Grant Opportunities for Food Assistance & Non-profit Partners
- Matching Local Food Grant (MLFG) – Would you like to double the amount of money you are able to spend at local farms and producers? MAFRAC is graciously funding this innovative grant. How it works: Your hunger relief organization must be located in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. Apply for a grant of a monetary amount that your organization is committed to matching 1:1 with your own funding. Applications may be reviewed by a grant committee of MAFRAC stakeholders. Committee members or MAFRAC team members may reach out with additional questions or clarifications on your application.To learn more, click here. October 31, 2024 – Grant Application window closes.
- The USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program released its annual Request for Applications (RFA). $4.8 million is available for projects that build community food self-reliance and address food insecurity. Grants may range in amount from $25,000 to $50,000 for planning grants, and $125,000 to $400,000 for implementation grants. The Request For Applications can be found here. The Technical Assistance Webinar will be held on Monday, 9/23, 2-3:30 PM EST. Register here. The deadline for applications is November 7, 2024.
- The Growing Justice Fund offers grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 to support community-led initiatives that advance equitable food procurement. These grants empower Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant (BIPOC+) communities engaged in food markets to secure institutional contracts and gain economic viability. Through large-scale procurement opportunities with community-serving institutions—such as schools, hospitals, and elder care centers—these grants foster equitable access to food buying revenue and help build wealth in historically marginalized communities. Applications Close: November 15, 2024. Click here to apply.
- The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is offering $750,000 in grant funding for local, community-driven initiatives aimed at improving water quality. Through the Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program, Montgomery County nonprofit organizations— including local watershed groups, homeowner and community associations, faith-based organizations and service and civic groups—may be eligible for grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to support their projects to improve water quality and stream health. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.
- DHS Announces $160 Million First Portion of Additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program Funds to Protect Faith-Based and Nonprofit Organizations Against Targeted Attacks: The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will distribute $160 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds as a first tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks. The announcement accompanies DHS’s release of an amended Notice of Funding Opportunity that will now enable qualifying institutions and organizations to apply for these additional NSGP funds.
- Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Grassroots Organization National Grants: The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation National Grassroots Organizing Program is dedicated to advancing racial equity, social justice, and environmental justice by providing grants of up to $30,000 per year to small grassroots organizations with budgets under $350,000. These grants support community-level efforts to dismantle discriminatory systems and promote inclusivity. Applications for 2024 are now open, offering a rolling process for submission throughout the grant year. Learn more and apply here! To see examples from 2022 grantees, click here. Deadline: Grants are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Greater Washington Community Foundation Health Equity Fund: The Health Equity Fund is offering grant opportunities for demonstration projects that provide proof of concept and determine potential for scalability. The projects must consist of two or more partner organizations working collaboratively in a new and targeted way to implement economic mobility models that increase strategic economic participation and build community wealth for people and communities with the greatest economic and health disparities.Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through March 2026 (or until funds have been exhausted).
- Whole Kids Grants Salad Bar Grant: Kids with access to a salad bar in their school cafeteria not only put more fruits and veggies on their plates, they actually eat them! The CDC reports that kids with access to a salad bar consume 33% more fruits and vegetables. The Salad Bars to Schools grant program is donating salad bars to U.S. schools to allow kids to have daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables. To learn more and apply, click here. Applications accepted year round
- Food is Medicine (FIM) Request for Proposals – AHA awards are limited to project PIs that hold a doctoral-level degree and are associated with eligible institutions, including U.S.-based non-profit institutions, including medical, osteopathic, and dental schools, veterinary schools, schools of public health, pharmacy schools, nursing schools, universities and colleges, public and voluntary hospitals and others that can demonstrate the ability to conduct the proposed research. For individuals associated with for-profit institutions, community-based organizations, or other non-eligible entities, there are opportunities to partner with eligible PIs in conducting this research. For those interested in connecting with project PIs, please complete the form at this link (Food is Medicine Practitioner Form (office.com), and a member of the team will follow up with you.
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The W. K. Kellogg Foundation — Accepts healthy kids and community/civic engagement grant applications throughout the year with no submission deadline.
- Nonprofit, Interest Free, Micro Bridge Loan Account (NIMBL) — This interest-free, micro bridge loan program and fund supports the operations of nonprofit entities. The program is administered by the Maryland Nonprofit Development Center and the Maryland Department of Commerce. The program provides short-term financing support to qualifying nonprofit entities between the award date of a government contract and the actual receipt date of those awarded funds. Application accepted on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.
Grant Opportunities for Food Businesses & Farms:
- Roger Doiron’s10th Annual SeedMoney Challenge – annual SeedMoney Challenge, a 30-day crowd-granting competition open to any public food garden project anywhere in the world. Whether you’re associated with a community garden, youth garden, food bank garden or community farm, the SeedMoney Challenge can help your project raise the funds it needs to flourish. Participating projects receive 100% (i.e. 0% fees) of what they raise whether they reach their funding goal or not. On top of the funds they raise, projects compete for 432 grants ranging from $100 to $1000. The more a project raises, the larger the grant it qualifies to receive. Applications close on November 12th.
