The City of Madison is showcasing the various programs and resources available to local businesses during National Small Business Week. One such program is the Healthy Retail Access Program, which offers funding to businesses looking to increase access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food. This funding can be used for new services, equipment, building improvements or programs that enhance a business’s ability to provide healthy food.
The Healthy Retail Access Program focuses on investing in areas where it can have the greatest impact. Last year, Bombay Bazaar, a grocer on S. Gammon Road that offers a variety of food items from India and Southeast Asia, participated in the program and received over $98,000 in funding. This year, the City of Madison has allocated $250,000 for Healthy Retail Access Program projects in its 2024 Operating Budget. These projects include capital and infrastructure grants to promote healthy food access, technical assistance for organizations working towards this goal, data collection initiatives to gather feedback from business owners and residents for targeted program outreach and program evaluation.
If you are a retailer or organization striving to improve food access in Madison, you are encouraged to apply for funding through the Healthy Retail Access Program. More information about the program and eligibility criteria can be found on the City’s Healthy Retail Access Program page.