America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund

The America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund (HFFI FARE Fund) is administered by Reinvestment Fund as the National Fund Manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The program is authorized under federal legislation and is designed to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the United States. Reinvestment Fund, a mission-driven financial institution, manages the program and leverages public and private capital to support food retail and supply chain projects that address disparities in food access while promoting economic development and job creation. The primary purpose of the HFFI FARE Fund is to strengthen food supply chain resiliency and expand access to staple and perishable foods in low-income and underserved areas. The program supports both direct-to-consumer food retail operations and post-harvest food supply chain enterprises. These projects must demonstrate how they will increase the availability of healthy foods at SNAP-authorized retailers. The initiative emphasizes projects that can overcome higher operational costs and barriers to entry in underserved markets while contributing to long-term community sustainability and improved health outcomes. For the 2026 funding cycle, at least 5,250,000 dollars is available for planning and implementation grants, and at least 1,000,000 dollars is available for technical assistance. Grant awards range from 20,000 to 250,000 dollars and may support early-stage planning activities, predevelopment work, or implementation-ready projects. Technical assistance awards of up to 75,000 dollars are provided through third-party service providers to support early-stage planning, business development, and capacity building. Funding is intended as a one-time investment and may be used for activities such as feasibility studies, site analysis, construction, equipment purchases, and business planning, though certain uses such as vehicle purchases, agricultural production, and charitable food distribution are explicitly prohibited. Eligible applicants include for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, cooperatives, institutions of higher education, and government entities at the state, local, and tribal levels. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Applicants must propose projects that either establish or expand a SNAP-authorized retail outlet or contribute to the supply chain supporting such outlets. Projects must operate in or serve eligible underserved areas, defined by federal criteria related to income, food access, and geographic indicators. Applicants must also maintain active registration in the System for Award Management at the time of submission. The application process consists of two phases. First, applicants must submit a Funding Inquiry through Reinvestment Fund’s SmartSimple online portal. This inquiry is screened for eligibility based on project type, location, and applicant qualifications. Only those deemed eligible are invited to submit a full application, which requires detailed narratives, financial projections, budgets, and supporting documentation. Applicants must provide information about their business model, community impact, project readiness, and intended use of funds. Applications are evaluated based on criteria including project feasibility, stakeholder engagement, alignment with food access goals, and the applicant’s capacity to execute the project. The timeline for the 2026 funding cycle includes a Funding Inquiry deadline of July 31, 2026, followed by eligibility notifications by September 4, 2026. Invited applicants must submit full applications by October 30, 2026, with award notifications expected no earlier than January 2027. Projects may have performance periods of up to 12 months for non-construction activities and up to 24 months for construction-related projects. Awardees must begin project implementation within 120 days of notification and meet all award conditions within 60 days. Applicants are encouraged to attend an informational webinar hosted by Reinvestment Fund, which provides guidance on the application process and program requirements. Questions may be directed to program staff via email or phone. The program does not require matching funds, though applicants are encouraged to leverage additional financing sources. The HFFI FARE Fund is part of a broader federal effort to ensure equitable access to healthy foods while fostering economic opportunity in underserved communities nationwide.

Strong applications demonstrate clear food access impact sustainability stakeholder engagement and readiness with site control and feasibility completed