Source: CITY OF MILWAUKEE submitted to NRP
FEED MKE PILOT PROJECT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031766
Grant No.
2024-70510-41979
Cumulative Award Amt.
$400,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-12471
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2024
Project End Date
May 31, 2026
Grant Year
2024
Program Code
[CFWR]- Compost and Food Waste Reduction
Recipient Organization
CITY OF MILWAUKEE
200 E WELLS ST
MILWAUKEE,WI 53202
Performing Department
Department of Administration
Non Technical Summary
Current Problem:In Wisconsin, 1.2 billion pounds of food goes to waste annually while 1 in 7 households experience food insecurity. In Milwaukee, 15% of material going to landfills is edible food, according to a 2021 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Waste Characterization Study. The large volume of food waste contributes significantly to Milwaukee's total greenhouse gas emissions. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic brough to light the vulnerabilities of current food supply chains and the uncertainty many faced and continue to face in their food security experiences. During the pandemic, Milwaukee County saw an over 14% increase in the number of FoodShare (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) recipients.Overproduction of food, packaging, and disposable goods results in huge streams of waste that are costly to our environment, health, and economy. Waste collection and disposal demand continues to grow, requiring intensive resources. Once sent to a landfill, organic waste like food scraps decompose to release methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas that is a great contributor to climate change. The FEED MKE Pilot Program will have a positive impact on our environment by strengthening the current food system and investing in a more resilient, local food supply chain that is more accessible to those experiencing food insecurity and chronic diet-related diseases.Approach to Problem:The FEED MKE Pilot Project will address the problem of food waste and increase composting capacity with the following approaches:Conduct outreach and education initiatives to inform the public about how food waste impacts climate change.Provide funding through mini-grants to support capacity-building for community-based organizations and community composting sites.Foster relationship-building between gleaners and food pantries, food kitchens, emergency food banks, restaurants, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and neighborhood associations.Issue a Food Saver Challenge through the Mayor's Office to incentivize private sector food waste reduction practices.With grant funding, ECO will hire a full-time Project Coordinator to coordinate the FEED MKE Coalition, build community relationships, create outreach and education materials, and support project evaluation. Outreach and education initiatives will include the creation of an interactive website and communication toolkits that promote gleaning and composting services to residents and commercial businesses. Marketing efforts will be supported by trusted community partners such as schools, churches, restaurants, grocery stores, and neighborhood associations. Partners with on-site community spaces such as gardens, nearby food banks, and pantries will conduct on-site demonstrations and share resources with the public. Messaging will focus on the needs of key stakeholders and supporting behavioral changes at the local level.ECO will administer mini-grants to community-based organizations like food pantries and farmers markets through a competitive process. The mini-grant award process will be led by a cohort comprised of the program's lead partners: the Mayor's Office, Milwaukee Health Department (MHD), Department of Public Works (DPW), and University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (UW-Madison Extension). In addition, drop-off compost bins will be distributed to additional community organizations through agreements with the City's Department of Public Works (DPW) at approximately 8 community locations offering weekly collection services over the 2-year life of the grant.The FEED MKE Coalition and other local, food-related agencies will support relationship-building using networking and asset mapping. Partners will be convened for regular meetings and receive timely communication through FEED MKE under the direction of ECO, MHD,DPW, and UW-Madison Extension. Together, the coalition will address legal and policy issues, such as removing barriers to food donation and improving food labeling. FEED MKE will coordinate efforts to capture data from grocery stores, restaurants, institutions, and other large events, like Summerfest or the Wisconsin State Fair, to understand the types of food waste volumes generated and options for redistribution. In addition, FEED MKE will explore locations where the largest amount of edible food can be recovered (farms, farmers markets, community gardens, grocers, institutions, restaurants, etc.), as well as sites where the food can be redistributed within the emergency food system (meal sites, food banks/pantries, soup kitchens, etc.).The Mayor's Office will issue a Food Saver Challenge to Milwaukee food establishments to build community awareness on the issue of food waste. Food Saver Challenges, as replicated from the Nashville, Tennessee model, incentivize private sector food waste reduction practices using positive brand exposure. The initiative will promote participating business using marketing materials distributed through traditional and digital media, outreach through Business Improvement