The Good Food Access Program (GFAP) Equipment and Physical Improvement Grant increases the availability of and access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods (including fruits and vegetables) for underserved communities in low- and moderate-income areas. Grants help grocery stores and small food retailers make physical improvements and purchase equipment to stimulate sales of such foods.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 03/17/2022
Size of the Grant: $50,000
Details:
Priorities
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity, and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant-making.
The grant will also prioritize projects that demonstrate positive economic and health impacts on underserved communities, including creation and retention of jobs for local or regional residents from low-income and moderate- income areas that reflect the area demographics, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The MDA anticipates awarding at least 50% of the available funds to projects located in or serving BIPOC communities
Funding Information
They expect to award up to $320,750 in Fiscal Year 2022.
- Minimum award: $2,500
- Maximum award: $50,000
Eligible Projects
GFAP grants help grocery stores and small food retailers make physical improvements and purchase equipment to stimulate sales of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods. Eligible projects include the purchase and installation of equipment and the costs incurred to make physical improvements.
Projects must:
- Increase the availability of and access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food (including produce) for underserved communities in low- and moderate-income areas.
- Not start until the grant contract is signed by all parties and has reached its start date.
- Be completed in three years or less. Contracts cannot be extended beyond three years.
- Be conducted in Minnesota.
Eligibility Criteria
For-profit and not-for-profit grocery stores and small food retailers engaged in the sale of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, that are located in or serve a U.S. Census tract designated as a “Food Desert” or who serve a substantial subpopulation, such as the elderly or disabled, in a low- or moderate-income Census tract who have low supermarket access.
Eligible organizations serving sovereign nations are eligible and encouraged to apply.
- Retailers receiving equipment or making physical improvements under this Request for Proposals (RFP) must agree with the following conditions for a period of at least five years:
- Accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits;
- Comply with all data collection and reporting requirements established by the commissioner;
- Promote the hiring, training, and retention of local or regional residents from low-income and moderate-income areas that reflect area demographics, including BIPOC communities; and
- Except for small food retailers, as defined, allocate at least 30% of retail food space for the sale of affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods, including fruits and vegetables, low- fat and nonfat dairy, fortified dairy substitute beverages such as soy-based or nut-based dairy substitute beverages, whole grain-rich staple foods, meats, poultry, fish, seafood, and other proteins, consistent with nutrition standards in national guidelines described in the current United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- Organizations applying on behalf of eligible applicants, must receive written assurance from subawardees that they will comply with these stipulations prior to receiving equipment or physical improvements under this grant. These assurances must be sent to the MDA prior to site approval; the MDA will confirm SNAP and Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) requirements with the appropriate implementing organization.
Applicants must be in good standing with the State of Minnesota:
- No back taxes owed.
- No defaults on state-backed financing for the last seven years.
- Acceptable performance on past MDA grants.
- Compliant with current state regulations.
MDA employees and their spouses are not eligible to receive grants from this program.
For more information, visit GFAP Equipment and Physical Improvement Grant.
