First State Food System Grants awarded to 22 groups statewide

The Delaware Division of Small Business recently announced 22 businesses and organizations have received grants through the Delaware Grocery Initiative, also called First State Food System Grants.

Through the program, funding is available to Delaware farmers and small, independent grocery retailers offering culturally diverse foods, and a range of other food supply chain businesses and organizations.

“The Delaware Grocery Initiative is about bolstering economic development and uplifting some of our most vulnerable communities,” said Sen. Darius Brown, D-Wilmington, who sponsored the bill that created it in 2024. “Access to nutritious food is essential for living a long and healthy life. This program ensures that critical component of personal health is a reality for all Delawareans, regardless of their tax bracket or the neighborhood they live in."

Fifty-nine applications for the program were received. A total of $250,000 was available, and awards ranged from $5,000 to $12,500. Awarded funds will support expanding supply chain capacity and improving collaboration between community partners, so that entities doing their part to build resilience in Delaware’s food system can be successful.

DSB Director CJ Bell thanked Sen. Darius Brown, the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy, and Nikko Brady, Gov. Matt Meyer’s deputy chief of staff, for their partnership. “Their efforts made it possible to deliver funding to communities where access to healthy food is needed most,” said Bell.

The organizations and businesses receiving funds are: Delaware Nature Society, Expanded Branches Community Development Corp., Farmacy Market, FLOW Inc., Forever Freeze Co., G's DElights LLC, Heritage Urban Farms, Hispanic American Association of Delaware Inc., Jefferson Street Center, Lutheran Community Services Inc., Milford Advocacy for the Homeless, Native Roots Farm Foundation, One Purpose Food Pantry Corp., Route 9 Community Development Corp., Sussex County Kitchen Incubator, The HOPP, The Ministry of Caring Inc., The Wooly Bully Inc., Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc., West End Neighborhood House, Woodenhawk Farms Inc., and YWCA Delaware Inc.

Projects funded under the Delaware Grocery Initiative must be completed no later than Dec. 31. DSB and the council prioritized projects that address food aggregation, cold storage or food transportation activities.

Since 2022, the council has awarded more than $1.9 million, funding 39 projects across Delaware.