Districts and neighborhood associations, and on a larger-scale with the support of Milwaukee's tourism agency, Visit Milwaukee. To participate, restaurants will be asked to complete a threshold of pre-approved actions. Businesses that take part in the challenge will receive branding support, increased patronage, and potentially composting discounts.Project Impact:According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in the U.S., 40% of food is lost or wasted annually, costing an estimated $218 billion, or 1.3% of GDP. Wisconsin is a large agricultural region of the U.S. The State of Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has found that agriculture contributes $104.8 billion annually to the state's economy. The state is home to 64,1000 farms and agriculture contributes to about 11.8% of the state's employment. The Business and Sustainable Development Commission found that by 2030, reducing food waste will represent a $155-405 billion economic opportunity. In particular, food waste reduction can help to create jobs. The FEED MKE Pilot Project will support local job creation at community-based organizations through available mini-grant funding available for workforce salaries. It will further support the local composting workforce by increasing demand for services.The USDA provides federal dollars to emergency food providers like food banks, soup kitchens, and food pantries to support individuals experiencing food insecurity. One of the uses of this funding is food purchases. By recovering food through gleaning, local food pantries and kitchens can reduce spending costs on food purchases and reprioritize funding for other needs. The USDA also pays the full cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and shares administration costs with operating states. With greater food recovery, individuals can look to community organizations to help supplement SNAP and stretch their dollars further.The cost of not acting on climate change also has major economic impacts. According to the National Climate Assessment, more extremes in precipitation can be expected in addition to more intense storms and extended periods of drought. Milwaukee is already experiencing the impacts of heavier storms and flooding on existing infrastructure. The City reported catastrophic flooding in July 2010 that caused over $30 million in damage to homes and businesses and hundreds of job losses. The Associated Press reported in 2018 that flooding across Wisconsin caused over $208 million in damage. Plus, Risk Factor calculates that 19,413 properties in Milwaukee County are at risk of flooding and that risk will increase in the future. Waste reduction in landfills is one strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70450101010100%
Knowledge Area
704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
The FEED MKE Pilot Project supports the goals of the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan to:Reduce community greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050Improve racial and economic equity by creating green jobs that pay at least $40,000 and are focused on recruiting local people of color.The Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan is aligned with guidance set forth by the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy. The hierarchy prioritizes source reduction, or reducing the amount of food being generated, which is difficult for local governments to address given that food production happens primarily in the private sector and is supported by state and federal policy. The least preferred method of dealing with food waste is sending it to a landfill. Composting is a sustainable alternative to recycle the nutrients from food and is prioritized in this project.Under the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan, the city-wide objectives of the Waste Reduction and Sustainable Consumption Big Idea are:Food Recovery: 100 tons of food recovered by 2030.Solid Waste Reduction: Achieve a 25% reduction in solid waste sent to landfills by 2030 by helping build the capacity of composting entities/businesses.Overarching Goals:To reduce food waste at the beginning, middle, and end of the food preparation and consumption cycle.Collect, glean, and prepare edible food material for redistributed consumption to hungry people.Increase participation in composting on an individual, neighborhood, and city-wide basis.Objectives:*By end of Year 2, divert approximately 60,000 pounds (30 tons) of organic waste from landfill through composting at 3-5 community-based organizations.By end of Year 2, divert approximately 200,000 pounds (100 tons) of organic waste from landfill through composting at 8 drop-off composting sites available to the community through DPW.By end of Year 2, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 260 metric tons of carbon dioxide (or ~2MTCO2 saved per short ton of food scraps diverted from landfills to composting).*Objectives for composting were calculated using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 2016 Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors for food waste based on compost bin volume, number of anticipated locations, and weekly collection rates using the distribution timeline noted over the 2-year grant period.The objective for greenhouse gas emissions reductions was calculated using the EPA's Materials Recovery Greenhouse Gas Calculator for Communities and converting the total of approximately 260,000 pounds (130 tons) of food waste into metric tons of carbon dioxide using source reduction, recycling, and composting relative to landfilling and combustion (MTCO2e/ton).
