The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund was established through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and is designed to support healthy food access in both rural and urban communities across the U.S. New Venture Advisors is proud to be an approved Technical Assistance (TA) provider for the FARE Fund, offering support to eligible organizations in planning and development efforts that strengthen local food systems.
As a TA provider, New Venture Advisors is part of a national network of experts selected to help eligible food retail and supply chain projects overcome barriers and clarify pathways toward implementation. Technical assistance is available to applicants who may need additional planning, analysis, or development support to move forward. Through this role, New Venture Advisors can be selected by grant recipients to provide support in areas such as community engagement, business and strategic planning, governance, financial management, food retail operations, equitable food systems, and predevelopment analysis. Our team brings deep expertise in rural and Indigenous food systems, alternative business models like co-ops and food hubs, and the full range of planning services—from feasibility studies to architectural design assistance.
In this post, we’ll break down the two available funding tracks, help you assess which option best aligns with your project goals, and outline what you’ll need to prepare a strong application. And of course, if you’re selected to receive technical assistance, we’d be honored to partner with you to help bring your vision to life.
Overview of the HFFI FARE Fund
Reinvestment Fund, serving as the National Fund Manager for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative under the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, launched the FARE Fund in 2024 with plans to distribute $60 million in loans, grants, and technical assistance to support food retail and supply chain projects. For the 2026 funding cycle, at least $5,250,000 is available for planning and implementation grants and at least $1,000,000 is available for Technical Assistance.
The purpose of the HFFI FARE Fund is to:
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- Support food supply chain resiliency
- Improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas
- Create and preserve quality jobs
- Revitalize low-income communities
The Reinvestment Fund will achieve this by providing financial and technical assistance to eligible fresh, healthy food retailers and enterprises, helping them overcome higher costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved areas. Eligible projects must:
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- Expand or preserve access to staple and perishable foods
- Focus on retail operations that accept SNAP benefits
- Demonstrate sustainability, community involvement, and innovation
- Fall within an eligible Underserved Area
Current FARE Fund Programs
If your project meets the previous criteria, the table below outlines the current options.
| Technical Assistance | Planning Grant | Implementation Grant | |
| Amount | Up to $75,000 | $20,000 to $250,000 | $20,000 to $250,000 |
| Due Date | Inquiry due July 31, 2026. If invited, applications due October 30, 2026. | Inquiry due July 31, 2026. If invited, applications due October 30, 2026. | Inquiry due July 31, 2026. If invited, applications due October 30, 2026. |
| Key Requirements | •Active SAM registration •Project must be in planning or predevelopment stage •Funds paid directly to TA providers, not the applicant |
•Active SAM registration •Project in early feasibility or predevelopment stage •No site control required |
•Active SAM registration •Site identified and/or site control established (executed lease, purchase agreement, or ownership) •Feasibility tasks completed; concrete timeline for opening |
| Purpose | Support for organizations planning or developing a food retail outlet or food enterprise that seeks to improve access to healthy food in underserved areas | Fund early-stage activities to assess and develop the viability of a food retail or food enterprise project | Fund shovel-ready projects for creation, expansion, or retention of a food retail or food enterprise |
| Types of Projects | •Community food assessments, market research, feasibility studies •Financial analysis, business and strategic planning •Predevelopment soft costs like site location analysis, appraisals, and design assistance |
•Feasibility studies, market studies •Financial planning •Site analysis, architectural plans |
•Predevelopment soft costs for shovel-ready projects •Brick-and-mortar facility development including land/building acquisition and construction •Equipment, technology, software, or one-time inventory investment |
Note for previous FARE Fund recipients: Organizations that received an Implementation Grant in the 2024-2025 cycle are not eligible to apply again in 2026. However, they are eligible to apply for Technical Assistance.
Are you ready to apply? A checklist
Whether you are thinking of applying now or waiting until future rounds, this checklist will help you prepare to submit a well-thought-out application for the different programs.
➔What is the need that this project is addressing?
- How is your project building the local economy or improving food access for low-income families and high-needs communities? Make sure you can tell a story that connects your proposed solution to the challenge that aligns with the stated Reinvestment Fund priorities in the RFA.
➔Who are your project partners and stakeholders – who will be involved?
Qualifying projects should include diverse and relevant partnerships and reflect the input of stakeholder communities and targeted beneficiaries. Partners should consist of a combination of the following types of entities:
- Food-Related Businesses: Those that will contribute to a key component of the project and those that make up the food environment landscape and support food access.
- Community Organizations/Nonprofits: Those that provide direct service and access. They often provide insight into neighborhoods, demographics, and specific groups.
- Public Officials: Those with authority to utilize government resources and play a key role in policy advocacy, economic development, and implementing public initiatives.
- Education Institutions (schools, universities, training programs): Those that provide related education, technical assistance, and workforce development.
- Funders/Foundations: Those that provide financial resources and want confidence their money will be effectively invested.
- Users: Those who will utilize the facility in some capacity (food entrepreneurs, farmers, buyers, shoppers, etc.).
- Public: Those who will be indirectly impacted by the project (e.g., live in the community where a facility is built, customers, service providers, beneficiaries, etc.).
- Food System Expertise: Consultants, like New Venture Advisors, who can provide the technical assistance you need to plan and develop your project.
➔What are the intended outcomes? Do they respond to community needs?
- Your proposal should include metrics you will attain that meet the HFFI’s desired outcomes and directly address the stated community need.
➔Is this a model that can be replicated?
- HFFI seeks innovative approaches that offer a framework that can be replicated in other communities.
➔ Does your project sell or distribute a meaningful assortment of Staple and Perishable Foods?
This is one of the most important eligibility questions. To be eligible, your project must contribute to the availability of both Staple and Perishable Foods at SNAP-authorized retail outlets. Here’s what that means in practice:
- Direct-to-consumer retailers (grocery stores, mobile markets, etc.) must sell at least three of the four staple food categories: (1) fruits or vegetables, (2) meat, poultry, or fish, (3) dairy products, and (4) breads or cereals — plus fresh, refrigerated, or frozen (perishable) options. The retail outlet must also accept SNAP.
- Food Enterprises (distributors, food hubs, processors) do not sell directly to consumers, but must distribute Staple and/or Perishable Foods to SNAP-authorized retailers in underserved areas.
If your model only involves one or a few food types, you’ll need to explain how increased access to those specific items addresses an unmet need in the community. In your application, be specific: describe the full product mix you’ll sell or distribute, including estimated quantities. Applications that don’t provide adequate detail on food assortment may be declined for eligibility.
➔What is your organization’s capacity to implement a grant award?
- Large federal grants require more time than you might expect to meet project timelines, stay within budgets, complete activities, submit reports, and fulfill stated outcomes. Make sure that your organization can implement the project and, if needed, build the necessary personnel into the proposal budget.
Other resources
Want to learn more? We’ve gathered some resources and tools (some of which we created) to help you further develop your idea and proposal.
- Upcoming webinar: HFFI FARE Fund Grant and TA Overview — Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 2:30 PM Eastern Time. Register here.
- HFFI posted recordings of past webinars on their website
- Previous recipients: Visit HFFI to review awarded projects for previous rounds
- Widgets: Visit NVA’s Toolsite for widgets that can help you refine your plan, e.g., evaluate profitability potential or how well-suited an existing facility might be to your vision
- Blog: NVA created a Readiness Rubric, a framework to help you create a directional map of your strategy, capacity, partnerships, funding, etc., that will feed right into your grant application
- Blog: Visit NVA’s blog for many helpful articles about food hubs and small-format grocery store models
Blog updated May 2026 Photo courtesy of PR Image Factory via Stockphoto
