Foodservice facilities can win a $5,000 grant for their green initiatives from the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability.

The annual competition recognizes outstanding sustainability programs in the restaurant industry. It’s open to individual operators and multi-unit companies. The deadline to enter is Aug. 31.

The winner will be announced at the Greenbuild Expo in Chicago, scheduled for Nov. 16 through19.

Download an application, or see other entries, posted as case studies. The case studies are intended to identify best practices for other foodservice operators. “What we’ve done is taken some of the best practices and posted them so that everyone can learn,” said Rick Cartwright, vice president of retail systems, ITW Food Equipment Group and a Hobart Center fellow.

Last year’s winner was Christine Schwartz of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. The award recognized water and energy conservation programs that saved the school $80,000. The college’s sustainability efforts extended to local purchasing and educational programs that teach students where and how their food is produced.

Hobart, a supplier of warewashers and other foodservice equipment, established the center to foster new approaches to sustainability.

For more ideas to enhance your green initiative, visit Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability.