Food

Launched in 2023, the Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Food provides unrestricted awards to mid-career individuals working in the United States with meaningful, real-world and hands-on experience in food. The awards support individuals whose work is under-recognized and who are at a moment when this award would be catalytic to their trajectory. They demonstrate exceptional creativity and innovation, and the potential to substantially advance the field and the broader ecosystem. They are educators and teachers, artisans and creators, protectors of resources, and leaders and organizers. Through their work, the future can be more resilient, vibrant and nourishing.

We aim to give up to five, one-time, unrestricted awards each year. The awards amplify the voices and work of each person and give them time and funding as they grow in their careers and propel their work forward. Candidates must be US-based and at the mid-career stage. The Foundation selects awardees based on impact in one or more dimensions of food: Nutrition, Education and Access; Environmental Sustainability and/or Craft, Cultural Knowledge and Tradition; creativity and innovation; and momentum and timing. Self-nominations are not allowed. Nominators confidentially identify individuals and a selection committee recommends awardees.

The Foundation supports grants for Food Systems Fellowships and Internships, including experiential fellowships, scholarships, residencies and internships, at an array of US-based nonprofit organizations. Our goal is to provide early career support, generally post-high school, to people producing, educating and nourishing others through food.