February 7, 2025

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PA FFFI Grants Available to Grocers Across State

Grants are now offered by the Pennsylvania Refreshing Food items Funding Initiative (PA FFFI), a program that invests in new or expanding grocery stores and other balanced meals retail shops in underserved neighborhoods across the Keystone Point out.  

Numerous private and community companies are associated in the statewide initiative, which is overseen by the Pennsylvania Section of Local community and Economic Improvement, administered by The Food items Have faith in, and supported by software companions Reinvestment Fund, Bridgeway Cash and Group Initial Fund. The PA FFFI presents one-time grants or financial loans to food stuff suppliers to enhance the availability of healthful, inexpensive foodstuff for individuals living in underserved spots.   

“We know that much healthier communities generate more healthy economies, and investigate shows that the improvement or presence of a grocery retail outlet not only enhances entry to healthier foodstuff but also creates careers and stimulates more financial investment,” noted Mark Edwards, CEO of The Food stuff Rely on, which is primarily based in Philadelphia. “That’s why we’re so enthusiastic to be stewarding a new spherical of funding for the Pennsylvania Clean Foods Financing Initiative.” 

Through its original operate, from 2004 to 2010, below Philadelphia-centered Reinvestment Fund’s administration and with assist from The Food stuff Have confidence in, the PA FFFI funded just about 90 projects with much more than $85 million in loans and grants. Considering the fact that the program’s relaunch in 2018, 22 further assignments in Pennsylvania have been given funding from the PA FFFI, with recipients ranging from significant-scale city grocers to more compact merchants in rural communities.

A person-time grants of as significantly $50,000 are accessible for qualified tasks, along with more loans and organization assistance. Earlier grants have served with predevelopment prices land assembly, together with demolition and environmental remediation web-site progress infrastructure enhancement these types of as renovation new building or adaptive reuse tools purchases that enhance the availability and excellent of refreshing make and revolutionary food items entry technologies that aids the wholesome foodstuff access endeavours of an present or new grocery retail store. The program’s companions evaluation purposes on a rolling basis and provide financing relying on the availability of money.  

Final 12 months, Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market been given funding for its retailers in Kittanning and Saxonburg. The independent grocer also has a site in Leechburg.

“Feeding our local community is the most honorable detail a grocer can strive to do,” stated Doug Sprankle, owner of the Saxonburg keep. “PA FFFI is the vessel that allows develop that possibility.”

Sprankle’s is a member of the Pennsylvania Foods Retailers Affiliation, a statewide trade association that represents pretty much 800 ease merchants, supermarkets, independent grocers, wholesalers and client product or service sellers. 

“We characterize a lot of users by PFMA who are working really hard to produce refreshing food choices in small-profits communities, noticed Alex Baloga, president and CEO of the Wormleysburg-primarily based trade team. “These grants by way of the Pennsylvania Clean Food items Funding Initiative will help our members prevail over likely fiscal obstacles as they get the job done to handle the have to have for healthy and very affordable food stuff for their clients.”

Final yr, Pennsylvania also directed $10 million in grants to state companies that have labored to manage entry to new, wholesome foods all through the COVID-19 pandemic. That grant cash arrives from the state’s New Food items Financing Initiative COVID-19 Aid Fund, which is funded by using the federal Coronavirus Assist, Aid, and Economic Safety Act, greater recognised as the CARES Act. 

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