Nourish DC Grant Awards $625,000 to Locally Owned DC Food Businesses

April 1, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) — Underlining Washington, DC’s vibrant culinary community, many food businesses struggle to participate on equal footing due to the lack of opportunities to access capital. In an effort to create opportunities for all, Mayor Bowser and the Nourish DC Collaborative announced a new round of grants, totaling $625,000. Additional funding for this grant was provided by The Morningstar Foundation and Prince Charitable Trusts. The grant will support 15 locally owned food businesses, focused in neighborhoods whose residents need greater access to grocery stores and other food businesses.

This year’s awardees are:

• Buna Talk Cafe – $43,650 – Ward 8
• Chef Girl R Chi (dba Eatopian Eats) – $50,000 – Wards 4 and 5
• DTR Enterprises (dba Dionne’s Good Food) – $50,000 – Ward 8
• Each Peach LLC (Each Peach Market) – $12,650 – Ward 1
• EightFold Farms DC LLC – $50,000 – Ward 8
• Elmira Market (dba DYD Trading, LLC) – $50,000 – Ward 8
• Flavas of the Culture – $43,737 – Ward 5
• Harmonious Kitchen LLC – $21,200 – Ward 4
• K & J Refinishing Company LLC (K & J Foods)- $50,000- Ward 8
• MelonNation LLC – $50,000 – Ward 8
• Sankofa Cafe LLC – $50,000 – Ward 1
• SDQ Side Dish Queen LLC – $14,647 – Ward 8
• Senbeb Cafe & Wellness Complex – $39,116 – Ward 4
• T Bone Steaks & Ribs n Sandwiches LLC (dba Colemans Kitchen) – $50,000 – Ward 7
• Top Mart Inc – $50,000 – Ward 8

The awardees represent a wide array of food sectors and include urban agriculture, grocery retail, corner stores, restaurants, caterers, food distribution businesses, food incubators, and growers. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $50,000 per business. Applicants were required to have a physical location in the District, with preference given to businesses that are locally owned, increase access to healthy food, create quality jobs, and are located in neighborhoods lacking access to grocery stores.

The Nourish DC Collaborative — created with support from the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) — is intended to help grow a robust ecosystem of locally owned food businesses across the District. Similarly, the program strives to promote economic opportunity, enabling locals to establish or grow their food-based businesses and create jobs those in the community. This investment continues Mayor Bowser’s effort to improve food access, create new employment opportunities, and stimulate economic development in the District.

“Capital Impact Partners is proud to continue partnering with the District and our Nourish DC Collaborative partners to provide catalytic funding to locally owned food businesses,” said Alison Powers, Director of Economic Opportunities at Capital Impact Partners. “These grants help entrepreneurs strengthen their operations, expand access to healthy food, and create lasting economic opportunity in communities with limited access to grocery and food businesses. .”

“Locally owned food businesses are essential to the strength and vibrancy of our neighborhoods,” said Deputy Mayor Nina Albert. “Through Nourish DC, we are investing in entrepreneurs who are expanding food access, creating jobs, and helping build a more equitable economy across the District.”

The grants were flexible in nature, allowing for the funds to be leveraged for a range of uses, including cold storage, tenant improvements, delivery vehicles, equipment, furniture and fixtures, marketing, staff development and training, and technology. Since the program was launched in 2021, Nourish DC has deployed more than $20 million in financing, $1.5 million in grants, and provided technical assistance to almost 1,500 food businesses in DC.

The Nourish DC Collaborative partners include Capital Impact Partners (CIP), lender and Collaborative administrator; Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF), lender and technical assistance provider; Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), lender and technical assistance provider; City First Enterprises (CFE), lender and technical assistance provider; Dreaming Out Loud, technical assistance provider; and EatsPlace, lender and technical assistance provider. Together, the collaborative provides flexible loans, technical assistance and grants to emerging and existing locally owned food businesses.

Nourish DC Grantees Reflect on Their Awards

EightFold Farms DC

“The Nourish DC Grant is catalytic for EightFold Farms DC. As Washington, DC’s first commercial urban mushroom farm, we’ve proven our model, now this funding allows us to scale it. The grant will help us strengthen our production infrastructure, expand our value-added product line, and invest in the marketing systems needed to grow our direct-to-consumer revenue. It also supports the continued expansion of our Farm to Table youth program, which is building the next generation of urban agriculture leaders. This investment is not just about growing mushrooms, it’s about growing local food access, economic opportunity, and community wealth in the District.” – Calvin Hines, Jr., Founder/CEO

Dionne’s Good Food and Bar (DTR Enterprises)

“The Nourish DC Grant is an investment in more than Dionne’s — it’s an investment in Ward 8. This funding allows us to strengthen our operations, sustain jobs, and continue serving quality, affordable food in the city we call home.” – Dionne Reeder, Co-owner 

