For the fifth year, the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) plans to award a $5,000 grant to the organization judged to have the best-executed foodservice or grocery sustainability project. Applications are currently being accepted, and the recipient is to be announced at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Applicants can enter by submitting a case study of 10 or fewer pages explaining how their program addresses one of more of the following foodservice sustainability challenges:

·   How the operation reduced energy/water use
·   How the operation reduced creation of wastewater or solid waste
·   How the operation implemented Farm-to-Fork programs or other combined programs

Applications must include a financial analysis of the sustainability program including the cost of implementation, continuing costs and the return on investment with a summary of the cumulative cost saving. Descriptions of specific foodservice equipment used to achieve sustainability goals, including ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment, are also encouraged.

All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, 2012, for the HCFS Fellows to judge. The grant recipient must use the proceeds to invest in additional sustainability efforts. The individual and/or company honored is invited to join the HCFS Fellows and to assist with future initiatives. 

Georgia Tech Dining Services (Sodexo) was the 2010 HCFS grant recipient in recognition of its comprehensive, cost-neutral approach to foodservice sustainability.  Programs include energy- and water-saving initiatives, intensive composting and recycling, and the introduction of more local and organic produce in campus foodservice operations. Over the next five years, these programs are expected to generate a cost saving of $807,200 and to help achieve aggressive goals of 26 percent energy-usage reduction and zero waste by August 2015.

To learn more about the grant and download the official application, visit the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability.