Rockford looks to tap into state grant program to lure grocers to local food deserts

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — City officials say they will try to tap into a new statewide grant program designed to incentivize grocers to build new stores in food deserts.

The program, announced earlier this week by Gov. JB Pritzker, sets aside $20 million to spur the establishment of new grocery stores in U.S. Department of Agriculture defined food deserts.

“We know that we have some areas that either are food desserts or, if they’re not technically food desserts, they lack additional consumer choice,” City Administrator Todd Cagnoni said. “We want to provide as much consumer choice as we can to our constituents.”

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Cagnoni said the city had contacted all the local grocery stores about a previous grant opportunity that allowed for grocery expansion, but there wasn’t enough capital available to entice one of them to participate. He hopes this new grant opportunity can change that. He said they’ll be working through the details of the funding and reaching out to both grocers with stores in town and those that would be new to the market.

The state defines food deserts as locations lacking fresh fruit, vegetables or other healthful whole foods due to absence of nearby grocery stores, farmers markets or other healthy food providers.

According to the state’s annual food dessert report, there are both urban and rural areas of Winnebago and Boone counties lacking nearby grocery options. In Rockford, they’re primarily on the south side and west side of the city. There are 11 low-income census tracks in Winnebago County where a significant number of residents live more than a mile from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles in rural areas, according to the report.

“One in four Illinoisans live in a food desert, many crossing county or even state lines to reach the nearest grocery store,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a statement earlier this week. “Incentivizing local, independent grocers is a way to help eliminate food deserts, and that is a win-win for everyone.”

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The state program can provide grants between $160,000 and $2.4 million, with a one-third match required from the business.

Grocery stores would be required to be located in a food desert, accept SNAP and WIC, earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales, and contribute to the diversity of fresh foods available in the community.

Qualified entities include local government bodies and independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations.

“This is a first-of-its-kind state government investment — and it will have a significant impact on under-served rural towns and urban neighborhoods dealing firsthand with the struggles of food access,” Pritzker said in a statement.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas