Eat Well Grant Program

Limited access to grocery stores, supermarkets, or other sources of healthy and affordable food constrains the ability of community residents to consume a healthy diet. The 2019 and 2022 Community Health Assessment reports for the Sioux Falls area point to an increase in the number of census tracts that are significantly low income and low food access, i.e. Food Access Priority Areas. The City of Sioux Falls has created the Eat Well, Sioux Falls (EWSF) Grant Program to move the city towards a future where every resident of the community has adequate access to affordable and healthy foods. This program will provide one-time monetary award(s) of up to 400,000 dollars to incentivize intervention(s) to increase access to healthy food options in specified priority areas in Sioux Falls.

Program Objectives

Through the discretionary EWSF Grant Program, funds will be available to incentivize the provision of healthy grocery options to Food Access Priority Areas and populations in Sioux Falls. The ultimate goal of the EWSF Grant Program is to improve health outcomes by ensuring equitable access to healthy food options in Sioux Falls. The objectives are to:

  1. Incentivize provision of healthy grocery options to Food Access Priority Areas and populations;
  2. Strengthen the local food system; and
  3. Promote healthy eating behaviors among Sioux Falls residents.

Eligible Organizations and Projects

Applicants may be existing or new for-profit, nonprofit, or cooperative entities. A wide variety of project ideas will be considered, including projects that seek to:

  1. Establish a grocery store or supermarket in the specified Food Access Priority Areas.   For retail store proposals, applicant must demonstrate plans to accept public benefit programs (i.e. SNAP and WIC) to the maximum extent possible.
  2. Implement an innovative program that increases access to healthy foods in a sustainable and equitable manner for residents in the Food Access Priority Areas.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria,

  1. Potential for Impact: the estimated number of residents that will be served or reached by the intervention.
  2. Equity: how the intervention will ensure community engagement, affordability, and utilization of the product or service in an equitable manner.
  3. Feasibility of Intervention and Likelihood of Success: linkage with existing organizational or other community resources, programs, and assets.
  4. Organizational Capacity: history of success, leadership and human resource capacity, strength of partnerships, and financial strength or health of the organization.
  5. Sustainability Plan: applicants must be willing to operate the store or program for a minimum of five years. Applications will also be reviewed on the quality of the plan for sustaining the intervention beyond the initial five-year period.
  6. Evaluation Plan: how the rollout, success and impact of the intervention will be assessed.
  7. Ability to offer fresh produce and fresh meat.

Allowable Use of Funds

The grant may be used to help address potential higher costs and initial barriers to entry in the targeted Food Access Priority Areas.   All awarded funds must be drawn and spent by 12/31/2024. A variety of use cases will be considered, including:

  • Startup and Working Capital,
  • Acquisition of furniture, fixtures and equipment,
  • Direct costs of providing healthy food to target populations including occupancy and other operating expenses,
  • Other justifiable costs as may be requested by the applicant for consideration.

The following use cases are not allowable for this funding opportunity:

  • Agriculture-related projects without clear connection to food retail that meets program criteria (e.g. food hubs that supply institutions only).
  • Restaurants, cafes, and prepared food businesses.
  • Businesses with alcohol or tobacco retail sales as the primary source of revenue.
  • Political activities.
  • Buying out any stockholder or equity holder in the applicant’s business, including buying out or reimbursing any family member.

Applications for the 2022 EWSF Grant Program have closed. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to livewell@siouxfalls.gov with the title “2022 EWSF Grant Program.”

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