The City of Madison is providing $300,000 for financial assistance to incentivize the establishment of a full-service, affordable grocery store in the Allied Drive neighborhood. The City is seeking proposals from developers, property owners, and/or grocery store operators that will seek the funding in the form of a low-interest and/or partially forgivable loan.

"Adequate access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food is an issue for many Madisonians," said Mayor Paul Soglin. "I hope that the availability of these funds will both deliver a grocery store to Allied Drive and be instructive for future investments in food access across the entire city."

Historically, the Allied Drive/Dunn’s Marsh neighborhood has overcome many challenges related to food access. Despite alternative interventions, and a few grocery stores over the years, nothing has maintained long-term success. The City of Madison believes this process, including the already approved $15,000 of emergency funds for interim transportation, is much improved from previous attempts because of the engagement with the neighborhood throughout this process.

"The high level of engagement by residents in the neighborhood, since the closing of the Walgreens, has been exemplary," said 10th District Alder Maurice Cheeks. "This request for an affordable grocery store is informed by many residents who will eagerly support a store that is contributing to the positive momentum of the community."

The City of Madison strongly believes that a full-service affordable grocery is financially viable in this area. The City of Madison’s goal is to reinvest repayments made on the loan in other neighborhoods within the City of Madison experiencing food access issues. This will be done through the Healthy Food Retail Project, as approved in the 2015 Capital Budget.

The letter of intent to apply is due on May 15, 2015 and final proposals are due June 15, 2015. Proposals for the funds will be reviewed by City staff, the Madison Food Policy Council and Economic Development Committee and approved by the Madison Common Council.

For more information on the Allied Drive/Verona Road Grocery RFP please click here.