2026 FARE FUND GRANTS & TA

FOOD ACCESS AND RETAIL EXPANSION FUND

The HFFI Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund (HFFI FARE Fund) is a program under America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative, a program of USDA Rural Development.

Through the 2026 HFFI FARE Fund Grant and Technical Assistance funding cycle, at least $5,250,000 is available for planning and implementation Grants and at least $1,000,000 is available for Technical Assistance to eligible food retail and post-harvest food retail supply chain projects across the country. 

For the full program description, eligibility requirements and application process, please read the Request for Applications (RFA).

 

Read the Request for Applications (RFA)

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS:

The HFFI FARE Fund will fund projects that create or expand the following types of business models:

  • SNAP Authorized food retailers located in eligible underserved areas that will sell an assortment of Staple and Perishable foods directly to consumers
  • Post-harvest food retail supply chain enterprises that will distribute Staple and Perishable foods to SNAP authorized food retailers located in eligible underserved areas

Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed project will contribute to food access through the availability of an assortment of both Staple and Perishable Foods for retail sale at SNAP authorized retailers in eligible underserved areas. Individuals are not eligible to apply to this opportunity.

The full RFA outlines all eligibility requirements of the program. More information on location eligibility can be found at the following link:

LOCATION ELIGIBILITY MAP

 

AVAILABLE FUNDING:

  • Grants from $20,000 – $250,000 for planning and implementation projects
  • Technical Assistance up to $75,000 per project for early-stage planning, predevelopment, and business assistance contractual soft costs

Please see the RFA for a full explanation of eligible uses of funds for each funding type.

 

WEBINAR:

Reinvestment Fund will host an informational webinar at 2:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 to provide potential applicants with an overview of the RFA, the application processes, information on how to navigate the online submission process, and to answer questions about the program.

To register for the webinar, please use the link below:

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR

HOW TO APPLY: 

Organizations interested in the HFFI FARE Fund Grant and Technical Assistance funding cycle should review the full Request for Applications prior to applying.

The first step in the application process is submitting a Funding Inquiry through Reinvestment Fund’s application portal SmartSimple at reinvestmentfund.smartsimple.com.

Funding Inquiries will be screened for eligibility and if deemed eligible, the applicant will be invited to complete a full application. Full applications cannot be submitted without an invitation.

DEADLINES:

Funding Inquiries are due no later than 11:59 PM ET, July 31, 2026.

Applicants will be contacted via an email from SmartSimple with an eligibility determination by September 4, 2026 once their Funding Inquiry Form has been reviewed.  If eligible, applicants will also receive an invitation to submit a full application.

If invited to submit, full applications are due no later than 11:59 PM ET, October 30, 2026. Award notifications will be made no earlier than January 2027.

 

 

2024-2025 HFFI FARE Fund Awardees