NEW ORLEANS – Fresh Start Market, a grocery store and small-business accelerator in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, has received a $25,000 grant to expand business education, financial literacy training and mentorship for local entrepreneurs.
Developed and operated by Sankofa Community Development Corporation, the 1,600-square-foot market serves as both a neighborhood grocery store and a platform for local growers, fishers, small-scale food producers and other entrepreneurs to sell products, test business concepts and build customer relationships.
Sankofa describes Fresh Start Market as the Lower Ninth Ward’s only green grocery store. It sells produce and seafood sourced from local farmers and fishers, along with dairy products, beans, grains and other grocery staples.
Fresh Start Market – Expanding Entrepreneur Support
Fresh Start Market currently works consistently with 10 small businesses. With the new funding, the market aims to serve 15 to 20 entrepreneurs through its accelerator cohort while supporting the businesses of at least 15 additional entrepreneurs.
The grant will fund structured business support for participants, including financial literacy training, small-business education and ongoing mentorship aimed at helping entrepreneurs improve pricing, manage costs and develop sustainable revenue streams. The accelerator will also help participants navigate business registration, licensing and certification processes and connect them with additional resources and market opportunities.
The Grant Program
The grant is funded through The Hartford’s $2 million, multiyear partnership with Main Street America, a national organization focused on downtown and commercial district revitalization. The broader program will award grants to 15 Main Street communities through 2027 to support the launch, expansion and operation of new and existing small-business accelerator sites.
Fresh Start Market’s $25,000 award is one of three 2026 Operating Support Grants for established accelerator sites. The grants are intended to strengthen operations, expand community reach and increase the sites’ capacity to serve local entrepreneurs. Selected recipients can also apply for an additional $50,000 to distribute directly to entrepreneurs and small-business owners participating in their accelerator sites.
Recipients are selected through a competitive application process conducted in collaboration with Main Street America, which evaluates applications and manages and oversees funded projects.
The Hartford, which serves more than 1 million small businesses, said the accelerator program is intended to address barriers entrepreneurs face as they establish and grow their businesses.
“As a leading insurer of more than one million small businesses, The Hartford understands the vital role they serve in our communities, and we are proud to go beyond the policy to support their success,” said Chris Jones, head of Small Business at The Hartford. “Through our partnership with Main Street America, we are helping remove barriers to growth by expanding access to flexible, affordable accelerator spaces where entrepreneurs can build experience, reach new customers and contribute to downtown revitalization.”