Project Methods
Through careful data collection and evaluation, the FEED MKE Pilot Project will establish a baseline report of yearlong, city-wide food recovery (in pounds) available to residents experiencing food insecurity that can be used to set realistic targets moving forward. Community-based organizations selected for mini-grant funding will be prioritized as distribution locations for food recovery and be asked to assist with baseline data collection. The FEED MKE Coalition will identify additional community organizations serving residents experiencing food insecurity that can be included during the yearlong data collection period of measuring donated food (in pounds) using scales. Having baseline data on Milwaukee's current food recovery activities will be critical to understand how to further increase capacity and improve data collection efforts.Community-based organizations receiving mini-grant funding will be required to report quarterly quantitative data including edible food recovered (in pounds) and on-site composted organic waste (in pounds). Data will be given to the ECO Project Coordinator for ongoing project evaluation and partner assessment meetings held at the end of Year 1 and during Q2 and Q4. All gleaned food will be weighed using scales and recorded by the community-based organization before being served to individuals experiencing food insecurity. Community-based organizations will also weigh on-site compost collection in pounds weekly using scales and record the data. Funding through mini-grants can go toward community-based organizations' workforce salaries to hire staff for data collection and program monitoring. Awardees of mini-grants will receive training from ECO that includes explicit directions to weigh all recovered food products prior to consumption and on-site composted items. Organizations using a contracted composting service must require the organization to share weekly collection data of the amount of organic waste in pounds and report the data to ECO. As part of services, local composting organizations already weighcollections using a scale and maintain this data for their own records. DPW will weigh all drop-off compost bins during weekly collection at community sites using scales to record the pounds of organic waste diverted from landfill. Data will be reported to the ECO Project Coordinator for ongoing project evaluation and partner assessment meetings.As part of regular grant reporting, Lead Partners, under the direction of the ECO Project Coordinator, will calculate total organic waste diverted from landfill, edible food recovered (for the baseline study), and estimated total greenhouse gas reductions from food waste recovery. Greenhouse gas reductions numbers will be calculated by converting pounds of food waste into metric tons of carbon dioxide using the EPA's Materials Recovery Greenhouse Gas Calculator for Communities. The calculator focuses on source reduction, recycling, and composting relative to landfilling and combustion (MTCO2e/ton). The totals will be compared to the project's objectives to measure success at the end of the grant period. A completed baseline report measuring the current pounds of recovered food over a year in Milwaukee will be shared with 13 the FEED MKE Coalition and inform strategic planning and coordination efforts moving forward.

