(1) To the extent funds are available, the Mississippi Development Authority, in cooperation with public and private sector partners, is authorized to establish a program modeled on comparable initiatives throughout the nation that provides grants and loans and/or promotes access to healthy food retailers that increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, in natural and/or frozen form, and other affordable healthy food in underserved communities.

(2) The agency may contract with one or more qualified nonprofit organizations or community development financial institutions to administer the program described in this article through a public-private partnership, to raise matching funds, market the program statewide, evaluate applicants, make award decisions, underwrite loans and monitor compliance and impact. The agency and its partners shall coordinate with complementary nutrition assistance and education programs.

(3) Any funding provided under the program shall be provided on a competitive, one-time basis as appropriate for the eligible project. No state funds shall be directly provided as a source of funding for any food retailer under this program, but may be used by the agency for its administrative duties in carrying out the provisions of this article.

(4)

(a) The program may provide technical assistance and/or funding for projects such as:

(i) New construction of healthy food retailers.

(ii) Store renovations, expansion and infrastructure upgrades that improve the availability and quality of fresh produce.

(iii) Farmers’ markets and public markets, food cooperatives, mobile markets and delivery projects and distribution projects that enable food retailers in underserved communities to regularly obtain fresh produce.

(iv) Other projects that create or improve healthy food retail outlets that meet the intent of this article as determined by the agency.

(b) Funding made available for projects included in paragraph (a) of this subsection may be used for the following purposes:

(i) Site acquisition and preparation.

(ii) Construction costs.

(iii) Equipment and furnishings.

(iv) Workforce training.

(v) Security.

(vi) Certain predevelopment costs such as market studies and appraisals.

(vii) Working capital for initial inventory and costs.

(5) An applicant for funding may include, but not be limited to, a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation or cooperative.

(6) In order to be considered for funding, an applicant shall meet the following eligibility criteria:

(a) The project for which the applicant seeks funding shall benefit an underserved community.

(b) The applicant shall demonstrate a meaningful commitment to sell fresh fruits and vegetables, in natural and/or frozen form, according to a measurable standard established by the agency.

(c) The applicant shall not locate the project in an area where it would be directly competing against an existing food retailer.

(7) Applicants shall be evaluated on the following financial criteria in order to determine the funding awarded:

(a) Demonstrated capacity to successfully implement the project, including the applicant’s relevant experience and the likelihood that the project will be economically self-sustaining.

(b) The ability of the applicant to repay debt.

(c) The degree to which the project requires an investment of public funding to move forward, create impact or be competitive, and the level of need in the area to be served. Additional factors that will improve or preserve retail access for low-income residents, such as proximity to public transit lines, also may be taken into account.

(d) The degree to which the project will promote sales of fresh produce, particularly Mississippi-grown fruits and vegetables.

(e) The degree to which the project will have a positive economic impact on the underserved community, including, creating or retaining jobs for local residents.

(f) Other criteria that the agency determines to be consistent with the purposes of this article.

(8) The agency shall establish program benchmarks and reporting processes to make certain that the program benefits the communities in the program area. The agency shall likewise establish monitoring and accountability mechanisms for projects receiving grants or loans, such as tracking fruit and vegetable sales data.

(9) The agency shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislature on any projects funded and outcome data.

(10) The agency shall establish rules for the implementation of this article.