City resources for small businesses: Healthy Retail Access Program

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Bombay Bazaar

As part of National Small Business Week, the City of Madison’s Economic Development Division is highlighting some of the programs and resources offered to local business owners through the Office of Business Resources.

The City of Madison’s Healthy Retail Access Program provides funding for businesses that increase access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food. Under the program, funds can be used for any new service, equipment, building improvements, or programs that can increase a business’ capacity to provide healthy food, specifically in areas that are identified in the City’s Food Access Improvement Map.

The goal in focusing on those areas is to make sure that the investments made through the Healthy Retail Access Program have the most impact.

Bombay Bazaar, a grocer located on S. Gammon Road that provides a wide range of food items from across India and Southeast Asia, was one of the retailers that participated in the Healthy Retail Access Program last year, receiving more than $98,000.

The City of Madison’s 2024 Operating Budget has set aside a total of $250,000 for Healthy Retail Access Program projects this year, including capital and infrastructure grants that spread healthy food access; technical assistance for entities that are working to increase healthy food access; data collection initiatives focused on finding out the needs and desires of business owners and residents, so City staff can more efficiently target program outreach; and evaluation of both programmatic structure and individual program grants.

If you are a retailer or an organization working to improve food access and think you may qualify, you are encouraged to fill out an application. You can learn more about the program and determine if you are a fit for possible funding on the City’s Healthy Retail Access Program page.