2026 Predevelopment Technical Assistance Grant Recipients
In 2025, the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative (KHFI) began offering predevelopment technical assistance grants to organizations and businesses that are planning projects to expand healthy food access at the retail level. In the first year of the program, KHFI awarded 9 projects a total of $262,831 through two rounds of funding. KHFI is excited to announce the recipients of predevelopment TA grants during the Spring 2026 round of funding. In this most recent award cycle, a total of $180,778 was awarded to five projects.
Learn more about the Round 3 grant recipients and their projects below:
- Grass Roots Institute (Atwood): The Grass Roots Institute seeks to expand its role as a Healthy Food Access Hub that aggregates locally grown and wholesale food products for distribution to small retail and institutional buyers, while also launching a SNAP-eligible retail component within our existing facility. Their goal is to strengthen local food supply chains, improve access to healthy food in an underserved rural area, and create a scalable model that supports both producers and community consumers. The proposed hub would supply local institutions such as childcare centers and the community grocery store with appropriately sized wholesale orders and make excess or seasonal products available for direct retail purchase within the Institute.
- Kanbe’s Markets (Wichita): Over the past year, Kanbe's Markets has explored expanding their food access model to Wichita. The 2026 Food System Shared Vision draft identifies "getting nutritious food to people where they are by increasing ways to deliver good food effectively at low or no cost" as a key priority—directly aligned with their expertise in perishable logistics and corner store partnerships. Wichita State University's foundational work on healthy corner stores, combined with efforts by the City of Wichita and the Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita, has created fertile ground for expansion. However, critical questions remain about supply chain logistics, partner store readiness, and sustainable operational models in this new market. Grant funds will support a part-time contracted position in Wichita to conduct feasibility assessments, stakeholder engagement, and market analysis, and Kanbe’s Market staff-time to manage.
- Sheridan County Community Foundation (Northwest Kansas): Rooted + Cultivated – Western Prairie Healthy Food Pathways is a regional initiative designed to strengthen healthy food access and retail-aligned agricultural capacity across nine Northwest Kansas counties. The long-term goal is to launch a structured grocery-centered pilot aligning regional producers with a SNAP-accepting rural retailer, creating a repeatable model for expanding locally grown food within rural grocery environments. Since late October 2025, preliminary work has focused on high-level research and statewide engagement, reviewing comparable models and consulting with Kansas-based partners. This early exploration confirmed the need for disciplined planning, financial feasibility analysis, and stakeholder alignment. Grant funds will support nine-county asset mapping, listening sessions, retailer planning workshops, financial modeling, and development of standardized participation templates and marketing frameworks. The primary deliverable will be a comprehensive Western Prairie Healthy Food Pathways Playbook, positioning the region for long-term healthy food system development and scalable expansion beginning in 2027.
- Stafford County Economic Development, Inc. (Macksville): Stafford County Economic Development (SCED) will use grant funds to support feasibility, planning, and design for a proposed hybrid/unmanned grocery store in Macksville, Kansas. The project will explore a proven grocery model designed to improve healthy food access in a very small rural community. To date, SCED has conducted preliminary community engagement, assessed local food access gaps, and identified a technical assistance provider. Grant funds will support site evaluation, market analysis, conceptual store design, site survey work, business model development, operator training, site visits, and a prospective owner engagement session to prepare the project for future financing and implementation.
- United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties (Hesston): United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties, in partnership with the Healthy Harvey Coalition, Hesston Chamber of Commerce, Hesston Farmers Market, and with support from the Harvey County Food & Farm Council, is exploring development of a community-based healthy food retail storefront in Hesston. The project aims to expand access to fresh, affordable food, create a reliable sales outlet for local/regional growers, and build a sustainable model for year-round healthy food access. Work to date includes partner conversations, early concept development, and identification of a technical assistance partner to guide feasibility and business planning. Grant funds will be used for planning and predevelopment activities, including feasibility analysis, market research, stakeholder engagement, operational model development, startup cost and financial projections, and a final implementation roadmap. This work will prepare the partnership for storefront launch and growth.
The next round of funding for this program will be offered in the fall of 2026. Learn more about the 2026 grant program guidelines here. KHFI Predevelopment Technical Assistance Grants are part of a grant awarded to the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative by the National Healthy Food Financing Initiative administered by The Reinvestment Fund.