Contact Info:

Erin Ortigoza & Jayme Chester (EDD)
Julie Cranston (VMC)

Email: hfff@edd.nm.gov
Phone: 505-819-8914 (Please leave a voicemail and someone will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.)

Mailing address:
P.O Box 20003
Santa Fe, NM 87504-5003

Healthy Food Financing Fund (HFFF)

The New Mexico Healthy Food Financing Fund supports the intersection of economic development in New Mexico’s food/agricultural supply chain with increased food security for New Mexicans. HFFF is accepting applications to invest in food retailers, food processors, food hubs/distributors, and climate- smart pre-production projects.

Project Priority Areas for Value Chain Investment:

Increases access to food for historically under-resourced communities.
Addresses workforce development challenges through the creation and retention of jobs in the food and agricultural supply chain.
Strengthens and diversifies in-state market channel access for small and mid-scale food and agricultural operations.
Advances food safe storage/aggregation, distribution, and transportation in regional food supply chain networks.
Supports the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices.

Eligible Entities:

Political subdivisions of the state
Indian nations, Tribes, and pueblos
For-profit business enterprises (including a corporation, limited liability company, sole proprietor, public benefit corporation, social enterprise)
Cooperatively owned businesses
Tax-exempt nonprofit corporations
Small farmers/ranchers with gross cash farm income under $250,000 are eligible. Please note that eligible production applicants must be NM Grown Approved Suppliers or in the process of obtaining this certification.

Project Categories:

Food Retail (e.g. grocery stores, co-operatives, mobile grocery projects, farmers’ markets)
Processing/Value-added Products (staple foods: meat, fruit, vegetables, dairy, grain, etc.)
Aggregation/Distribution/Transportation (e.g. food hubs, cold/dry storage)
New Mexico Grown Production (e.g. farmers, ranchers, co-operatives, nonprofit production, hydroponic/aquaponic)
Climate- Smart Pre-Production (e.g. regenerative soil inputs, such as compost, biochar, or microbial inoculants, specifically designed to rebuild soil organic matter, increase carbon sequestration, and improve water retention, innovative water irrigation systems, solar systems, etc.)

FY26 HFFF Grant Timeline:

Application Opens: October 15, 2025, at 9 AM MT
FY26 Grant Program Webinar: October 16, 2025, at 11 AM MT
Application Closes: November 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM MT
Funds Awarded by: Mid-February 2026
Funds to be Used by: December 2026

Eligible Costs:

Predevelopment: business plans, market analysis, site plans, architectural/engineering designs, feasibility study, etc.
Brick and mortar facility development: construction, renovations, property improvements
Capital needs (e.g. equipment, supplies, furnishings, tech)
Other costs may be incorporated into proposals for marketing, website, business process upgrades, training/certifications
Research & Development (for climate-smart pre-production ONLY)

Ineligible Costs:

Staffing, labor, payroll costs
Real estate transactions, land acquisitions
Non-durable goods
Charitable food projects, including food banks and food pantries
Exclusively experiential, demonstration or educational projects
Restaurants that are primarily focused on the sale of prepared, hot foods in a restaurant or takeaway setting to consumers
Entities wishing to lend or regrant the award funds are NOT eligible to apply

Finance Development

Healthy Food Financing Fund (HFFF)

CONTACT US

505-827-0300