Nourishing the City: How Madison Supports Local Entrepreneurs in Combatting Food Deserts

During the annual National Small Business Week, the City of Madison’s Economic Development Division is showcasing the diverse array of programs and resources available to local entrepreneurs through the Office of Business Resources. One such program is the Healthy Retail Access Program, which offers financial assistance to businesses that aim to increase access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food in Madison.

The program provides funding for new services, equipment, building improvements, or initiatives that enhance a business’s ability to offer healthy food options in areas identified as “food deserts” on the city’s Food Access Improvement Map. The program prioritizes investments in areas where it can have the greatest impact, such as Bombay Bazaar – a popular grocery store located on S. Gammon Road that offers an extensive selection of food items from India and Southeast Asia. Bombay Bazaar successfully applied for funding from the Healthy Retail Access Program last year and received over $98,000 to help them expand their offerings of healthy foods.

For the 2024 fiscal year, the City of Madison has allocated $250,000 for Healthy Retail Access Program projects. These funds will support 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 committed to improving food access in Madison, we encourage you to apply for funding through the Healthy Retail Access Program. More information about eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on our website dedicated to this initiative.