If you’ve been part of the independent grocery industry for any length of time, you already know the impact of the NGA Foundation, even if you’ve never called it by name. For more than three decades, we’ve been quietly working alongside independent grocers to help them grow, develop their people, and hold onto what they’ve built for generations to come.

The NGA Foundation is the home for student scholarships, Women Grocers of America, leadership development, and the Grocer Solutions Center. 

This year, we asked ourselves: What does the industry need from us next?

Those answers are the foundation of our new strategic plan, shaped by input from NGA’s Board of Directors, our Board of Regents, and grocers like you. Guided by our vision to be a trusted catalyst for a thriving independent grocery industry, and our mission to cultivate talent, ignite innovation, and preserve independence across generations, it’s built around four commitments:

  • Cultivate Talent.
    Finding and keeping great people is one of independent grocers’ biggest challenges today. We’re building real pathways into the industry — building a leadership pipeline, training frontline workers, developing staff, and continuing to invest in female leadership through the Women Grocers of America. 
  • Operational Excellence.
    Running a competitive, sustainable operation takes more than good instincts; it takes the right tools. Our Grocer Solutions Center offers free, expert guidance on federal food access programs like SNAP Online and GusNIP, and helping grocers raise funds to expand food access through America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
  • Preserve Independence.
    Succession is one of the most important — and least talked about — challenges facing independent grocers. Whether you’re thinking about passing your business to family, to employees, or finding another path, we’re building a succession planning framework to help you navigate it on your own terms.
  • Amplify Impact.
    We want to make sure we’re doing the most for our industry. That means reaching more of you, being easier to find, and strengthening the connection between our work and the value you get from being part of NGA.

I hope that, as you continue to get to know us, you’ll reach out, whether you’re navigating an operational question, need support in developing your workforce, planning for a future without a roadmap, or want to help impact the industry’s future. 

This plan was built with your challenges in mind — workforce, operations, succession, innovation. Whatever you’re facing, the Foundation is here to help.

Warmly, 

Chelsea Matzen
Vice President, NGA Foundation