Healthy Food Financing Initiative Completes 2024-25 Funding Cycle With $16.5 Million to Promote Food Access Nationwide

Today Reinvestment Fund announced $16.5 million in financial assistance awards to 62 food retail and food retail supply chain projects through the 2024-25 funding rounds of America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund. In total, Reinvestment Fund distributed $9 million in grants, $1.5 million in technical assistance, and $6 million in loans to projects in 39 states, including 30 in rural areas and 19 in very low-income areas.

The HFFI FARE Fund investment is part of the ongoing America’s HFFI program, a national public-private partnership administered by Reinvestment Fund on behalf of USDA Rural Development which addresses the complexity of food access in communities across America. The purpose of America’s HFFI is to improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, support food supply chain resiliency, create and preserve quality jobs, and revitalize low-income communities. America’s HFFI has previously funded over $72 million in grants and technical assistance to food retail and food retail supply chain projects, as well as local and regional food financing programs.

New grant and technical assistance awards just announced for the HFFI FARE Fund’s final 2024-25 funding round include:

• Project GROWS will expand its Mobile Market program in Staunton, VA.
• The George Belvado Jr. Memorial Sports Association (GBMSA) will establish a retail store and commercial kitchen in San Carols, AZ on the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
• DC Central Kitchen will add a new Healthy Corners retail location in Washington, DC.
• Bob’s Windham IGA will remodel and expand its full-service grocery store in Willimantic, CT.
• Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) will expand its food hub facilities in Cranston, RI.

$13.8 million in grants, technical assistance, and loans was awarded earlier in the 2024-25 cycle to 40 projects. Awardees included:

• Change Today, Change Tomorrow will expand the West End Farmers Market in Louisville, KY.
• Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council (DNATL CFC) will construct a regional food hub facility in Crescent City, CA.
• Unlimited Future, Inc. (UFI) will expand its aggregation and distribution hub and retail market in Huntington, WV.
• Manna Food Coop will expand its cooperative grocery store in Detroit Lakes, MN.
• Maurer’s Urban Market will construct a 24,000 sq ft, full-service grocery store in Madison, WI.
• North Dakota Rural Electric Cooperatives Foundation will develop a regional grocery aggregation and redistribution network in north central ND.

Read the complete list of funded HFFI FARE Fund projects.

“Investing in projects that will help more families in underserved regions put fresh, healthy food on the table is key for the health and vibrancy of these communities,” said Don Hinkle-Brown, President & CEO of Reinvestment Fund. “We’re excited to see these innovative early-stage projects take shape around the country and look forward to empowering more local partners to serve their communities in the years to come.”

Between 2024 and 2028, the HFFI FARE Fund will provide a total of $60 million in loans, grants, and technical assistance for the predevelopment, planning, and implementation of eligible projects. As a result of funding allocated by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act as well as yearly appropriations under the HFFI authorization in the farm Bill, the HFFI FARE Fund will be available for projects that aim to increase, strengthen, expand, and innovate within the food retail supply chain in rural and urban communities.

HFFI FARE Fund’s new Request for Applications will be released later in 2026. Sign up for HFFI’s mailing list to receive notification.

As the National Fund Manager, Reinvestment Fund administers the HFFI program on behalf of USDA. The public-private partnership aims to provide capacity building and financial resources to stimulate food business development at scale and build a more equitable food system that supports the health and economic vibrancy of all Americans. Beginning with the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI) in 2004, Reinvestment Fund has developed a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to improving the food landscape for low-income people. Since that time, Reinvestment Fund has provided more than $587 million in grants and loans to healthy food projects.