FLINT, Mich. — Nearly four years after breaking ground, the North Flint Food Market (NFFM) remains unfinished, with project leaders citing a federal funding freeze as the latest setback.
“We’ve got the store built; we just need to cross the finish line,” said Reginald Flynn, Ph.D., chairman of the North Flint Reinvestment Corporation, the nonprofit developing the co-op on North Clio Road.
The project was awarded $650,000 in federal funds, but only $217,880 has been disbursed, according to USAspending.gov. The remaining funds have been delayed due to a temporary freeze on federal financial assistance announced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in January 2025. While court orders have since blocked the freeze, agencies continue to report challenges in accessing allocated funds.
To fill the financial gap, North Flint Market has applied for $1.6 million in grants from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as well as $300,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of Flint.
Skepticism and Delays
Beyond financial obstacles, the co-op has faced skepticism from both city officials and community members.
“When you talk about trying to build trust in a project, particularly as a food cooperative—where people buy into it and invest in it—you have this level of skepticism,” Flynn said.
Councilman Dennis Pfeiffer, during an April 3, 2024, finance committee meeting, raised concerns about the market’s ability to sustain itself.
“How does this sustain itself if you need funding and money to even start operating?” Pfeiffer said. “No offense, but we’ve been talking about this grocery store for two-plus years. I would like to see dollars from Mott … before we give dollars.”
Since council approval is required for allocating ARPA funds, skepticism from city leaders could further complicate funding efforts.
NFFM Timeline
The project broke ground in August 2021 but has faced multiple delays, including supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the pandemic hit, it created a global supply chain crisis. It took six months just to get a generator,” Flynn said. “Not only did it extend the period in which we could get our equipment ordered, but the cost of equipment and contractors doubled.”
Financial strain has also delayed three critical pre-opening tasks:
- Hiring a general manager
- Securing a wholesale supplier
- Establishing a permanent board of directors
Recently, National Co+op Grocers (NCG), a national support organization for food co-ops, visited the store on March 5, 2025, to assess how it might assist in the start-up process. Flint Beat has not yet received an update on the outcome of this visit.
Community Investment and Vision
Despite the setbacks, NFFM has drawn support from approximately 900 member-owners, with 62% full members and 38% partial members who have financially invested in the co-op.
As a food cooperative, the store’s shareholders will have a say in operations through voting rights. While NFFM won’t compete with big-box retailers like Walmart on price, Flynn emphasized its value in accessibility, nutrition, and community ownership.
“We’ve heard on many occasions how the Black dollar leaves the community much faster than any other dollar,” Flynn said. “We want to create a paradigm shift there.”
The project, estimated at $10 million, aims to open in 2025, despite ongoing challenges.
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