Funded by the state, the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing provides one-time loans, grants, and funding for business assistance to food retailers that are for increasing access to healthy, affordable food in low-income, underserved areas. The program offers critical financial and technical support to help launch and expand businesses that increase food access, create jobs, and stimulate economic investment in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the Commonwealth.

The PA FFFI is overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), and administered by The Food Trust, with support from CDFI partners Reinvestment Fund, Community First Fund, and Bridgeway Capital. The program was established in legislation in 2004 with funds being fully deployed in 2010. After a multi-year advocacy campaign spearheaded by The Food Trust and partners of Food Forward PA, the Pennsylvania legislature included $1 million of seed funding to recapitalize the program in the Fiscal Year 2018 capital budget. The program officially launched in spring 2019. The Pennsylvania DCED has continued to support the program with funding available through June 2024.

To be eligible, projects must expand access to high-quality, affordable and nutritious food in under-resourced neighborhoods via a retail outlet. They must also fit local community needs and demonstrate support from local residents.

Applicants may be for-profit, nonprofit, or cooperative entities. Eligible projects include the development, renovation and expansion of:

• Supermarkets
• Grocery stores
• Corner stores/bodegas
• Food hubs
• Mobile markets
• Co-ops
• Farmers markets
• Food aggregation and processing centers with a direct connection to direct-to-consumer retail outlets

The project must be located in an area that is low-to-moderate income, meaning it’s either in a census tract with a Median Family Income of up to 80% of Area Median Income, or a poverty rate of 20% or higher. The area must also be underserved by fresh food retail, so there can’t be other similar fresh food markets or grocery stores already within its trade area.

Projects must operate and provide service in Pennsylvania. To the extent possible, they must also accept SNAP and WIC, and include team members with experience managing a similar food project. Each eligible application will be assessed for financial viability.

Please refer to the eligibility criteria (criterios de elegibilidad en español) for full program guidelines.

Preference is given to new or expanding independently owned projects that build wealth within communities most affected by lack of healthy food access, and that enhance racial, gender, and economic equity, and support the environment and local food system. Businesses are encouraged to demonstrate how they promote opportunities for enterprises of diverse ownership, hire employees from the surrounding neighborhoods, pay living wages, source food from PA farmers, increase accessibility for customers through means of public transportation, and align with existing goals of local government and residents. The program will also strive for diversity of types of projects and project locations in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the Commonwealth.

Application deadlines and the full application process can be found here.

Applications are scored based on alignment with the program’s goals to increase access to healthy, affordable food for underserved low-to-moderate income communities. The highest awards are reserved for projects that demonstrate the strongest overall impact and alignment relative to other applications received. Due to program demand, not all eligible projects may ultimately receive funding.

Main Scoring Criteria

The program scores applications across several main criteria to ensure that funding goes to projects with the greatest potential to increase access to healthy, affordable food. Key scoring areas include:

• Project Fit: Assesses alignment with PA FFFI objectives and food access impact, specifically the extent to which the project will increase access to healthy, affordable foods in low-income areas. Higher scores are awarded to projects that focus on very low-income communities and provide sustained, long-term access to healthy, affordable foods.
• Under-Resourced: Measures the extent of need within the community for healthy, affordable food options. Higher scores are given to projects in communities with limited or no other grocery options, particularly those without other retailers that accept SNAP, ensuring they meet a significant gap in food access.
• Community Fit: Evaluates the applicant’s commitment and ability to meet the needs and preferences of the low-to-moderate income community it serves. Higher scores are awarded to projects with affordable prices, a community-oriented mission, grocery selections that align with community preferences, local ownership or operation, and partnerships with local organizations.
• Financial Sustainability: Gauges the strength of business planning and financial management, with emphasis on an experienced management team, a proven track record in the grocery or food industry, demonstrated profitability through sales or projections, and a secure financial plan, including any technical or planning assistance received.

Additional points are awarded for priority areas, including initiatives that enhance affordable food access (such as high SNAP redemption rates and participation in nutrition/affordability programs), projects that strengthen the local food system, projects serving historically disinvested communities, jobs creation or retention, number of people served, equity impacts, and the scope of the project, with larger-scale initiatives receiving more points.

High-Impact Projects

Projects that will have a large impact on a community’s economic development and will significantly improve their access to affordable groceries may be considered for up to $150,000 grants. To be considered high impact, a project must address an unmet need for fresh food in a low-to-moderate income community with no other existing grocery options, demonstrate substantial community and economic impact aligned with broader neighborhood development plans, demonstrate a path to profitability, and be independently owned.

The PA FFFI program provides loans, grants, and funding for business assistance.

Financing packages may include loans, grants, and other funding tools on a case-by-case basis to appropriately meet the needs of each project. Each eligible application will be underwritten and assessed for financial viability.

Projects can qualify for up to $50,000 in grant funding.

Grants and loans can be used for equipment and other capital expenses, real estate, tenant improvement and infrastructure, initial inventory for startup grocers, predevelopment costs, construction and business assistance services.

Non-eligible expenses include certain recurring operating expenses (e.g., salaries, rent, licensing fees, permit fees, insurance, utilities).

Yes. Some applications may be approved for a grant only; others may be approved for both a grant and a loan. 

This is a one-time grant and loan program. If your business has more than one location, you may apply for funding at a different site.

You can find information about upcoming deadlines here. To sign up for updates, fill out the form on our homepage.