Healthy Food Financing Fund

The Healthy Food Financing Fund (HFFF) is a state grant program administered through New Mexico's Economic Development Department as part of the Food Hunger & Agriculture Program. The initiative supports the intersection of economic development and food security by funding capital projects that strengthen New Mexico’s food and agricultural supply chain. The fund specifically invests in food retailers, processors, producers, food hubs, distributors, and climate-smart agricultural pre-production efforts that benefit historically under-resourced communities. The HFFF prioritizes shovel-ready projects—those with all regulatory approvals in place—that aim to improve food access, create or retain jobs in the food system, enhance regional food distribution infrastructure, and promote regenerative agriculture. Project categories eligible for support include food retail operations (such as grocery stores and mobile markets), value-added food processing, cold/dry storage and food distribution systems, New Mexico Grown production efforts, and climate-smart pre-production projects including soil health inputs and renewable irrigation or energy systems. Eligible applicants include political subdivisions of New Mexico, tribal nations and pueblos, for-profit businesses (including social enterprises and benefit corporations), cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and small farmers or ranchers with gross cash farm income under $250,000. Notably, applicants engaged solely in charitable food projects, educational gardens, or restaurant-focused operations are not eligible unless they demonstrate that the project directly supports the market-based food supply chain. Additionally, prior FY25 HFFF recipients are ineligible for FY26 funding. The fund offers awards in tiered amounts of $50,000, $100,000, and $150,000, with some applicants considered for a $20,000 grant and technical assistance package if not selected for a primary award. All projects must be completed by December 2026. Funding may cover predevelopment, facility development, equipment purchases, packaged goods, and climate-smart R&D, but excludes land acquisition, ongoing operations, and regranting/lending activities. Projects must clearly advance food retail or supply chain access and must not rely on uncommitted future revenue. Applications for the FY26 HFFF grant cycle open on October 15, 2025, at 9:00 AM MT and close on November 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM MT. A program webinar will be held on October 16, 2025, to provide guidance to applicants. Awards will be announced by mid-February 2026. Though no pre-application is required, only complete submissions from eligible, shovel-ready applicants will be considered. While no recurring cadence is explicitly stated, the program’s annual structuring implies it may reopen on a similar cycle in the future. Funding inquiries can be directed via the official flyer or state program contacts.

Emphasize shovel-readiness (all permits secured). Demonstrate sustainability and replicability. Align project with one or more priority areas. Be specific about capital use and readiness.