PA FFFI - Application

Application

Please submit by 11:59PM on September 15, 2026
Before submitting an application, please review the Request for Applications (RFA) for The Food Trust's PA Fresh Food Financing Initiative (TFT's PA FFFI) .

For any questions, please email pafffi@thefoodtrust.org or call 215-575-0444, ext. 154.
1. Applicant Information
Name:
Title/Relation to business:
Email address
example@example.com
Phone number
Format: (000) 000-0000.
Preferred method of contact
Secondary contacts:
How did you hear about the program?

Other
Please state which Food Trust staff member let you know about the program.
Please state which retailer let you know about the program.
Please state which CDFI let you know about the program.
Please state which CDC let you know about the program.
Please state which business advisor let you know about the program.
2. Business Information
Legal business name
This should match your business license
Legal business owner(s)
Project name/DBA (if different from above)
Tax ID number/EIN
Business mailing address
City
Zip
County
State
Type of entity

Other
Type of ownership

Other
Type of business

Other
Formation of business (date)

MonthDayYear
Date
Annual gross revenue in 2025
Annual net profit/loss in 2025
2025 Federal Business Tax Return (including Schedule C or Form 1120)

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2024 Federal Business Tax Return (including Schedule C or Form 1120)

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Most recent business plan

If you do not have a business plan, please explore this resource to create one: https://business.pa.gov/plan/writing-a-business-plan/
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Is your business less than 2 years old?
Projected Business Revenue (3 years)

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Does the owner or person in substantial control identify as any of the following? Applications are encouraged from underrepresented business owners, including:

Other
3. Project Information
Retail site address (if different from business mailing address)
If serving multiple locations (i.e. mobile market sites, supermarket chains), please list the addresses below.
Project site control status at time of application

Other
Estimated project start date (please note, funds will not be disbursed until Spring 2027)

MonthDayYear
Date
Estimated project end date

MonthDayYear
Date
Current number of part-time employees
Current number of full-time employees
Expected number of additional part-time employees (if applicable)
Expected number of additional full-time employees (if applicable)
Total approximate number of employees from the local community (upon project completion)
Employee hourly rate (range or average acceptable)
Existing retail square feet
If proposing to expand, how many additional square feet will be added?
Total produce department sales for the previous full month
Expected percent growth of produce department sales after project completion
Please describe your sources of fresh produce (e.g. name of distributor, details on growers, producers, etc.)
Are you enrolled in Pennsylvania’s PA Preferred Program?
Describe any efforts to source locally/regionally grown or value-added products
Does your business accept (if neither, please specify your plans to pursue authorization)

Other
If you accept SNAP/EBT, what were your total SNAP/EBT sales for the last full month?
If not applicable, write N/A
If currently open, what were your total gross sales for the last full month?
If not applicable, write N/A
Average number of customers served per week
If not applicable, write N/A
Do you participate in any Food Trust programming?
Please describe
4. Financial Request Information

*Note: Technical Assistance may be requested alone or in addition to any other grant category. Loan requests will be referred to a PA FFFI partner Community Development Financial Institution. Each eligible loan application will be underwritten and assessed for financial viability.
Which grant category are you applying for? Please refer to Section 3 of the RFA for category descriptions and eligible uses of funds.
Are you also applying for a Technical Assistance grant?
Predevelopment Request ($20,000 - $50,000)
Fresh Food Retail Expansion and Retention Request ($20,000 - $100,000)
New Store Implementation Request ($100,000 - $200,000)
Technical Assistance Request ($5,000 - $30,000)
What type of technical assistance are you looking for? Please select all that apply:

Other
Financing request type: You may select more than one option.
Are you interested in being connected to a lending partner to explore loan financing options for your project?
Grant request ($)
Approximately what size loan are you looking for? ($)
What is the total cost of your project? ($)
Are you currently working with a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)?
If yes, which CDFI are you working with?

