The Community Food Consortium is a network of Small Food Retailers and Colorado Producers, working to address distribution and cost challenges in low income, low access areas of the state.

The mission of the Community Food Consortium is to work to ensure small, independent, community-focused food retailers and farmers can succeed and better serve low income and underserved areas of the state by expanding access to healthy foods at affordable prices. 

What does Consortium Membership Involve?

Quarterly Meetings: the Consortium will meet over zoom once per quarter. Dates and times will be posted here and sent out through the newsletter.

Tax Credits: Retailer Consortium members are eligible to receive tax credits for distribution fees they incur when they order healthy foods to sell at their store.

Exclusive Benefits from Food Hubs: three food hubs are offering exclusive benefits to retailer members of the Consortium in their service area. These benefits differ across the state, but represent significant discounts on Colorado grown products. Learn more when you become a member!

Email Newsletter: Newsletters will announce other statewide and regional opportunities specifically relevant to small food retailers, including financing and funding opportunities, technical assistance, and more. 

Asset Mapping: The Consortium will work strategically to address other distribution and operational challenges small food retailers face.

Join the Consortium

Consortium membership is open only to Small Food Retailers and Colorado owned and operated farms. 

Consortium Membership Application

Solicitud de Membresía del Consorcio

Please note: Supporting documentation should be submitted on box.com. 

Combining all the required documentation into a single zip file or packet is strongly encouraged. Documents must be titled with the legal business name of the applicant. Unlabeled documents will not be accepted.

Small Food Retailers

Retail stores should submit:

1. Current Retail Food Permit 
2. Documentation proving the square footage of your retail space. This can include lease agreements or deeds. Please highlight or circle the square footage. If store owners do not own documentation proving square footage, an attestation will be required. Email cda_cfa@state.co.us for a copy of this attestation.
3. Documentation proving recent purchase of at least three types of staple foods. This can include purchase orders, invoices, or delivery receipts. Examples of foods from three different categories should be highlighted, circled, or noted in some way.

Farm direct operations and farmers’ markets should submit:

1. Documentation proving SNAP or WIC authorization, or copy of SNAP or WIC application. Please redact your FNS number.

Colorado Owned and Operated Farms

1. Letter of Support from every retailer serving a LILA community you cite in your application, expressing:

• The need for increased healthy foods
• Your business as a viable supplier of these products 
• The length of your business relationship and the number of deliveries received from your farm each year