Apply for the PA Fresh Food Financing Initiative

The PA Fresh Food Financing Initiative aims to strengthen local food systems and increase market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers by providing grants that increase the availability of fresh and local foods in underserved and low-income or moderate-income communities in this Commonwealth.

This initiative supports local agricultural producers and retailers through reimbursement grant funding to facilitate the establishment, construction, rehabilitation, and expansion of grocery stores, farmers' markets, and other retail food establishments, with priority to those in areas designated by the USDA as food deserts. This program also supports the implementation of innovative food access technologies that support customer purchasing options.  

Eligible Applicants: Entities primarily engaged (70% or more of revenue) in the sale of staple and perishable food to consumers. 

• Entities that operate within Pennsylvania.  
• Entities that serve customers in underserved communities. 
• Entities that provide access to affordable, high-quality fresh food in these communities. Entities that expand access to Pennsylvania-grown or processed produce, dairy, and meat products. 

Food Enterprise: A business involved in the production, processing, and marketing of food products. It can include various types of businesses such as food production companies, specialty food processors, cooperatives, farmers markets, and farm-based enterprises which may be for-profit or non-profit that create value-added products. 

• Examples: Corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood stores, bodegas, food hubs, mobile markets, co-ops, farmers markets, on-farm markets, direct to consumer businesses, urban farms, community gardens and food aggregation and processing centers with a direct connection to direct-to-consumer retail outlets. 

Grocery Stores: A retail food establishment with one or more retail locations totaling more than 30,000 retail square feet but less than 100,000 square feet.

Large or Regional Anchor Supermarkets: A retail food establishment collectively totaling more than 100,000 retail square feet and operating more than one retail location.

Priority will be given to projects that increase business opportunities for:

• Veteran-Owned Businesses
• Small and Diverse Businesses that are registered with the PA Department of General Services Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities
• PA Preferred members/licensees in good standing with an active PA Preferred Trademark Licensing Agreement.
• Businesses that have a fully implemented business plan.

• Improve Access to Fresh Food: Increase the availability of high-quality, affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, meat, and dairy products in underserved communities. 
• Support Pennsylvania Agriculture: Prioritize projects that expand or diversify the production, aggregation, sourcing, or sale of Pennsylvania agricultural commodities. 
• Promote Economic Development: Increase business opportunities, especially for small, diverse businesses, and veteran-owned businesses within Pennsylvania. 
• Encourage Innovation: Support innovative technology or delivery methods that increase healthy food access by expanding infrastructure that supports customer purchasing options, enables mobile or pop-up farmers markets, implements mobile EBT reader technology, or increases direct to consumer sales. 

Up to $4 million is available for this round of funding.

A 15% match is required for all grant proposals. Matching reimbursement grants to defray the costs of an eligible project or equipment purchase, where the grant comprises no more than 85% of the project costs.

• The amount of reimbursement is based on actual eligible costs submitted by an approved applicant for an approved project during any fiscal year in which grants are offered.
• Grant reimbursement money shall not be used to reimburse any portion of an in-kind contribution to an eligible project.
• Grant money may not be used to pay or reimburse wages or salaries of grant recipient staff.
• Grant money may not be used to reimburse any portion of the project costs which are being paid or reimbursed under another Federal or State grant program.

Matching reimbursement grants to defray the costs of an eligible project or equipment purchase, where the grant comprises no more than 85% of the project costs.

• Large/Regional Anchor Supermarket - up to $1,000,000
• Grocery Store - up to $500,000
• Food Enterprise - up to $100,000

Online Applications Only. An applicant for a grant under the Program shall be submitted through the Commonwealth's Single Application for Assistance online application system. 

Application Requirements. An application for a grant under the Program shall contain the following information:

• The applicant's name, business address and contact information.
• A brief narrative explaining how the applicant is an eligible applicant.
• The details of the project or equipment purchase for which reimbursement grant money is sought, including the following:
  • A project budget.
  • A statement of the maximum amount of grant money sought for the project.
  • A project implementation schedule, a construction schedule or an equipment purchase plan, as appropriate for the project or purchase with respect to which the grant is sought.
  • A narrative identifying each entity that will assist in, participate in and benefit from the project. 
  • A project completion date, which shall be no later than June 30, 2026.
  • An attestation signed by the applicant, verifying the accuracy of the information presented on the application.

• Disposition and review of grant applications.   
  • The Department will review each application, and supporting documentation submitted therewith, for completeness and accuracy, and shall determine whether the application is eligible for consideration.
  • If an application is found to be incomplete or inaccurate, the Department may request additional documentation and may discontinue further processing of the application until the requested information is received.
  • If the Department determines an application is compete, accurate and eligible for consideration, it shall submit that application for consideration.

•  Notice of disposition of application. The Department will provide the applicant e-mail notice of the disposition (approval or disapproval) of the application.

Applications must be submitted through the Single Application for Assistance online application system between 8 a.m. on November 4, 2024, and 5 p.m. on January 18, 2025.

Applications received outside of that application window will not be considered or reviewed.

Documents submitted to the Department under this section shall be directed to the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Market Development, Attn: Pennsylvania Fresh Financing Initiative Program Coordinator, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408.

Additional information may be obtained from the Department by contacting Corinne Elliott, (717) 787-6041, corielliot@pa.gov.