Other
Grant Budget

How do you plan to spend the grant funds you are requesting? Please share by filling out the chart below OR uploading your own budget.

Rows	Expense Description	Expected Cost ($)
Line item 1
Line item 2
Line item 3
Line item 4
Line item 5
Line item 6

Grant Budget
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Additional Sources and Uses

Often, retail projects cost more than a single grant can cover. If the total project cost exceeds your requested amount, are you able to fund the difference? If so, how? Please describe all additional funding you will apply towards this project by filling out the table below OR uploading a Sources and Uses document.

Rows	Source	Type(Loan/Grant/Equity/Subsidy/Other)	Amount	Use of Funds	Status (Committed or Requested)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Sources and Uses (committed and requested)
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5. Timeline and Milestones

Please list all planned activities related to this project. When do you expect that they will be completed? Please also provide a brief description of each activity in the table below OR by uploading your own document. Please be aware funding will not be disbursed prior to Spring 2027.

Example 1: Order freezer, 06/15/2027, Call refrigeration company and schedule delivery Example 2: Secure permit, 08/15/2027, Submit request for land use permits to License and Inspections office

Rows	Activity	Date of Expected Completion	Description of Activity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Timeline and Milestones
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6. Short Answers

(3-5 sentences)
Describe your overall project in detail. What are your main goals? How do you plan to achieve them?
Describe how you will use awarded funds and how they will benefit your long-term business plan. If applying for a Predevelopment or Technical Assistance grant, please describe what contracted services are needed and why.
Please describe the community that your business serves or will serve. Please describe how your business meets their needs (e.g., pricing models, product selection, marketing, outreach efforts, mission statement).
Please describe if and how the community has been involved in the planning of your project (if applicable).
Describe existing food retail options in your community. Are options limited? What are the barriers in accessing healthy food in your community? What is missing? What role does your business play in your community?
Do you plan to contract any local businesses as part of this project? If so, please describe.
Please list all partners related to this project (if applicable).
Describe your or your team’s management experience in food retailing and produce handling.
Describe relevant experience relating to food retail and business operations that you or your team bring to the project.
Describe how you will use awarded funds and how they will benefit your long-term business plan. Please list all proposed expenses.
Does a Low- to- Moderate-Income Community shop at your retail location? If so, please describe how your business meets their needs (ie. pricing models, product selection, marketing, outreach efforts, mission statement).
Describe existing food retail options in your community. (Are options limited? What are the barriers in accessing healthy food in your community? What is missing?) What role does your business play in your community?
Describe your or your team's management experience in food retailing and produce handling.
References: Please provide the contact information for up to three community members or organizations that can speak about your business or the community that you serve. Please include name, relationship, and email address.
Optional: Please explain if and how your business promotes supplier diversity or increases business opportunities for minority business enterprises.
These include: Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, LGBT Business Enterprises, and Disability-Owned Business Enterprises.
Describe the accessibility to the business by customers via public transportation (if applicable).
Optional
Describe the accessibility to the business pursuant to the ADA (if applicable).
Optional
7. Additional Documents

Optional
Applicant Narrative: History of applicant business, management list and qualifications (food market operations and/or real estate development experience). Include resumes for key management if available at this time, as well as a list of all owners and their respective % of ownership.

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Project Description: Provide a detailed description of the project, including: current condition, scope of work, fresh food offerings (current/proposed), explanation of project costs, and need for funding. Please provide photos or renderings of project (or other currently operating stores).

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Community Support: Provide a short narrative, articles, maps, community letters, or other documentation to demonstrate the community's need and support for the project. Please describe how this store will meet the community's needs by offering affordable, fresh foods

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Business Plan

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Should be Empty:

Application

1. Applicant Information

2. Business Information

3. Project Information

4. Financial Request Information

Grant Budget

Additional Sources and Uses

5. Timeline and Milestones

6. Short Answers

7. Additional Documents