The New Jersey Innovative Healthy Food Retail Initiative aims to improve access to affordable, nutritious food in underserved, low-income areas of New Jersey by funding community-focused and innovative food retail projects. This initiative seeks to address food insecurity, support economic growth, and advance health equity by prioritizing innovative approaches to food access.
Key Details:
Goals: Improve access to healthy food in low-income areas, support community-led innovative food retail projects, and promote economic growth in underserved New Jersey communities.
Duration: This is a two-year effort running from 2024-2026.
Funders: The initiative is co-administered by Reinvestment Fund and The Food Trust, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Grant Awards:
Award Size: Up to $1,500,000 will be allocated, with individual grants of up to $200,000.
Number of Grants: Approximately 5-10 grants will be awarded.
Eligible Uses of Funds: Grants will support innovative business models that improve the food supply chain, such as:
Wholesale and retail businesses
Non-traditional mobile and e-commerce food retail
Cooperative ownership and collective purchasing
Community engagement strategies with grocers
Partnerships with anchor institutions or developers
Eligibility Criteria:
Projects must serve an underserved community with significant food insecurity or poverty.
The project must expand or preserve access to fresh, affordable foods, including perishable and staple foods.
Eligible projects must:
Serve a low to moderate-income area with a median family income at or below 80% of the local median income.
Be located in a Low Supermarket Access (LSA) area or a New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) designated Food Desert Community.
You can use an interactive eligibility map to verify if a location qualifies for the initiative.
Application Process:
For more details on how to apply, including specific use of funds and project eligibility, interested applicants are encouraged to review the Request for Applications (RFA) and contact the initiative for any questions regarding eligibility or location verification.
This initiative provides a one-time investment designed to foster innovative food retail solutions in communities facing barriers to healthy food access.