Top Mart

“This funding is important because it helps us strengthen Top Mart as a reliable neighborhood grocer for Ward 8, where many customers shop on foot or by bus and need fresh, healthy options close to home. We will use the grant to expand cold capacity for produce and perishables, refresh the store with new flooring/ceiling and brighter LED lighting, add shelving to expand healthy choices, and upgrade our checkout with a modern POS and improved counter flow. We’ll also make key exterior improvements (front door and signage) to improve access and visibility. These upgrades will improve the customer experience, keep healthy items more consistently available, and support the long-term success of the business.” – Alemu Lendino, Owner

Overview of 2025 Nourish DC Grant Awardees

EightFold Farms DC LLC ($50,000) is Washington, D.C.’s first commercial urban mushroom farm, created to close food access gaps and promote healthy food systems in Ward 7 and 8. Grant funds will be used for equipment, marketing, and technology that will strengthen and scale its production and packaging operations, allowing the business to expand access to locally grown, nutrient-dense foods.

Chef Girl R Chi (dba Eatopian Eats) ($50,000) is a plant-forward food brand that provides catering, pop-ups, and a network of smart vending machines that make it easy to grab healthy, affordable meals on the go. Grant funds will be used to purchase additional vending machines as well as strengthen production capacity through new equipment and workforce training.

Top Mart Inc ($50,000) is a neighborhood market that provides healthy, affordable, and culturally familiar food to a part of Ward 8 with limited grocery options. Grant funds will be used for infrastructure upgrades and expanded refrigeration, which will enhance the shopping experience and expand access to healthy food.

Elmira Market (dba DYD Trading, LLC) ($50,000) is a second-generation-owned corner store that partners with DC Central Kitchen Healthy Corners Program to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to its customers. Grant funds will be used to build out a full kitchen that will serve SNAP-eligible hot food and prepared meals.

Buna Talk Cafe, LLC ($43,650), located in St. Elizabeths Hospital, aims to increase food access and promote healthy food systems in Ward 8 by offering freshly prepared, nutritious meals that celebrate both local and global culinary traditions. Grant funds will be used to purchase a delivery vehicle to expand outreach to residents, hospitals, and community organizations that lack access to fresh, nutritious meals.

Harmonious Kitchen LLC ($21,200) is a Japanese catering company that makes authentic Japanese wellness accessible through both ready-made meals and specialty ingredients and is expanding into commercial packaged goods. The grant will enable the business to scale from a catering-focused operation to comprehensive CPG retail distribution through funding production supplies and technology systems upgrades.

T Bone Steaks & Ribs n Sandwiches LLC (dba Colemans Kitchen) ($50,000) is a caterer and food truck that accepts SNAP and provides healthy food options to Ward 7 residents. The grant will be used to purchase equipment to build out a new location in Ward 7, which will expand healthy food options and create additional jobs.

MelonNation LLC ($50,000) delivers produce to DC residents and also runs a membership-based program that supports food access and community engagement. The grant funds will support the purchase of a delivery vehicle that will provide fresh, healthy, and locally sourced produce directly to Wards 7 and 8.

Senbeb Cafe & Wellness Complex ($39,116) is a cafe and grocery store that aims to increase access to affordable, nutritious, and organic food while providing essential wellness education to the community. The grant will primarily be used to purchase new, energy efficient refrigeration units that will significantly expand the selection of fresh produce.

Flavas of the Culture ($43,737) is a catering and culinary enterprise that celebrates the rich traditions of African American cuisine while increasing access to fresh, healthy food. The majority of the grant funds will be used to purchase a food truck so the business can increase delivery of fresh, affordable meals to Wards 5, 7, and 8.

DTR Enterprises (dba Dionne’s Good Food) ($50,000) is a family-owned restaurant that hosts community events and provides mentorship and employment opportunities for DC residents. The majority of the funding will be used to purchase a food trailer, allowing Dionne’s to participate in community events, festivals, and pop-ups.

SDQ Side Dish Queen LLC ($14,647) is a culinary business offering personal chef services, meal prep delivery, and catering that specializes in nutritious meals using ingredients sourced from local farms. The grant will support equipment, marketing, and staff training to launch a new line of fermented consumer packaged goods that will diversify and grow the business.

Sankofa Cafe LLC ($50,000) is a community-centered café located near Howard University that blends fresh, nourishing meals with a cultural mission rooted in the African diaspora. The grant funding will be used to fund critical infrastructure improvements that will improve the customer experience and expand access to healthy, nutritious food.

Each Peach LLC (Each Peach Market) ($12,650) is a small-format, full-scale grocery store in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood that sells specialty foods, produce, and prepared foods. In addition to marketing, the grant funds will be used to purchase cold storage equipment to increase the amount of produce and fresh products sold in the store.

K & J Refinishing Company LLC (K & J Foods) ($50,000) delivers seasonal fruit and vegetables from local farms with a focus on Ward 8. The grant funding will be used to purchase a delivery vehicle and a point-of-sale system to accept SNAP/EBT and WIC at mobile stops.