This project will examine strategies for implementing farmers’ markets in low-income communities, as well as barriers that need to be addressed to improve the viability of markets in these areas. This research will combine case study analysis and examination of a wide array of existing data collected by Project for Public Spaces (PPS) grantees, each of whom have implemented a variety of strategies to enhance the sustainability and community impact of the market. Specifically, this study seeks to address the following research questions: (1) what strategies are most effective in developing financially sustainable farmers’ markets in low- to moderate-income communities?, (2) what characteristics are most effective in attracting low-income and minority community shoppers to these markets?, and (3) how does youth-oriented farmers’ market programming affect orientation to healthy eating among children and families?
Start Date: September 2008
ID #: 65049
Principal Investigator: Stephen Davies, MArch
Co-Principal Investigator: Kathryn Neckerman, PhD
Organization: Project for Public Spaces
Funding Round: Round 3
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: Community setting, Farmers' markets, Fruits and vegetables, Urban
States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin
Focus Area: Food Access
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
Related Research
April 2026
Policy Priorities and Research Needs for Advancing Healthy Eating: A 2026-2027 Research Agenda for U.S. Children and Adolescents
Given recent changes to nutrition policies and programs and the food environment landscape, the need for new evidence on how these changes impact nutrition, health, and food access is greater than ever. HER has also published a research agenda intended to provide a blueprint for immediate (i.e., 12-18 month) research needs to inform strategies to MoreNovember 2025
The implications of banning synthetic food dyes on the food purchase quality of families with children
This study examines how removing synthetic dyes from the food supply impacts the nutritional quality of grocery purchases among families with children, focusing on the 7 dyes targeted by FDA for phase-out by the end of 2026 (some of which are required (i.e., red dye #3), while the removal of others are voluntary). Aim 1 MoreNovember 2025