Financing, Technical Assistance, and Grants to Help DC Food Businesses Expand Economic Prosperity

Building a strong, local food ecosystem supports healthier neighborhoods, economic prosperity, and high-quality jobs in the District of Columbia, especially in communities that have experienced systematic underinvestment, poor health outcomes, and limited economic opportunities.

Launched in 2021, the Nourish DC Collaborative was created in partnership with the Government of the District of Columbia to support the development of a robust ecosystem of locally owned food businesses, neighborhood vibrancy, and health equity in DC communities, especially in neighborhoods underserved by grocery stores and other food businesses. Nourish DC provides flexible loans, technical assistance, and grants to emerging and existing food businesses in the District of Columbia, with a preference for businesses located in or owned by residents of areas that don’t have easy access to healthy food or grocery stores.

Nourish DC services support the entire food value chain and are available to a wide range of food businesses, including grocery stores, food incubators, corner stores, cooperative businesses, farmers markets, food delivery businesses, urban farms, food processors, food hubs, restaurants, and caterers.

Key Features of Nourish DC

Through Nourish DC, food business owners in the District can access technical assistance through these partner programs:

• Washington Area Community Investment Fund’s (Wacif’s) Ascend Capital Accelerator provides entrepreneurs the ability to accelerate business growth, access and obtain capital, and pursue government contracting opportunities.
• The Dreaming Out Loud (DOL) Ready for Entrepreneurship Accelerator Modules Program (DREAM Program) is a 16-week incubator program for low-resourced food entrepreneurs residing in Washington, DC.
• The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) Food Ventures Initiative is a bilingual program for entrepreneurs that offers training and useful connections to develop, test, and formalize a business idea in the food industry.
• Washington Area Community Investment Fund’s (Wacif’s) Ascend Capital Accelerator provides entrepreneurs the ability to accelerate business growth, access and obtain capital, and pursue government contracting opportunities.
• EatsPlace offers technical services such as business consulting, access to a commercial kitchen incubator, and pop-up lab space for farm and food businesses.
• CDC Small Business Finance: Small Business Advisory Services

Not sure which TA service is right for your business? We can help! Submit your inquiry via the Technical Assistance Inquiry Form.

Flexible Loans

The Nourish DC lending partners – Capital Impact Partners, CDC Small Business Finance (CDC), City First Enterprises (CFE), EatsPlace, the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), and Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) – are all local Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that collectively offer multiple loan products to meet the varied financing needs of food entrepreneurs of all different sizes. We know every project is different, and work with borrowers to match their unique needs with the right loan offering. Start-up and existing food businesses are eligible to apply.

Specific loan terms vary by loan size and purpose, but features include the following:
Uses	Working capital, lines of credit, equipment, vehicle acquisition, predevelopment, real estate acquisition, renovation, new construction, leasehold or tenant improvements, refinancing
Amount	Microloans as small as $500 to real estate secured loans as large as $10,000,000
Term	As short as 90 days for smaller loans and up to 10 years for larger loans
Interest Rate	Varies by lender and type of loan
Fees	1.25% to 3% of loan size
Payments	May include interest-only and/or principal and interest payments on varying amortization schedules
Amortization	Interest only, partial, and fully amortizing loans on amortization schedules up to 25 years
Guarantees	Varies; personal guarantees required for most loans

Ready to get started? Complete the Loan Inquiry Form to determine which loan product is right for your business.

Grants

The Keeping It Cool – Round 2 Grant Program will provide $425,000 in grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to support cold storage infrastructure and equipment needs of food businesses and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations providing food-related goods and services in the Washington, DC region. Eligible locations include Arlington, VA; Alexandria, VA; Fairfax County, VA; Montgomery County, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; and Washington, DC. Funding for this grant has been generously provided by The Morningstar Foundation.

Nourish DC & keeping It Cool Grants

In 2022, Nourish DC disbursed $400,000 in grants to nine food businesses in Wards 5, 7, and 8. In 2023, Nourish DC disbursed an additional $500,000 in grants to food businesses increasing access to healthy food and creating good quality jobs. Also in 2023, the Keeping It Cool – Round 1 Grant Program awarded $435,000 to twelve food enterprises to support cold storage equipment and infrastructure, which brings the total of Nourish DC and Keeping It Cool grant funds disbursed to $1.34 million in just two years.

Nourish DC Impact since September 2021

Nourish DC Collaborative Partners