What Feed the Soul Foundation does

Feed the Soul Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, that supports marginalized culinary entrepreneurs and students through grants, scholarships, training, and a resource network. It operates as the nonprofit arm of Black Restaurant Week and is affiliated with Latin Restaurant Weeks, which collectively generate consumer-facing visibility and an estimated $75M+ in economic impact. Its core programs include the Restaurant Business Development Program (a $10,000 stipend plus six months of financial literacy, operations, HR, and marketing support for marginalized owners in operation at least two years), the Culinary Business Network (a subscription-based community platform powered by Grubhub Community Fund at less than $1 per day), Project NXT scholarships for culinary and hospitality students at HBCUs and HSIs, the National Emergency Relief Fund for businesses in crisis, and the 60% Pledge Financial Literacy Program.

The foundation's flagship events are the annual Global Culinary Conference (a paid multi-day business development event held at Rice University with Boost Camp and Launch Pad tracks) and the Heart & Soul Scholarship Dinner (a fundraising dinner featuring celebrity chefs). It has cumulatively deployed $2M+ in business development support, supported over 100 businesses since 2021, and published the first State of Small Culinary Businesses report drawing on input from nearly 400 operators in partnership with the University of Houston Hilton College. Revenue is sourced from corporate sponsorships (Grubhub Community Fund, Stella Artois, Sysco, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, H-E-B, Tito's, Frenchy's, Tower Insurance, Diageo North America), individual donations, conference ticket sales, and the new Culinary Business Network subscription. Technology is not central; the foundation operates standard web, email, social, and event-management infrastructure and uses no proprietary AI or platform technology.

Name

Feed the Soul Foundation

Legal name

Feed the Soul Foundation

Website

https://feedthesoulfou.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Feed the Soul Foundation is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 that supports marginalized culinary business owners and students with grants, scholarships, training, and a subscription-based community network, primarily funded by corporate sponsors and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit culinary business development

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Culinary business grants
• Nonprofit scholarship programs
• Restaurant development training
• Emergency relief funding
• Minority business support

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Feed the Soul Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and partnership contributions. The foundation uses these funds to provide grants (typically $10,000 stipends), scholarships, and business development support to marginalized culinary businesses and students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Feed the Soul Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides grants, scholarships, business development training, mentorship, and emergency financial relief to marginalized culinary entrepreneurs and culinary students. It also runs a membership-based Culinary Business Network and convenes an annual Global Culinary Conference and Heart & Soul Scholarship Dinner to support the same audience.

Product overview

Feed the Soul Foundation operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs supporting marginalized culinary businesses and students. The core offerings include the Restaurant Business Development Program (grants + 6-month consultation), Culinary Business Network (subscription membership), Project NXT (scholarship fund), National Emergency Relief Fund, and the 60% Pledge Financial Literacy Program. These are complemented by signature events including the annual Global Culinary Conference (with BOOST Camp and LAUNCHPAD tracks) and the Heart & Soul Scholarship Dinner. The organization also conducts industry research through its State of Small Culinary Business reports. The programs work together to provide a pathway of growth and sustainability through business development, education, grants, and scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Restaurant Business Development Program: A grant program providing $10,000 stipends and six months of business development services to marginalized culinary businesses.
• Project NXT
• National Emergency Relief Fund
• Global Culinary Conference
• Heart & Soul Scholarship Dinner
• Culinary Business Network
• 60% Pledge Financial Literacy Program

