Colorado Fresh Food Financing Fund gains financial momentum

The Colorado Fresh Food Financing Fund(CO4F), a public-private partnership fund designed to increase access to fresh food in Colorado’s underserved communities, has received additional funding, including $1 million from Kaiser Permanente, $1 million from The Piton Foundation and $300,000 from The Colorado Trust. This fund offers a customizable loan-fund structure to better meet the needs of Colorado.

Launched in 2013 with $7.1 million in seed funding from the Colorado Health Foundation, CO4F makes financing available for grocers that offer affordable and nutritious foods in areas where such goods are scarce. The statewide fund is the first of its kind in Colorado and was developed in response to recommendations from theDenver Food Access Task Force. CO4F aims to remove financial barriers from the construction, expansion and renovation of grocery stores in underserved areas and is designed to:

• Improve retail access to fresh and healthy foods in Colorado
• Encourage economic development in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods
• Provide attainable financing to food retail outlets that will promote better food access
• Partner with local governments when possible to enhance the benefits and success
• Develop a Colorado model based upon national best practices

To learn more, go to the Colorado Health Foundation.