Incentives for Change

Across the country, public health advocates are partnering with small food retailers to improve the quality, quantity, and affordability of produce and other healthy items.

Healthy food retail advocates often consider incentives to reward small business innovation, offset financial costs associated with store upgrades, and lay the foundation for expanding healthy food retailer initiatives through citywide policy. Although some initiatives offer direct financial rewards to small food retailers, there are many non-financial incentives available through the public sector, private foundations, and other sources. Many of these efforts also look to reduce unhealthy influences in communities that are saturated with alcohol, tobacco, and junk food.

ChangeLab Solutions developed Incentives for Change to provide an overview of how local communities can reward small food retailers and suggest ideas for funding sources and partnerships to implement incentive programs locally.