Progress 06/01/24 to 05/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:TheFEED MKE Projectstems from"Idea #9: Waste Reduction and Sustainable Consumption"from theTen Big Ideasoutlined in theMilwaukee Climate and Equity Plan.This exciting two-year initiative brings togetherpublic, private, and government partnersto take on some of our community's biggest challenges:food insecurity,waste reduction,landfill diversion- andenvironmental impact. TheFEED MKE Pilot Projectstems from efforts launched in 2019 when theCity-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equitywas established to tackle climate and equity challenges. With input from over 80 volunteers, theTask Forceconducted research and helped shape theMilwaukee Climate and Equity Plan in 2023. We're expanding our network to bring togethercommunity members, food recovery agencies, composting advocates, food banks, educators, environmental experts, and climate activists--alongsidebusiness owners, urban farmers, hospital and hotel directors, event coordinators, and policymakers. Byworking with collaborative partners- including those listed below -FEED MKEhelps rescue edible food that would otherwise be wasted and redirects it to individuals and families facing food insecurity. These efforts not only provide nutritious meals to hungry people - theybuild a stronger, more sustainable Milwaukee for all. Beyond food recovery,FEED MKEstrengthens local food systems by connecting farmers, growers, and gleaners with food banks, pantries, and cold storage facilities. Partnerships withThe Milwaukee Food Council,Michael Fields Agricultural Institute,Wisconsin Women in Conservation,andGreater Milwaukee Foundation Community Partnershelp expand sustainable access to essential resources. The program also builds bridges betweenlocal chefs, food businesses, and food waste initiatives,ensuring surplus ingredients are repurposed into sauces, salsas, jams, bread, and other shelf-stable products for distribution to those in need. Collaboration withMilwaukee's vibrant independent restaurant communityand organizations liketheWisconsin Restaurant Associationbring skilled culinary professionals into the fight against food insecurity. To address food waste at a systems level,FEED MKEworks withWasteCapResource Solutions,Veolia Water Milwaukee,theMilwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District,and government agencies like theWisconsin Department of Natural Resources,theEnvironmental Protection Agency,theMilwaukee Health Department,and theDepartment of Public Works. Education is a key focus, withpartnershipsspanningMilwaukee Public Schools(MPS),Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE),Marquette University,theUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM),Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC),and theMilwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). Through workshops, training programs, and hands-on learning experiences,FEED MKEraises awareness and equips individuals with the knowledge and tools to drive lasting change.FEED MKEprogram offerings include educational engagements for all community members - on topics ranging from gardening courses, orcahrd management, fermentation and preservation, zero-waste cooking, backyard composting, and more. The FEED MKE Coalition -- driving many of the collaborative efforts -- started with 16 members in June 2024 and has grown to 390+ members as of May 2025. The FEED MKE Tri-Weekly Newseltter and weekly podcast episodes reach an even wider audience, whileFEED MKE has also been featured in local, regional, national, and international conferences that highlight the work. As the outreach and planning continues,FEED MKErecently began planning tohost the Food Tank Summit in Wisconsin in April 2026. Changes/Problems:The most significant challenge to date was the pause on grant activities resulting from the freeze during the first quarter of the year, resulting from the uncertainty around various Executive Order's potential effect on this grant. The temporary pause compressed the roll-out of our two major press announcements and programs: the announcement of mini-grant recipients and launch of their sub-award contracts, and the roll-out of the Food Saver Challenge. Ideally, the min-grants would have been announced in January 2025 and the Food Saver Challenge announced during Food Waste Prevention Week in April 2025 - but the mini-grants were not able to be announced until March, which meant a farily significant lift during the end of Q1 and beginning of Q2. Other than that, we are meeting all targets and engaged in all planned activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?FEED MKE training and professional development has been detailed in the response above. In addition to those efforts, we have also offered the community a variety of collaborative FEED MKE sponsored programs, including: Chef Vojtech Vegh's Online Food Waste Course for Chefs CET Food Waste Training ReFED Insights Engine Workshops Harvard's Cooking with Microbes Fermentation Workshops DNR Waste Assessment Training Food Waste Prevention Week Workshops Ditch Carbon Workshops on GHG Evaluations US Food Waste Pact Workshops + Support Through the implementation of our mini-grants to four innovative composting initiatives, we are also beginning to host trainings with the community that are in the pilot-stage at present, but will launch fully in the next 45-60 days. