Good Food Fund
The Good Food Fund provides support to food entrepreneurs in communities with inequitable access to food. The Good Food Fund was designed after intensive community engagement with the Food Equity Council and seeks to help expand, enhance, and restore the food industry using an equity and community-based approach.
Allies for Community Business (A4CB) was selected to manage the Good Food Fund, a $5 million fund to support food entrepreneurs in communities with inequitable access to food. A4CB, in partnership with Greenwood Archer Capital, is managing the fund by providing sub-grants and low-interest loans, to businesses across the food ecosystem (production, distribution, processing, retail) in communities with inequitable food access.
A4CB also provides industry specific business coaching and application assistance to entrepreneurs interested in applying for the fund. To ensure an equitable selection process for all, A4CB developed a community advisory committee comprised of food and business subject-matter experts and community members, who provided input on the eligibility criteria for fund recipients as well as supports with community outreach. The Good Food Fund was designed in collaboration with the Food Equity Council, a private-public partnership dedicated to transforming Chicago’s food system into one that is just and equitable.
On August 13, 2024, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection announced the Good Food Fund Round 1 Awardees. To view the press release, please visit the Mayor’s Press Release website.
The Good Food Fund Round 2 closed on September 19th. The City expects to announce Round 2 awardees in December, 2024.
Interested in Food Business Coaching? Visit a4cb.org/coaching.
Interested in Food Business 3% Interest Loans? Visit a4cb.org/loans.
Questions? Contact Allies for Community Business by phone at (872) 710-0035 or by emailing help@a4cb.org.
The Good Food Fund Program is funded by the Road to Recovery Plan using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Local Recovery Fund (LFRF) Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 21.027.