Illinois Grocery Initiative

Eligible Applicants

Additional Requirements

Eligibility for this program will be constrained by geographic location, characteristics of prospective store ownership, and the intended offerings of the store. 1. Grants will be limited to projects that will result in a new grocery store establishment in a food desert census tract.3 • Applicants can find a map of food deserts at this link: https://www.ers.usda.gov/dataproducts/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx • Additional locations may be eligible if applicant can demonstrate that the census tract where the proposed grocery store will be located meets the definition of a food desert using data more recent than that reflected in the map at the above link. 2. This grant opportunity will be limited to the following types of entities: • Units of local government • Independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations. This includes for-profit and nonprofit entities. 3. Grocery locations must be consistent with the following to be eligible: • The store is or will be best classified as a supermarket or other grocery retailer in the 2022 North American Industry Classification System under code 445110, a meat retailer under code 44524, a fruit and vegetable retailer under code 44523, or a fish and seafood retailer under 44525 • The store cannot derive more than 30% of its revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales. • The store must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in the community by selling fresh foods such as meats, fruits and vegetables that have not been processed in any manner.

Geographic Eligibility

All