About the Award 

Two awards of $50,000 each will be granted to outstanding grocery innovations that demonstrate how grocery stores serving low-income and historically underinvested neighborhoods can become resilient, sustainable, and profitable enterprises while expanding access to affordable, nutritious food. 

Across the United States, millions of families live in communities where full-service grocery stores struggle to survive due to thin margins, fragmented supply chains, limited access to capital, and policy barriers. Yet innovative operators, technologists, investors, and community partners are developing new models that challenge the assumption that grocery access and financial sustainability are incompatible. 

This award celebrates those innovators who are proving that community-centered grocery retail can thrive through a diversity of solutions. 

Eligibility Criteria 

1. Applicant must belong to one of the following categories: 

• Independent grocery retailers and operators 

• Entrepreneurs and startups 

• Technology innovators supporting grocery operations 

• Community development organizations 

• Food system investors or financial innovators 

• Public-private partnerships advancing grocery access 

2. Applicants must be based in or serving communities in the United States. 

3. The innovation or initiative must be operational or piloted, not conceptual. 

4. Applicants must demonstrate clear benefits to independent grocery retailers and the communities they serve. 

5. Must be replicable or scalable to other communities. 

Award recipients will be evaluated based on: 

Impact – measurable improvement in food access and community wellbeing 

Economic Sustainability – evidence the model can support profitable or financially stable grocery operations 

Innovation – new approaches to long-standing challenges in grocery retail 

Scalability – potential to replicate the model in other underserved communities 

Equity and Inclusion – benefits to communities historically excluded from investment 

Application Instructions  

Please complete the following application form and submit all required documents by 05/01/2026. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of philanthropic and industry leaders. Winners will be announced at the Grocery Retail Summit on 06/18/2026.  

Application form available here: https://forms.gle/bP1VVP1cM5WgEzTC7 

Terms and Conditions  

• Grant funds must be used for the stated purposes in the application.  

• Recipients agree to participate in a follow-up interview and provide a brief report six months after receiving the award.  

• The grant is non-transferable and must be accepted by the business.  

• All decisions from the selection panel are final.  

We look forward to supporting grocery retailers who are making a difference, both locally and nationally. Apply today to join a community of innovators and changemakers!  

All applicants will be featured on FSF’s social media!