French nonprofits with a general interest mission can apply by June 26, 2026. Every year, we support approximately twenty projects.
School canteens do more than fill hungry bellies. They keep children in classrooms, support local agriculture, teach lifelong nutrition habits, and create community around the shared act of eating. But running a sustainable school canteen is a complex challenge—especially in communities with limited resources.
The Bel Foundation wants to help. Every year, the foundation supports about twenty projects that improve the development and sustainability of school canteens internationally. If your French nonprofit has a measurable, sustainable response to improving school meals for children, you could receive financial support.
The online application window is open from April 2 to June 26, 2026.
Who Can Apply? (Eligibility Criteria)
Before you get too excited, check these boxes. The Bel Foundation has specific requirements:
Your structure must be French. The foundation only supports French organizations. This is a non-negotiable starting point.
You must have a not-for-profit designation and be of general interest in the fiscal meaning of the term. Commercial entities need not apply.
Your project must provide a measurable and sustainable response to improving school meals for children. Vague intentions won’t cut it. The foundation wants to see clear metrics and a plan for long-term impact.
All countries are eligible for a donation, but particular attention will be paid to countries where the Bel Group operates. (Bel Group is the international food company behind beloved cheese brands like La Vache Qui Rit, Kiri, and Babybel.)
The support asked from the Foundation cannot fund your association’s running costs. This money is for the school canteen project itself—not for your office rent, staff salaries, or administrative overhead.
Four Priority Areas for 2026
This year, the Foundation will study specifically projects addressing the following issues. If your project doesn’t touch at least one of these, it is unlikely to be selected.
1. Sustainable Supply for Canteens
The foundation wants to see projects that secure a reliable, local, and sustainable source of food for school canteens. This could include:
- Vegetable gardens planted and maintained by the school community
- Market gardening areas that supply fresh produce to the canteen
- Collaborations with agricultural cooperatives to source ingredients locally
- Other innovative models that reduce dependence on distant, expensive, or unreliable supply chains
2. Nutrition: Offering Safe and Diversified School Meals
A full belly is not enough. The belly needs the right food. The foundation prioritizes projects that:
- Improve the nutritional quality of school meals
- Ensure food safety (clean preparation, storage, and handling)
- Introduce diversified menus that go beyond a single staple food
- Address specific nutritional deficiencies common in the target community
3. Organization: Involvement of Communities in Daily Management
The most sustainable canteens are owned by their communities. The foundation looks for projects that:
- Engage parents, teachers, and local leaders in the daily operation of the canteen
- Build local governance structures that can outlast external funding
- Create transparent systems for procurement, budgeting, and decision-making
- Train community members to manage the canteen independently over time
4. Pedagogy: Raising Awareness Among School Children
Children are not just recipients of school meals. They can be active participants in their own food education. The foundation supports projects that:
- Teach children about good food practices (hygiene, balanced eating, reducing waste)
- Make students actors in their own diet through hands-on activities like gardening, cooking, or menu planning
- Integrate food education into the broader school curriculum
- Create lasting behavioral change that children carry home to their families
The Selection Process: From Application to Implementation
Every application is assessed by the Project Selection Committee (PSC) before being submitted to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Here is the 2026 timeline:
| Milestone | Dates |
|---|---|
| Online application open | April 2 – June 26, 2026 |
| Review and pre-selection (by Project Selection Committee) | July – September 2026 |
| Deliberation of the Board of Directors | October – November 2026 |
| Project implementation and follow-up | November 2026 – November 2027 |
If your project is selected, you will have one full year—from November 2026 to November 2027—to implement your activities. The foundation expects ongoing follow-up and reporting during that period.
How Many Projects Are Funded?
The Bel Foundation supports approximately twenty projects per year. This is not a massive, anonymous grant program. It is a curated portfolio of initiatives that the foundation believes in.
The application does not specify a dollar amount per project. However, the foundation is clear that support cannot cover association running costs. The funding is for direct project expenses related to improving school canteens.
Why This Matters: School Canteens as Infrastructure
School canteens are not charity. They are infrastructure.
A well-run school canteen keeps children nourished and focused, which improves learning outcomes. It creates demand for local farmers, strengthening the local food economy. It provides jobs for cooks, administrators, and suppliers. It teaches children healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. And in many communities, a reliable school meal is the difference between a child attending class or staying home.
The Bel Foundation understands this. By supporting sustainable canteen projects, the foundation is investing in children’s health, education, and futures—while also strengthening the food systems that serve them.
How to Apply
The Call for Projects is now open.
To submit a project, apply here: (Link available on the Bel Foundation’s official website)
Prepare before you click. The application will likely ask for:
- A clear description of your project and its objectives
- How your project addresses one or more of the four priority areas
- Measurable outcomes (how will you know if you have succeeded?)
- A budget showing how requested funds will be used (remember: no association running costs)
- Information about your French nonprofit status
- The country where you will work and whether Bel Group operates there.
Quick Summary for Busy Nonprofits
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | Financial support for school canteen sustainability projects |
| Who can apply? | French not-for-profit, general interest organizations |
| Where? | All countries eligible; priority to Bel Group operating countries |
| What can funding cover? | Direct project costs only (not association running costs) |
| Priority areas for 2026 | Sustainable supply, nutrition, community organization, food pedagogy |
| How many projects funded? | Approximately 20 per year |
| Application window | April 2 – June 26, 2026 |
| Implementation period | November 2026 – November 2027 |
Pro Tips for a Strong Application
Be measurable. The foundation explicitly asks for “measurable and sustainable” responses. Do not say “we will improve nutrition.” Say “we will increase the number of children receiving a diversified meal from 150 to 450 within 12 months, as measured by daily attendance and menu records.”
Show community ownership. The foundation cares about organization and local involvement. A project designed by outsiders and imposed on a community is unlikely to win. A project co-created with parents, teachers, and local leaders has a much stronger chance.
Connect to Bel Group if you can. The foundation pays particular attention to countries where Bel Group operates. If your project is in one of those countries, make that clear early in your application.
Please exclude running costs from the budget. The foundation will not fund your association’s overhead. Your budget should show that requested funds go directly to school canteen activities—food, seeds, training, equipment, etc.
Start early. The application window is nearly three months long (April 2 to June 26), but don’t wait until the last week. Good projects take time to write well.
Questions?
For more information about the Bel Foundation and its call for projects, visit the foundation’s official website or contact them through the application portal.