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In addition to the regular meetings, quarterly convenings, public-facing websites, tri-weekly newsletters, and podcast episodes, we prepare quarterly reports and a quarterly slide deck that is available to the public. Our latest slide deck report can be found here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QPYl56JslBzzldCStFEYK_vu8YerY3KH/view?usp=sharing. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the second half of our grant, prior to the next reporting period, we will focus on several key objectives that will continue to support the efforts already underway. These include our intentions to: Partner with More Collaborators Across Organizations Near and Far - We will continue to host workshops, participate in local panels and conferences, and offer our expertise and partnership to individuals and organizations who seek to collaborate in our ongoing efforts to reduce waste and increase composting. Engage New Culinary Programs to Guide Enhanced Focus on Food Waste - we are working with Milwaukee Area Technical College to create a certification program for culinary students, existing chefs, and community members to pursue waste-free cooking and learn to utilize food scraps more effectively. Continue to Invite the Media to Share Positive and Compelling StoryTelling - in addition to our existing profiles on Wisconsin Public Radio, local news, and our podcast series, we are exploring features in local print magazines and journals to share content with the community and increase engagement. Increase Work with Farmers, Gleaners, Growers, Gardeners, and Harvesters - we have joined the Association of Gleaning Organizations and have been selected to participate in the 2025 Gleaning Census and we're working with Coalition members to increase data collection and the use of gleaned produce. Keep Food Waste Reduction and Composting Top-of-Mind in Big Arenas - we are continuing to work with partners like Adobe Foodicons, The Lexicon of Sustainability, and the Culinary Institute of America's Menus of Change conference to showcase our work, share ideas, and increase learning opportunities. Use Existing Platforms to Host Public Programs for Engagement / Education - we presented at the Global Disruption Summit, shared content with Food Waste Prevention Week, and will continue to submit our work throughout the year ahead. Utilize Funded Opportunities for Detailed Waste Analysis / Data Review - our partnership with CET and Ditch Carbon allows us to provide zero-cost waste analyis opportunities to capture data and share meaningful results. Offer CET No-Cost Waste Analyses for MKE and Dane County Restaurants - the pilot program we're running with CET permitted us the opportunity to participate in their "Train the Trainer" program and we will continue to share that content with others in order to build an even bigger network of subject matter experts who can help us achieve results. Apply for Additional Funding to Maintain / Expand Existing Programs - we've submitted requests to other grants, funded programs, and collaborative opportunities in order to continue supporting the work of FEED MKE beyond the current end date. Incentivize Participation with Creative Community Contests and Challenges - we are offering creative challenges and contests that keep the public engaged, whether that's through an art prize for students focused on food waste and compost, or a flavor profile contest that helps one of our mini-grant recipients and Food Saver Challenge participants use up the abundance of zucchini found at harves time through the creation of fermented kombucha beverages as a "food saver flavor" opportunity. Make it Easy and Fun to Get (and Stay!) Involved with Our Programs - we continue to get create through partnering with local personalities, sharing recipes that feature food waste focused items, and hosting fun, public-facing workshops to feature education as a core component of our outreach and effectiveness. Hold a World Food Day Food Waste Dinner Oct 16, 2025 - we will work with a local organization to host a large, community dinner on World Food Day that features a menu made of recovered / gleaned foods - and includes a food drive for a local food pantry partner who is also a mini-grant recipient and vocal supporter of our programs. Host Food Tank Summit Coming to MKE April 2026 - and, we will culminate the efforts of the grant through active hosting of the Food Tank sponsored Wisconsin Summit in April 2026, with a special focus on food recoevry and the reduction of food waste. We are also engaged in regional communities that include the US Composting Council, EPA's Food To Good To Waste, NRDC Quarterly Reporting, and partnerships with regional groups - specifically those in Green Bay and Dane County - building networks that build on success - and we will continue to develop those relationships as we move into the second year of implementation.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To achieve these goals,the pilot includes four primary activities, all of which are firmly underway. 