CLOSED: Applications Now Being Accepted for the Montgomery County Resident & Community Food Production Gardening Grant Program

UPDATE as of 11/2: Application cycle is now closed. Grantees will be notified by November 11th.

Applications are being accepted now through October 29th for Montgomery County’s Resident and Community Food Production Gardening Grant Program. $160,000 in grants will be awarded to Montgomery County based organizations that increase resident access to yard, patio, and community gardening supplies, space, and education. 501(c)(3) organizations or collaboratives/community groups with nonprofit partners serving as project fiscal agents are eligible to apply.

All applications will be completed through an online Google form, which is available in English and Spanish. The links to both applications are below. If you cannot complete this application online or require the application be provided in a language other than English or Spanish, please contact mcressall@mocofoodcouncil.org to coordinate.

An information session via Zoom was held for interested applicants on Friday, October 16th. To review the presentation slides and Q&A from that information session, please click here.

Timeline:

Grant Description:

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the stability of the local food supply chain, and food insecurity has risen dramatically. In an effort to coordinate a strategic response to these conditions, Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Food Security Response Strategy prioritizes investments in systems, programs, and partnerships that build our local food system resiliency for the long-term.

Community and home gardening promotes food sovereignty, healthy living, civic engagement, and racial and social justice by creating opportunities for residents to create their own food sources, thereby reducing barriers to affordable and culturally-appropriate food access.  Community gardens are an effective way for residents who have been historically and disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and poor health outcomes to grow their own fresh, local, and nutritious food. Community garden programs can also build community advocacy capacity for healthy food, connect neighbors around sharing resources and tips on gardening at home, and provide social and emotional benefits. Through this program, Montgomery County is granting up to $160,000 in funding to initiatives that will expand local food production through home and community farming and gardening.

Eligible Montgomery County 501(c)(3) organizations, or collaboratives/community groups with nonprofit partners serving as project fiscal agents, can apply for up to $25,000 to increase organizational capacity to provide resident access to yard, patio, and community gardening supplies, space, and education. Priority for funding will focus on projects that:

Please find information on culturally appropriate foods in the following two reports:
Culturally Appropriate Food Access Survey Results (2019)
Culturally Appropriate Food Access in Montgomery County Gap Analysis and Action Plan Report

A panel of local community, food security, and gardening stakeholders will review the applications and determine grant awards based on the following criteria:

Eligible costs under this grant program include, but are not limited to: supplies, equipment, infrastructure expenditures, staffing costs, permitting costs, and educational materials. Please contact Massa Cressall at mcressall@mocofoodcouncil.org with any questions.

Grant awards are funded through County General Funds and Federal CARES Act funding that was appropriated by the Montgomery County Executive and Montgomery County Council to address local food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food for Montgomery, a public-private initiative working to address the alarming spike in food insecurity due to COVID-19, will provide more food to more people while also helping Montgomery County recover the pandemic.

This grant opportunity is a partnership between the Montgomery County Food Security Task Force, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and the Montgomery County Food Council. For the latest COVID-19 updates, please visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

Upcoming Events

feb 2-april 6

Beginning Farmer Training Course

10-week course, meeting every Thursday evening from 7:00pm-8:30pm from February 2 through April 6, 2023.

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Mar 28-29

Montgomery County Energy Summit

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Mar 29

Montgomery County Food Council Happy Hour

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April 10 - 15

Food Waste Prevention Week

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Apr 11

Food Waste Prevention Week: Food Safety Training (consumer perspective)

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Apr 20

Increased Local Food Procurement Policy Priority Working Group, 10 -11:30am

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Apr 26

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Apr 26

Equitable Land Access Equitable Land Access April Site Visit at CHEER Garden

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Apr 27

Gardening Subcommittee

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May 2

Equitable Land Access Working Group Meeting

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May 8

Food Security Community Call

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May 15

Recovered Food Safety Training (Provider perspective)

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May 24

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Jun 12

Food Security Community Call

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Jun 15

Increased Local Food Procurement Policy Priority Working Group

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Jun 22

Gardening Subcommittee

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Jun 28

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Jul 10

Food Security Community Call

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Jul 11

Equitable Land Access Working Group Meeting

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Jul 26

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Aug 14

Food Security Community Call

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Aug 17

Increased Local Food Procurement

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Aug 23

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Aug 24

Gardening Subcommittee Meeting

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Sep 5

Equitable Land Access Working Group Meeting

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Sep 11

Food Security Community Call

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Sep 27

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Oct 10

Food Security Community Call

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Oct 19

Increased Local Food Procurement

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Oct 25

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Oct 26

Gardening Subcommittee

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Nov 13

Food Security Community Call

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Nov 22

Food System Advocacy Community Call

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Dec 11

Food Security Community Call

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