Financial Assistance

HFFI offers financial assistance to help healthy food retailers overcome higher costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved areas across the country.

Targeted grants are available for eligible projects or partnerships that seek to improve access to healthy food in underserved areas. Approximately $1.4 million will be available to fund applications under this program. Grant awards range from $25,000-$250,000.

Download the Request for Assistance (RFA)
 

Selection Criteria

Reinvestment Fund is soliciting grant applications for projects or partnerships that will increase access to healthy fresh food for low-income and underserved populations. Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which they meet the following criteria:

  • How well the project aligns with and advances HFFI grant program priorities, which are to increase and improve access to healthy, fresh food in low income communities
  • Presents, or is targeted to, innovative business model(s) with potential to scale
  • Has relevance to and ability to reach populations that have been underserved by Federal HFFI programs, such as most rural and native communities
  • Demonstrates that the proposed assistance would facilitate implementation of a sustainable project that does not require ongoing operating subsidy
  • Presents a plan to assess project impact through the collection of data and other mechanisms such as: number of households served (mobile market), % of revenue coming from SNAP, number of locally hired employees, quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables sold/monthly, % of locally sourced products
  • Demonstrate that without financial assistance, the project would not occur as proposed
  • Has more than one of the following attributes or is a partnership aimed at: creating or retaining quality jobs for low-income residents in the community; supporting regional food systems and locally grown food to the maximum extent possible; is accessible by public transit in areas served by public transit; supporting women, minority, and/or tribal – owned businesses; receives funding from other sources including other federal agencies; located in or serves a Rural Area

All projects must accept, or plan to accept, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. General questions about SNAP and EBT should be directed to USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Ask the Expert system.