Hunger and food insecurity affect billions of people worldwide, highlighting the growing need for food banks. If you’re wondering how to start a food bank, we have you covered with this step-by-step guide. Read on!
Food insecurity is a global phenomenon that could contribute to approximately 582 million people being chronically undernourished by 2030.
People worldwide are rising to the challenge by establishing community-wide food banks that provide meals to those who need them most.
In this article, we’ll share the simple steps on how to start a food bank in your community, along with important insights to keep in mind. Let’s get started!
Start by defining your mission statement – this will ensure that your food bank stays focused on the goal at hand. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind:
Looking for an example of a clear mission? Take a page out of Feeding Florida‘s book (they’re a food bank using Donorbox to raise funds for their important work):
The mission of Feeding Florida is to end hunger and address its root causes by advocating for statewide policies and programs, engaging statewide stakeholders, and mobilizing resources for its food bank members to optimize their work.
Create your mission and vision statement with our free downloadable worksheet:
The 2024 report on the worldwide state of food security and nutrition indicates that 2.88 billion people are unable to afford a healthy diet. Rising food costs and income inequality are two major reasons cited.
With this in mind, it’s clear that food banks are essential to bridge the gap between food waste and food insecurity.
Understanding the specific challenges faced by the people in your community is essential so your food bank can have the greatest impact.
Meet with community leaders, other food banks, and even the people you plan to serve to assess the need in your area. What support is currently available, and what gaps can you fill? This will help you understand how many people you’ll need to feed and how much food you’ll need to acquire.
Then, define your target audience. Who will your food bank be helping – children, people experiencing homelessness, or those with special dietary needs? By understanding local needs and targeting the right audience, you’ll be able to serve those who need it most.
Before starting a food bank, you’ll need to meet certain legal and compliance obligations. These include:
Often, states or regions have basic rules for distributing food as a form of charity. Contact your local authorities to learn more about the requirements specific to your area.
You might be wondering, how much does it cost to start a food bank? Or even, how can you start a food bank with no money at all?
The truth is, there’s no straight answer to these questions – costs vary depending on your location, scale, and operations. That’s why creating a budget is key to understanding the costs involved.
As a rough example, a small food bank modeled in this sample business plan estimated startup costs of around $105,000, including warehouse rental, transportation, equipment, and marketing.
That may sound daunting – but many food banks get started on far less by relying on in-kind donations, volunteer support, and shared community spaces.
Even if most of your food comes from donations, you’ll still have expenses to account for. Some key costs to include in your budget are:
Pro tip: Speak to other food banks in your area to get an understanding of the operational and procurement costs involved.
Need extra guidance?
Registering for tax-exempt status will allow your food bank to operate as a nonprofit organization.
To register your food bank as a nonprofit, you’ll need to file Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Bonus resource: Check out our blog post on how to start a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for more information!
Having a passionate and dedicated team of nonprofit staff and volunteers is essential to the success of your food bank.
First things first, form your board of directors. These individuals will help guide your goals, oversee financial planning, and ensure you meet all the legal and compliance requirements.
They should also support your fundraising efforts and assist with marketing and community outreach efforts. Don’t forget to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of your board members.
Top tip: When recruiting board members, form a team with a diverse nonprofit background, varied expertise, and sizable networks. They should also share a passion for combatting food insecurity. Some important skills to consider include food procurement, fundraising, nonprofit budgeting, and community outreach.
We recommend creating a set of bylaws that define the purpose of your food bank and how it will operate. These guidelines should include your mission, how frequently your board will meet, details on financial management, and the roles and responsibilities of your staff and volunteers.
Next, recruit your volunteers. There are plenty of ways to find volunteers for your food bank. Here are some helpful ideas:
If you’re researching how to start a food bank at your church, recruiting volunteers is often an easy feat! Churches have a widespread network and presence, so appeal to congregants who may be interested in helping out at your food bank.
Once you’ve recruited enough volunteers for your food pantry, remember to appoint specific roles for each one. Those with vehicles can help distribute or collect food donations, while others can assist with packaging, storage, and helping at in-person fundraising events.
Many to-be founders often wonder how to start a food bank with no money. We’ll highlight some potential funding options below.
Startup and government grants are a great way to secure the funding required to start a food bank.
Startup grants help cover the initial fees involved when first establishing your food bank, such as registration costs.
