A Strategic Assessment of the Illinois Fresh Food Fund: Working Towards An Ideal National Initiative

A Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) has been proposed at the federal level to increase access to healthy food, reduce health inequities, increase employment opportunities, and stimulate local economic development. A strategic analysis of the state level initiative in Illinois provides useful lessons for policy makers, public health agencies and sustainable food system advocates who seek a successful HFFI policy implementation across the US. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a broad range of Illinois stakeholders to prepare a strategic analysis of the current state of healthy food financing policy in Illinois. A SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) format was used to guide the interviews. The Illinois Food Marketing Task Force was convened to build on and replicate the success in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. The Task Force issued a report and succeeded in winning approval of ten million dollars of state funds as seed money. However, obstacles including large state budget deficits have prevented allocation of funds. In addition Illinois stakeholders supporting the Illinois initiative are divided on key questions. Will small retail food outlets be supported, or will large supermarkets be favored exclusively? Will innovation be encouraged? Will grants be available to entrepreneurs who may be ineligible for loans? Will community needs, characteristics, and aspirations be valued? Will a sustainable systems criteria be embraced? Creation of sustainable food systems is supported by the APHA, AMA, and APA, based on evidence that a systems perspective is effective in solving complex problems.