The food system is a complex network of interconnected activities and sectors that grow, manufacture, transport, sell, prepare and dispose of food. It encompasses a great variety of enterprises with varying capacities and financing needs. A wide number of people, products, and places contribute to, and are affected by, our food system. The current food system doesn’t work for all communities. Low-income communities and people of color disproportionately experience hunger, lack access to healthy food and work in a food economy that limits their ability to build wealth.
Reinvestment Fund is committed to building a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive food system. Since 2004, Reinvestment Fund has pioneered a comprehensive approach to strengthening food systems to improve access to healthy food and economic opportunity in the food sector for underserved communities. Through a range of programs, we provide grants, loans, and technical assistance resources aiming to support community-driven solutions.
Our financing supports enterprises that contribute to a balanced and dynamic food system. With over $300 million invested in food projects to date, we finance projects ranging from production and retail to food banks and child nutrition. Reinvestment Fund provides financing for predevelopment, construction, and permanent loans. Financing can be used to build or expand facilities, increase healthy food options, bridge capital gaps and purchase new equipment.
Administered by Reinvestment Fund on behalf of USDA Rural Development, HFFI provides resources to eligible fresh, healthy food retailers and enterprises to overcome the higher costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved areas.
investinginfood.comReinvestment Fund is committed to understanding the barriers to equitable healthy food access and building a knowledge base that helps inform solutions and target resources. With a dozen studies on topics related to food, including access, financing mechanisms, program design, and food systems, Reinvestment Fund has produced a comprehensive body of research and gained national recognition. We seek opportunities to partner with government, philanthropy, and industry to further collective knowledge about food system opportunities and gaps.
Reinvestment Fund offers capital and planning resources that aim to increase access to healthy, nutritious meals for children from vulnerable populations. The programs offer support to federal nutrition program sponsors, sites and meal vendors to expand the availability of fresh and nutritious food to children.
Learn MoreA partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, PFJI supports community-driven projects advancing food justice and insuring communities can exercise their right to grow, sell and eat healthy food.
Learn MoreFor over a decade, we have worked with policymakers and advocates recommending smart, sustainable ways to invest in food systems and local economies nationwide. Partnering with PolicyLink and The Food Trust, we convene a network of stakeholders to share ideas and best practices to build robust and equitable food systems. Our partnership includes a resource portal, HealthyFoodAccess.org, that synthesizes data and information to support the successful planning and implementation of food systems policies, programs, and projects. In 2021, in partnership with Self-Help, Reinvestment Fund launched the Food Lenders Network to foster collaboration between food financing practitioners who work to improve access to capital for food system businesses across the food supply chain.
FoodLendersNetwork.org