may be utilized to support efforts to improve our local food system. Examples include gardening, farming, and animal husbandry.
Food Solutions - Grant funding may be utilized to support efforts to improve our local food system. Examples include retail and distribution, policy advocacy, processing and manufacturing, transportation, equipment, and space/storage.
Community Development & Infrastructure - Grant funding may be utilized for land remediation and equipment.

Community Education- Grant funding may be utilized for in-person or virtual community engagement/programming. Examples include educational workshops for residents, professional development for farmers, or translators for multilingual residents.

Contact: If you have questions on the Request for Proposals, please email us at vanessa@intentionalphilanthropy.com.