Improving Access to Healthy Food

Exciting news – the Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA recently announced their 2012 NOFAs for HFFI projects and projects designed to improve access to healthy food.  Applications for the HHS grants are due June 5, 2012; see here for application details.  Applications for the USDA grants are due May 21, 2012; see here for application details.

Since its launch, $77 million has been allocated for the HFFI. The final fiscal year 2012 budget approved $32 million for HFFI through Treasury and Health and Human Services. The provides $22 million from Treasury for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) to work on healthy food access in low-income communities, and an additional $10 million will be available through the Community Economic Development Program at Health and Human Services for CDCs doing this work. USDA will also be able to use their resources to advance efforts to increase access to healthy food. In 2011, no funds were appropriated in the budget for HFFI, but agencies were able to use existing authority and resources to provide $45 million for HFFI projects in 2011.

President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 budget request includes $285 million for the HFFI. The FY 2013 budget includes $10 million at HHS, $25 million in CDFI funding at the Department of Treasury, and a $250 million set-aside request within the broader $7 billion New Markets Tax Credit program for HFFI. The budget also calls for the USDA to target additional resources toward the overall goals of combating food deserts and increasing access to healthy food.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the 2012 NOFA for HFFI-related grants and will provide up to $10 million for projects located in food deserts and designed to improve access to healthy, affordable foods.  Applications are due June 5, 2012; see here for application details. The USDA released the 2012 NOFA for projects such as farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture, and road-side stands, and will prioritize projects that expand healthy food choices in food deserts or low-income areas.  Applications are due May 21, 2012; see here for application details.  The Treasury released a NOFA for 2012 funds for CDFIs to apply for financial and technical assistance that closed on January 11, 2012. You can check back here to see a list of the 2012 CDFI awardees once they are announced.

The three agencies, Treasury, Health and Human Services, and USDA, have released a joint website demonstrating their ongoing commitment to increasing access to healthy food in underserved communities across the nation. The website (see here) lists nineteen programs across the three agencies that are available to "support the development of sustainable projects and strategies to increase access to healthy, affordable foods and eliminate food deserts." The website provides information about these programs, and suggestions about how to form successful partnerships to apply for these funds.

In 2011, it was great to see $45 million go out the door for HFFI projects. The following is a list of the 2011 awardees.

• The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund announced their awards for a total of $25 million for HFFI; click here for a list of the awardees.
• The Department of Health and Human Services released their awards, with more than half of those awards targeted to HFFI projects; click here for a complete list of all awardees (including HFFI awardees).
• The USDA announced its awards for $10 million for Farmers’ Market Promotion Programs, with an emphasis on efforts to improve access in underserved communities; click here for a list of the awardees.

To see the original 2011 Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) issued by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture, see:

• The Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund released a NOFA last year for $25 million.
• The Department of Health and Human Services released a NOFA for up to $10 million in grants to Community Development Corporations for Healthy Food Financing Initiative projects.
• USDA released a NOFA for $10 million through the Farmers' Market Promotion Program.

For additional information, see the joint website by the Departments of Agriculture, Treasury, and Health and Human Services.

State and City HFFI Efforts

Efforts are underway in several states and cities to replicate the successful Pennsylvania FFFI program. Legislation has been passed and/or projects are underway in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Detroit, D.C., New York City, and New Orleans.