On Wednesday, September 14, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) announced the award of $25 million in grants through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) to a variety of organizations serving “food deserts” throughout the United States.  A total of 12 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in nine states will receive funding.

These grants are one part of the  multi-agency HFFI, the federal government’s first coordinated step in tackling the issue of food insecurity within “food deserts” – low-income communities that lack access to nutritious, affordable food.

Among the Fiscal Year 2011 CDFI awards are:

• A $3 million grant to Coastal Enterprises in Wiscasset, Maine to support its Rural Healthy Food Access initiative, a program designed to increase the availability and affordability of fresh, healthy and local foods for residents of low-income rural communities.
• A $3 million grant to the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) in California to provide financing and technical assistance to food markets in, or planning to locate in, areas that lack access to healthy, affordable food.
• A $2 million grant to the Cooperative Fund of New England (CFNE) to increase low income consumers’ membership and utilization of food cooperatives in New England and eastern New York state.
• A $500,000 grant to the Lowcountry Housing Trust (LHT) of South Carolina to provide financing for healthy food commercial developments.

Of the awards granted, 10 were under the Core award category and two were awarded under the Small and Emerging CDFI Assistance (SECA) category.  Six awardees primarily serve major urban markets, four primarily serve minor urban markets, and two primarily serve rural areas.