Implementing innovative, zero waste business models is an important part of Toronto’s circular economy transformation and building a more circular food system.
The Circular Food Innovators Fund (CFIF) launched in 2024 to support local small businesses (both for-profit and not-for-profit) by funding reuse system projects that replace single-use and takeaway items with reusable foodservice ware that is collected and redistributed for further use.
Thanks to the success of those projects, we are now accepting applications for another round of funding for market-ready solutions that make our food system more sustainable and circular. This round, CFIF recipients who have creative ideas to deliver additional activities that will help grow Toronto’s green and circular food economy, and create jobs for the future may be eligible to access additional funding to support their work.
A reuse system can be operated by a service provider or a business selling food or beverages for delivery or takeaway consumption. In this business model, reusable foodservice ware is collected, cleaned and redistributed back for reuse by the business.
Reusable foodservice ware includes plates, bowls, cups, trays, glasses, straws, stirrers, condiment cups and utensils that are made of durable materials to stand up to frequent washing and reuse.
A reuse system may include not only the reusable foodservice ware itself, but also the infrastructure, such as collection bins and cleaning facilities, and support technology, such as mobile applications to coordinate reverse logistics of reusable foodservice ware or barcode tracking systems for the reusable foodservice ware.
Green workforce development refers to activities that build worker skills, develop training resources and strengthen employment pathways needed to support Toronto’s green and circular food economy. This includes efforts that help train staff to adapt to reuse systems and initiatives that enable circular innovators to design and scale training programs, curricula or workforce collaborations for broader green and circular food sector benefits. These green workforce development activities must build skills or employment pathways for Toronto residents related to reuse systems or sustainable practices in Toronto’s food and beverage sector at large and do not need to be explicitly tied to the delivery of the proposed CFIF Project.
The City will consider funding requests for CFIF Projects starting at $5,000 and up to a maximum of $35,000 per applicant. A maximum of $250,000 of funding is available for CFIF Projects.
The City will consider funding requests for additional Green Workforce Projects starting at $500 and up to a maximum of $5,000 per applicant. A maximum of $25,000 of funding is available for Green Workforce Projects.
Funding provided by the City of Toronto is one-time, project-specific and should not be considered an annual source of funding by the applicant.
The City will not guarantee that the total amount requested by a successful applicant will be granted. The decision to fund all or part of an applicant’s proposed project(s) will depend on its alignment with the City’s strategic priorities, assessment criteria and overall demand for funds, among other considerations.
Before receiving any funds, successful grant recipients will be required to sign a Fund Agreement with the City:
Recipients will be awarded 50 per cent of the total grant value following the submission of a signed Fund Agreement with the City at the outset of the CFIF Project (and Green Workforce Project, if applicable). The final 50 per cent of the grant funds will be disbursed at the conclusion of the CFIF Project (and Green Workforce Project, if applicable) when a final report (including receipts for expenditures) is submitted and accepted as complete by the City.
The following applicants are eligible for funding:
The applicant must be a business that provides at least one of the following services, or must be a Business Improvement Area or academic institution that is working with a business that provides at least one of the following services:
The business receiving funds must either:
Previous CFIF grant recipients are eligible to apply, provided that the proposed CFIF Project is demonstrably different from that which was previously funded, either in its objectives, goals, and/or anticipated impacts. As part of the application process, applicants that have previously been awarded CFIF funding will be required to include a brief comparison outlining how the new proposal differs from the previously-funded project. Organizations who have not previously received CFIF funding will be prioritized.
The City encourages submissions from businesses owned by women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities.
Funding for a Green Workforce Project is only available to eligible applicants who are successful in receiving funding for their CFIF Project.
Proposed projects must be completed within one year and either:
Projects are eligible if they deploy market-ready solutions or solutions that are already in-market. The City will not be funding projects that involve research and development or prototyping, or that are primarily about education and outreach initiatives.
Eligible projects include reuse systems:
Priority will be given to projects that:
Applicants that receive funding for a CFIF Project may be eligible for an additional $500 to $5,000 each to complete a Green Workforce Project that will deliver targeted workforce development activities in areas relevant to the reuse systems and circular food economy focus of CFIF. These green workforce development activities must build skills or employment pathways related to reuse systems or sustainable practices in Toronto’s food and beverage sector at large and do not need to be explicitly tied to the delivery of the proposed CFIF project.
To be considered for this additional funding, applicants must clearly demonstrate in their CFIF application how the proposed Green Workforce Project aligns with CFIF’s goal of achieving a more circular food system in Toronto. Eligible activities could include but are not limited to:
The City has identified expenses that are eligible for funding for both CFIF and Green Workforce Projects. Please review the application guidelines for an overview of the eligible expenses to include in the Project Budget you are required to submit as part of the application process. The City may amend the submitted Project Budget to remove any ineligible expenses.
Eligible applicants may apply through the application portal. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Please review the application guidelines. The application questions can be used to help you prepare, organize and draft your responses; however applications must be submitted via the online portal to be eligible for consideration.
You will be required to complete and submit the following files as part of the application process:
If City staff require further clarification on the proposed project to ensure it can be comprehensively evaluated, applicants may be contacted by City staff during the evaluation stage. This request for clarification does not indicate that the applicant has been selected to receive funding.
The City will be hosting two virtual information sessions to review the program goals, eligibility criteria and important dates, and answer questions about CFIF:
| Stage | Key Dates (2026-2027)* |
|---|---|
| Virtual Information sessions | January 26, 2026
February 18, 2026 |
| Application submission deadline | March 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. |
| Notification to applicants | May 2026 |
| Fund recipients receive initial 50% of funding | June 2026 (following completion of Fund Agreement with the City) |
| Projects start | June 2026 |
| Group kick-off meeting (virtual) | Two weeks following execution of Fund Agreement with the City |
| Interim report deadline | December 1, 2026 |
| Site visit (in-person or virtual) | January – February 2027 |
| Projects complete | 12 months after project starts |
| Final report deadline | 13 months after project starts |
| Fund recipients receive final 50% of funding | Before December 31, 2027 (following approval of project and reporting requirements by the City) |
*Dates subject to change
Each successful grant recipient will be required to submit an interim and a final report using the templates provided. Recipients must submit receipts and/or other financial documentation with their reports to verify money spent on eligible costs in order to receive their grant payment from the City of Toronto.
For recipients of CFIF Project funding only:
For recipients of both CFIF Project and Green Workforce Project funding:
Reports will be used to document progress that the recipient has made on their project(s) with the funds provided, including any lessons learned. Where possible, lessons learned will be shared with relevant stakeholders, including other grant recipients. Grant recipients will also be required to track and report on certain metrics to demonstrate the impact of the funded project(s).
The reporting templates are provided so applicants can see what will be required of them, including the specific metrics the City will ask for. These are not to be completed and submitted as part of the application process. Metrics for Green Workforce Projects will be developed in consultation with the City.