| Photo by Megan Thomas on Unsplash
NEW YORK—Under the Food Access Expansion Grant Program, a new $10 million funding initiative is in place to help increase food access for New Yorkers living in areas without grocery stores and healthy, affordable options.
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced this initiative, which will provide infrastructure funding to support the development and expansion of supermarkets, food cooperatives, permanent farm stands, and other retail food stores in underserved regions of the state and increase markets for New York farmers. The application period for the program opens today.
A report from the Office of the State Comptroller says that between 2019 and 2021, approximately 10 percent of New Yorkers, or some 800,000 households, experienced food insecurity and struggled with food affordability. Grants through the program will range from $250,000 to $3 million. They will be awarded to eligible applicants for projects that increase food availability, whether through the construction of a new retail store, the purchase of equipment to improve food and meals offered, the creation of a mobile market, and more. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Start-up, improvement, or expansion of a retail food store.
- Construction or upgrades of a commercial kitchen for food preparation, processing, and preservation for on-site sale or delivery.
- Purchase kitchen equipment for preparing, preserving, and selling ready-made food and/or shelf-stable whole foods.
- Construction or upgrades of retail food storage space, including cold storage expansion.
- Purchase of equipment for on-site food storage, processing, or handling.
- Purchase of and/or expansion of retail refrigeration and market displays.
- Creation or expansion of mobile markets.
Eligible entities to receive this funding include nonprofit organizations, public benefit corporations, local or regional development corporations, tribal governments, and local and municipal government agencies. Eligible applicants may partner with for-profit retailers.
According to New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, the Department has focused on addressing the gaps in the food supply chain and connecting the dots between New Yorkers and farmers. He said he was “heartened to see the progress we have made so far with the launch of more than a dozen programs and initiatives with support in the budget.”
The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is the newest initiative in New York State’s efforts to build a more resilient food system. The Hochul administration said that through its 2025 budget, New York continues to support several groundbreaking programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods, including the Nourish NY program, the 30 Percent NYS School Initiative for school meals, and the Farm-to-School program.
In addition, this year’s budget included the second round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children.
The governor has also issued Executive Order 32 directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years and raising the discretionary threshold for schools to purchase local food and food products from $20,000 to $150,000, a significant increase from that prior threshold.
At noon, a webinar with additional information on the Food Access Expansion Grant Program will be held on Thursday, September 26. Registration is available online. The grant application deadline is Friday, November 22, 2024. Find additional information on funding opportunities here.
All questions about this funding opportunity must be submitted in writing to mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov.
–With Jay Domingo/PDM
