Local grocers in Illinois will soon be able to earn grant funding from an Equipment Upgrades Program spearheaded by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The program makes $3.5 million available as part of the Illinois Grocery Initiative.
The grants will provide funding for energy-efficient equipment upgrades for existing grocery stores, with priority given to those located in food-insecure communities across the state.
"Local grocery stores are the backbone of food-secure and healthy communities, and investing in upgrades for these local pillars grants them the stability needed to continue serving local needs and ensuring access to fresh food," said Pritzker in a statement. "This grant program will help offset energy costs and form a greener infrastructure, a win-win that makes our state stronger and battles food deserts in the communities most at-risk."
The Equipment Upgrades Program is the first program rolled out as part of the Illinois Grocery Initiative's efforts to combat food insecurity by supporting local grocers and combatting food deserts. Additional funding opportunities for new municipal and independent grocery stores will be announced to the public soon, according to the Illinois government statement.
"These grants are important to helping existing small grocers control energy costs and helping them remain viable and serving their communities," said Illinois Retail Merchants Association president and CEO Rob Karr in a statement.
This program is designed to strengthen existing grocery stores and preserve access to fresh food in food-insecure communities to stop the formation of new food deserts. To support businesses most in need, eligible applicants must be independently owned grocers with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery stores.
Under the Equipment Upgrades Program, eligible grocers may be eligible to receive grants for the following equipment upgrades:
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment
• Refrigeration units and freezers
• Lighting systems
• Other systems providing significant energy savings
Related: Simply Organic Awards Food System Grants; Instacart Partners With Retailers, Universities on Food Access