While the application process can be time-consuming, government grants are available and offer a reliable source of income for food bank nonprofits like yours.
In addition to grants, you’ll need to diversify your revenue streams with other funding options that enable financial stability during turbulent times so you can continue to assist vulnerable people in your community.
Online fundraising platforms like Donorbox provide various fundraising features that empower organizations like yours to generate support for your food bank.
Let’s look at some ideas you could include in your fundraising strategy.
Donation kiosks make it easy to accept cashless, in-person donations from donors who prefer to give using debit/credit cards and digital wallets.
Set up a mobile giving kiosk at food drives so supporters can quickly donate to your cause while dropping off food parcels. Make sure that you provide enough information so supporters know where food will be allocated.
The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app lets you turn your tablet or Android smartphone into a powerful tool for collecting in-person gifts. All supporters have to do is tap, dip, or swipe to donate.
Pro tip: Donation kiosks also work wonderfully at in-person fundraising events. Appoint volunteers to collect cashless donations using the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk – Tap to Pay feature for Android smartphones while educating supporters about your organization.
Customizable online donation forms that include your fundraising story will appeal to your supporters and bring in the funds needed to fuel your mission.
Create a brand-aligned donation form on Donorbox and include one-time and recurring donation intervals to appeal to various donor preferences and generate steady support. Add a tiny heart icon next to your preferred interval to let donors know how they can make the biggest difference.
Donorbox Premium users can use our Recurring Donation Upsell feature to gently nudge one-time donors to become regular supporters, right from their donation form!
Take a look at how Bethel’s Heavenly Hands uses Donorbox to collect donations that help feed families in Houston, Texas. We love how they’ve included a monthly donation interval, along with donation designations to let donors know how their gifts will make an impact!
Collect Donations for Your Food Bank with Donorbox
Bonus resource: Read our blog post for more food bank fundraising ideas and strategies!
More and more organizations are turning to corporate philanthropy to secure funds.
Approach local businesses or large corporations and ask them to sponsor your food bank in exchange for brand recognition at events and on your marketing materials.
Keep your budget in mind to determine what kind of sponsorship to ask for. Will you appeal to companies for financial support or in-kind donations of food? The level of support you’ll need will impact what kind of sponsorship you request.
While this may seem daunting, sourcing food for your food bank is easier than you think!
Approach local restaurants, grocery stores, and farms and ask them to donate leftover produce and food items to your organization before the expiration date.
Food drives are another way to get your community involved by donating non-perishable grocery items. Make it easy for people to donate food items by having specific drop-off locations in place. For example, people could drop off goods at the local grocery store.
Appoint volunteers to sort and organize the items in your food pantry. Organize items by type and expiration date to ensure they are safe for consumption and streamline distribution.
Distribute food from a chosen location or have volunteers drop off food parcels at specific locations, such as shelters or directly to families in need.
Now that we’ve discussed how to start a community food bank, let’s look at different ways to get the word out about your cause:
There are plenty of ways to increase awareness of your food bank. Whether you choose to educate people online, in person, or both, make sure you get your volunteers involved and have them spread the word to their networks.
Food banks are a powerful way to make a real difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity. They’re also a great way to utilize food that would otherwise go to waste and ensure more people receive essential nutrition.
At Donorbox, we’re committed to helping you help others with our suite of fundraising features.
Sign up today to start raising the funds needed to kickstart and maintain your food bank.
Check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog for additional fundraising tips and ideas. Subscribe to our newsletter for expert fundraising insights and resources sent to your inbox monthly.
We’ve answered some of the questions you may have about how to start a nonprofit food bank.
Nonprofit organizations looking to start a food bank can apply for startup or government grants to secure the funds needed to cover registration and operating costs. Fundraising through online fundraising platforms like Donorbox is another way to generate support.
Start by assessing the need in your community. Get your church involved by making an appeal for non-perishable food items, and appoint volunteers to assist with the collection, sorting, and distribution of food parcels. You can also reach out to local businesses to donate leftover grocery items or produce to your food bank.
The starting costs of your food bank will depend on how many people you plan to serve and the amount of funding you manage to secure upfront. Establish a budget that includes potential costs like rent, utilities, food procurement, and marketing costs to provide a better idea of the costs involved.
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Jamy-Lee Holt