Food aid organisations are being urged to apply for a share of £500,000 to help people struggling to make ends meet.
The Scottish Government Emergency Food Fund will support projects which respond to immediate demands for relief and help to address the underlying causes of food poverty.
Organisations can apply for grants between £30,000-£50,000 each and smaller sums of up to £10,000.
The minimum value of an individual grant is £1,000
The funding is part of a £1million investment in food aid, with £500,000 already committed to charity FareShare, which redistributes surplus food from retailers to charities.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The amount of people experiencing food poverty in Scotland is simply not acceptable.
“Welfare reform, benefit delays, benefit sanctions and falling incomes are all having a detrimental impact on the people of Scotland.
“The Scottish Government’s Emergency Food Fund will help food aid organisations combat food poverty in Scotland by working in partnership with other local agencies.
“One of the most depressing trends over the last few years has been the rapid rise of food poverty in our country.”
Ms Sturgeon claimed Scottish independence would protect people from poverty and help them fulfil their potential in work and life.