Business Programs
Through an economic lens, we expand healthy food access and strengthen local food economies, prioritizing under-resourced communities, farmers, and food businesses across the Los Angeles foodshed. Our business programs are deeply connected to our policy and coalition work, ensuring alignment with broader food systems change. We provide technical assistance, capacity building, and learning opportunities—including Cultivating Farmers events, Healthy Retail Bootcamp, and one-on-one support—to empower food businesses as key partners in food equity.
FOR FARMERS
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Cultivating Farmers
Cultivating Farmers is a key initiative in our effort to strengthen the regional foodshed by supporting underserved and beginning farmers in Los Angeles and neighboring counties. Rooted in findings from our Rooted Horizons report, which identified gaps and opportunities in urban agriculture, this program is shaped by insights from our extensive network of growers and advocates. Through technical assistance and tailored support, Cultivating Farmers prioritizes BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers, historically marginalized agricultural communities, and armed forces veterans, ensuring they have the resources to thrive in an equitable food system.
FOR FOOD BUSINESSES
HEALTHY MARKETS LA
A longstanding initiative with roots in our working groups, Healthy Markets LA (formerly Healthy Neighborhood Market Network) partners with neighborhood market and corner store owners to increase access to healthy food and provide support with business development. We focus our work in South L.A. and the Northeast San Fernando Valley where redlining and disinvestment have led to low access to fresh, whole foods and produce. Low-income communities in Los Angeles have on average three times as many corner stores as affluent neighborhoods, moreover, low-income communities only have half as many full-service grocery stores. Healthy Markets L.A. leverages the important role of small corner stores and provides material investments, Healthy Retail Bootcamp workshops, and one-on-one services to store owners resulting in increased healthy food and fresh produce inventory, store infrastructure improvements, and enhanced business operations.
Good Food Zones
The Good Food Zones Macro Grant Program (GFZ) is an initiative by the City of Los Angeles in partnership with Los Angeles Food Policy Council. The program aims to expand access to healthy foods in designated Good Food Zones within the City of Los Angeles while increasing economic opportunities and jobs for low-income residents. This initiative supports food-centered businesses in overcoming challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as supply chain disruptions and economic hardships, which have worsened food access in vulnerable neighborhoods. Funds are made available by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
We reside, work, and cultivate food
on unceded Indigenous homelands.
We acknowledge and honor the descendants of the Tongva, Kizh, and Gabrieleño peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands). We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
As part of a greater foodshed, we would also like to pay respect to and honor the Chumash, Tataviam, Serrano, Kitanemuk, ʔíviĨuqaletem, Acjachemen, Payómkawichum, and any other tribal group possibly not mentioned. As a Food Policy Council for Los Angeles we recognize this land acknowledgment is limited and engagement is an ongoing process of learning and accountability. To learn more about these First Nations, visit here.