Illinois Launches Grant Program to Fight Food Deserts

Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announced the “New Stores in Food Deserts Program,” a groundbreaking initiative to combat food insecurity in Illinois. The program offers competitive grants ranging from $160,000 to $2.4 million to support the creation of new grocery stores in USDA-defined food deserts. Businesses are required to provide a 1:3 match for the grant funds.

“This first-of-its-kind state investment will make a real difference in underserved communities facing food access challenges,” said Gov. Pritzker. The New Stores in Food Deserts grants will cover construction, renovation, and first-year operational costs for new grocery stores, including wages, utilities, and initial food inventory.