The Fair Food Network has released the 2020 impact reports on its Fair Food Fund and Double Up Food Bucks programs, offering a glimpse into how these programs adapted and supported communities and businesses in Michigan and around the country amid growing food insecurity. 

The Fair Food Network’s Double Up Food Bucks Program, which was facilitated by the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL), and supported by over 25 CMF members, provides $1 to $1 matches on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dollars to give recipients better access to healthy, fresh produce at farmers markets and grocery stores in Michigan and around the U.S.

The Fair Food Fund, also supported by CMF members, utilizes impact investing to support food entrepreneurs and “presents an opportunity for investors to catalyze change at the entrepreneur, community and system levels.” 

The Fair Food Network administers both programs. 

In 2015, Fair Food Network helped launch a first-of-its-kind statewide healthy food financing initiative in Michigan, the Michigan Good Food Fund which has collectively deployed $17 million in loans and grants supporting 300+ enterprises. 

According to the Fair Food Network, nearly 1 in 4 households experienced food insecurity in 2020.

Key takeaways from the Double Up Impact 2020 report:

•    In Michigan, Double Up use doubled from $2.4 million in 2019 to $4.9 million in spending in 2020.

•    Double Up reached an estimated 200,000 Michigan households in 2020.

•    In total, Double Up impacted 882,726 individuals and 4,708 farmers.

•    In April 2020 alone, the Michigan Double Up website saw a 3,500% increase in unique visitors compared to the same period in 2019.

•    Nationally, Double Up shoppers redeemed a total of $11.74 million on healthy food, a 98.9% increase from 2019.

•    Double Up partners around the country spent 60.4% of program budgets on incentives.

•    Double Up partners expanded programming around the country. In New Mexico, expansion led to 17 new grocery sites mostly in rural areas. 

The Fair Food Fund Impact 2020 report highlights four investments in businesses across Michigan and the Northeastern United States as well as examples of their business assistance training.

Some highlights from the report include:

•    Five Detroit-based businesses participated in multi-week training through the fund’s Food Finance Essential training that works to grow financial knowledge and provides free accounting services.

•    Through the Michigan Good Food Fund, the fund brought 13 early-stage grocers together for a three-day virtual training to learn how to elevate local food in the grocery setting.

•    The fund provided a black woman-owned Detroit-based café, Cooking with Que, with “pre-financing brand accelerator and post-financing customized support focusing on financial operations and marketing” which resulted in four new employees and a 75% increase in sales in 2020. 

•    A Black-owned business in Grand Rapids, Forty Acres Soul Kitchen, received business assistance and a loan which helped the business pivot to provide delivery and curbside pickup in addition to expanding its catering operations amid the pandemic. 

Both programs have a vision for 2021 to continue supporting communities and businesses. 

According to the Double Up report, partners plan to add 285 new sites including an additional 201 farm direct and 84 grocery and corner store sites.

The Fair Food Fund plans to continue their partnerships and begin a new partnership with Black Farmer Fund, a community-governed investment fund that connects Black farmers and food business entrepreneurs in New York state to non-extractive capital.

Want more?

Read the full Double Up Impact 2020 report. 

Read the full Fair Food Fund Impact 2020 report. 

The Fair Food Network is supported by several CMF members including the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Wege Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation as well as our partners at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.