Products and services

• Restaurant Business Development Program (RBDP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported over 100 marginalized culinary businesses nationwide since 2021
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• SyscomajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference providing product innovations workshops and menu services/menu development sessions as part of the conference programming.
• Coca-Cola Southwest BeveragesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference supporting the annual event and foundation programming.
• H-E-BmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference and supporter of culinary entrepreneurs.
• Tito's Handmade VodkaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference.
• Frenchy'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Local Houston restaurant and corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference.
• MIKASA HospitalityminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor of the Global Culinary Conference.
• Rice UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Venue partner for the Global Culinary Conference at the Anderson-Clarke Center. Provides state-of-the-art facilities for the annual training event.
• University of Houston - Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Academic partner conducting interviews with culinary business owners to understand industry needs and access to capital challenges. Partnership for industry research and student engagement.
• Airport District Convention & Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Supporting Black Restaurant Week's ninth annual Atlanta campaign and associated Bites & Birdies Golf Tournament fundraiser.
• City of South Fulton CVBminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Supporting Black Restaurant Week's Atlanta campaign with expanded support from the City of South Fulton Convention & Visitors Bureau.
• University of Houston - Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for conducting interviews with culinary business owners to understand capital access challenges and industry needs. part of industry research initiative.
• Wicked Weed BrewingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Beer brewery partner for Wicked Weed Cares dinner collaboration benefiting Feed the Soul. Atlanta's Black Restaurant Week was celebrated with beer dinner featuring Chef Debora VanTrece.
• Black Restaurant WeekcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Feed the Soul Foundation is the nonprofit arm of Black Restaurant Week, LLC. Black Restaurant Week generates economic impact ($75M+ estimated in Atlanta) and drives visibility for the foundation's programs.
• Latin Restaurant WeekscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Feed the Soul Foundation is affiliated with Latin Restaurant Weeks, expanding reach to Latinx culinary entrepreneurs across the nation.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Black Farmer Fund: Nonprofit providing grants, technical assistance, and community support to Black farmers and food entrepreneurs in the Northeast. Comparable model of providing financial and business-development support to marginalized food-system participants, though focused upstream on farming rather than restaurants.

Broad incumbents

• World Central Kitchen: Large, established nonprofit providing emergency food relief and supporting culinary businesses in disaster zones worldwide. Comparable as a high-profile culinary nonprofit with corporate sponsor networks and disaster-response programming analogous to Feed the Soul's Emergency Relief Fund, but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Houston Endowment: Major Houston-area place-based foundation funding education, civic engagement, and economic opportunity. Comparable as a local grantmaking institution supporting community economic mobility; a potential institutional funding partner rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Hot Bread Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit that incubates immigrant and minority food entrepreneurs through culinary training, business development, and access-to-market programs. Directly comparable to Feed the Soul's Restaurant Business Development Grant Program in target audience (marginalized culinary entrepreneurs) and services (training + ongoing support).
• James Beard Foundation: National nonprofit foundation supporting the culinary industry through scholarships, awards, training, and equity-focused programming (e.g., JBF Investment Group for Black and Indigenous chefs). Closest comparable: a similarly mission-driven culinary nonprofit providing grants and education to underrepresented chefs and food entrepreneurs.
• Edwins Restaurant & Leadership Institute: Cleveland-based nonprofit combining a fine-dining restaurant with a training program for formerly incarcerated individuals. Highly comparable in its mission-driven culinary training model for marginalized populations, though structured around an operating restaurant rather than grants.
• The LEE Initiative: Nonprofit founded by chef Edward Lee providing grants, mental-health support, and emergency relief to women and minority hospitality professionals. Directly comparable mission focus on marginalized food-industry workers, plus emergency relief programming mirrors Feed the Soul's Emergency Relief Fund.
• Rethink Food: NYC-based nonprofit tackling food insecurity by partnering with restaurants to prepare meals for communities in need. Comparable as a culinary-mission nonprofit combining direct community service with restaurant-business engagement, though its primary lens is food access rather than business development.
• Southern Smoke Foundation: Houston-based nonprofit founded by chef Chris Shepherd providing emergency relief and mental health support to hospitality industry workers. Directly comparable as a culinary-industry nonprofit with emergency relief programming (Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund), operating in the same Houston ecosystem as Feed the Soul.

Regional players

• Kitchen Angels: Santa Fe-based nonprofit providing meals and food support to community members facing health challenges. Adjacent mission in community food support; useful as a regional peer but operates a different service model (meal delivery) than Feed the Soul's grantmaking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@feedthesoulfoundation3679
• Facebookfacebook.com/FeedtheSoulFOU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/feed-the-soul-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/feedthesoulfoundation
• Xx.com/feedthesoulfou

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Feed the Soul Foundation