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Calling for 2025 Farmer Grant Projects! Farmers in the Northeast (which includes Maryland) can apply for up to $30,000 in funding for sustainable agriculture projects starting in 2025. These projects can range from experiments to on-farm events and demonstrations or other educational activities. The Call for 2025 Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farmer Grants is now available. Q&A Sessions are taking place alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays in October. Register once to attend any of the sessions. Sessions will take place on: Oct 8, 16, 22, 30. from 12 to 1 EST Info: https://northeast.sare.org/farmergrant Awards of up to $30,000 are available. Proposals are due 5pm EST on November 12, 2024.
- Historically Underserved Farming Communities Grant Program- The historically underserved farmer/farming communities grant program is designed to address systemic/structural barriers to access that disproportionately limit the ability of historically underserved farmer/farming communities to fully participate in SARE programs. This grant program funds projects that create farming and food system opportunities for historically underserved farmers/farming communities and prioritizes work that engages, and is led by, people with experience from those communities. The program seeks projects that will address the needs and serve the interests of groups that have been met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles to full participation in the agricultural system of the Northeast. Northeast SARE’s Administrative Council allocated approximately $3,000,000 to fund projects for this cycle of historically underserved farmers/farming communities grants. awards can range from $150,000 to $250,000 depending upon a project’s needs, complexity, and duration. Approximately 15-20 awards will be made. Question and Answer Sessions will take place for this grant program in November and December. Sessions will take place from 2-3 p.m. on November 13th, November 19th, December 4th, and December 10th. Recordings, along with questions and answers, will be made available after each session. Click here to learn more. Online submission due date January 7, 2025.
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Clean Water Montgomery Grant – The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is offering $750,000 in grant funding for local, community-driven initiatives aimed at improving water quality. Through the Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program, Montgomery County nonprofit organizations— including local watershed groups, homeowner and community associations, faith-based organizations and service and civic groups—may be eligible for grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to support their projects to improve water quality and stream health.
The grant program will be accepting applications in the following categories:
- Public outreach and stewardship projects such as knowledge building, are eligible for funding up to $40,000, and behavior change up to $60,000.
- Community-based restoration projects such as parking lot replacement with permeable pavement are eligible for funding up to $100,000.
- Tree planting and restoration projects are eligible for funding up to $100,000.
- Litter-reduction projects in the Anacostia River Watershed are eligible for funding up to $50,000.
The grant program is now accepting proposals for projects such as planting trees, installing permeable pavers and building rain gardens that will improve and protect local waterways. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024.
- County Cost Share Grants: (MARBIDCO and OAG) Agricultural Cost Share Reimbursement (ACRE) Program ACRE provides matching grant cost-share assistance to farmers for agricultural business projects that improve, expand and increase the profitability of the agricultural enterprise. Examples of agricultural projects that may be eligible for this program include but are not limited to: deer fence, agricultural well, vertical racks for microgreens, farm equipment and tools, hydroponics equipment, aquaponics equipment and refrigeration.
- USDA FSA Microloans: Loans of up to $50,000 for down payment on land, buildings, projects, equipment, and several other approved uses. For farmer land owners and also for farm operators (non-owners).
- Farm Storage Facility Loan Program: Eligible facility types include grain bins, hay barns, bulk tanks, and facilities for cold storage. Drying and handling and storage equipment is also eligible, including storage and handling trucks. Eligible facilities and equipment may be new or used, permanently affixed or portable.
- Financing, Technical Assistance, and Grants to Help DC Food Businesses Expand Economic Prosperity – Nourish DC provides a range of technical assistance services to help entrepreneurs take their new and existing businesses to the next level including: one-on-one consulting, short-format seminars/ webinars/ trainings, access to a kitchen incubator, mentoring, and cohort-based intensive training. Click here to learn more.
- Maryland Dept of Ag, Water and Power Grants for Urban Farms Maryland’s Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program is now accepting applications for its Urban Agriculture Water and Power Infrastructure Grants. Approved by the Maryland General Assembly in 2022, this financial assistance program provides the department with up to $500,000 in annual funding through Fiscal Year 2027 to help urban farms and community gardens purchase and install equipment to access water and electricity needed to sustain their operations. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis as long as funds remain available. To qualify for this grant, you must produce a farm product that generates a minimum of $1,000 in sales or donations annually. Eligibility for this grant is limited to operations located in urban areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau and any incorporated municipality recognized by the State of Maryland. Please click the interactive map link to determine if your property meets the location criteria. Info here. Grant applications will be accepted as long as funds remain available.