1. RAISING AWARENESS - through public education onfood waste reeduction and compost initiatives. In addition togrowing our FEED MKE Coalition from 16 to more than 390 members between June 2024 and May 2025, FEED MKE has hosted monthly workshops, quarterly Coalition convenings, launched a podcast, and published a tri-weekly newlestter. We've shared content in public forums on National Public Radio and local news. We've presented to the EPA, USDA, and other local, regional, national, and international conferences. We've participated in the formation of the US Composting Council's Wisconsin Chapter, and are active members of the USCC Education Committee. We also contributed to The Culinary Institute of America's Menus of Change Food Waste Innovation Challenge and served as a sponsoring municipality for Food Waste Prevention Week. And, we created a series of publicly available websites to help connect the community with the work we're doing to support the grant. 2. PARTNERSHIP-BUILDING - focused on sharing resources with individuals and organizations working on food waste prevention. We partner with a wide variety offarmers, gleaners, growers, food banks, food pantries, and cold storage locations. We also work with local chefs, food businesses, food recovery agencies, and food markets. We support resource recovery, compost, recycling, and waste management partners. And we collaborate with workshop hosts, local schools, college programs, and individual educators. We've also placed a special focus on supporting food recovery and waste prevention as a powerful way to reduce waste across the food cycle and have joined forces with The Greater Milwaukee Foundation, The Milwaukee Food Council, and a series of food bank and food pantry executive directors to develop new systems that help close the gaps and address operational pain points through the expansion of existing collaborative neworks and the facilitation of technological solutions. 3. LAUNCHING THE FOOD SAVER CHALLENGE -to encourage food businesses to reduce food waste and distribute surplus food.Mayor Cavalier Johnson's Milwaukee Food Saver Challengelaunched duringFood Waste Prevention Week 2025. As a proudFood Waste Prevention Partner,Milwaukee is leading the way in reducing food waste. In support of the Challenge, we are focusing on five main areas: We enrolled in CET Waste Assessment Training to be able to deliver zero-cost waste audits and action plans in order to partner with top researchers and data analysts totrack and reduce food waste. We are providinghands-on trainingfor food businesses on using waste audit tools effectively. We're also connecting community members with ourLakeFriendly Businessprogram. We are collaborating with food professionals to buildconnections, streamline supply chains, and get expert support. Milwaukee'sfood community is strong, independent, and built on collaboration.We are strengthening those connectionsby bringing together local chefs, restaurant owners, and caterers--along withnational and international partners--to find practical solutions thatreduce waste and improve their bottom line. We are supporting community-based marketing campaigns to help Food Saver Challenge participants gainvisibility and promotionthrough national, regional, and local outreach. We know how hard it is tocut through the noisein today's crowded marketing landscape. That's whyFood Saver Challenge participantsreceive upto one year of Food Saver related marketing support,ongoing publicity and digital storytelling opportunities,andtargeted ad placements and media exposure. We are providing world-class training and education programs - allowing participants to learn from global and local experts who sharecost-saving, waste-reducing strategies.Through a network ofindustry leaders and local experts,we'reoffering training on key food waste topics. Frommastering food preservation and fermentation to navigating food donation policies, we are connecting individuals and organizations with the knowledge and tools theyneed. We are connecting our community with smart Solutions for Food Waste Prevention. When participants partner withFEED MKEto reduce food waste and generate revenue they gain customizeed access to services likeGoodieBag,Food Rescue Hero,Too Good to Go,Goodr,Vivery,FlashFood, and more. Participants in Mayor Cavalier Johnson's Food Saver Challenge gainaccess to top tech-enabled food-saving resources, connecting them with our partners to ensure that their surplus food reaches community members--helping them save money - reducing waste, feeding more hungry people, and boosting their bottom line. 4. INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY - by redistributing$190K in mini-grants, FEED MKE is sharing financial resources from the grant with organizations that are working to increasefood recovery efforts and expandaccess to composting services. FEED MKErecognizes that many organizations tackling food waste and hunger lack the time, staff, or resources to navigate complex grant applications. To bridge this gap, we provided hands-on support through workshops, guidance, and one-on-one counseling. Through this process, we engaged with over85 community organizations and partners, receiving42 grant applications--16 focused on composting and 26 on food recovery. A blind-review panel of experts selected18 semi-finalists, narrowing it down to4 funded composting projects($62,500) and8 funded food recovery projects($127,500), supporting11 organizationsserving Milwaukee's most vulnerable communities.

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