Grant Opportunities for Food Assistance & Non-profit Partners
- The Office of Food Systems Resilience (OSFR), in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Manna Food Center (Manna), is soliciting grant applications from non-profit and for-profit entities currently engaged in both 1) food security initiatives that benefit underserved communities in Montgomery County, and 2) County-based food recovery AND/OR local food purchasing efforts. Application Opens: March 11, 2024. Virtual Grant Program Information Session: Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am. Click here to join the information session on Zoom. For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit the Community Food Rescue Grants Page. For technical questions related to the application, please contact: Morgan Crull, Senior Program Manager for Food Resources, Manna Food Center, (301) 578-5475, mfcgrants@gmail.com Submission Deadline: Monday, April 10th, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
- Montgomery County’s FY 2024 Healthy, Efficient, Electrified, Climate-Adapted Pilot (HEECAP) Homes Grants Program aims to retrofit income-eligible houses for energy efficiency, a healthy indoor environment, climate resilience and all-electric appliances. A total of $1,500,000 will be made available to fund awards to eligible nonprofits between $300,000 and $1,500,000 for 12, 18, or 24 months. Submission Deadline: Monday, April 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
- FY24 Cost Sharing Capital Grants – The Office of Grants Management (OGM) is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2024 Cost Sharing Capital Grants (CSCG) Grant Program from qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations seeking to implement capital projects that help provide access to resources, direct services, historical preservation, cultural enrichment, and/or other benefits to Montgomery County residents. Awards will range from $25,000 to $1,000,000. The target populations for this Grant Program are Montgomery County residents and is intentionally very flexible. Priority in awarding funding will be given to projects that demonstrate a commitment to and impact on Underserved populations in Montgomery County. To learn more and apply, click here. Application closes: Tuesday March 19, 2024 at 3:00 PM
- The Washington, D.C. Regional Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier – Annual grants program to support nonprofit organizations in our region (DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware) making a difference for women through food and hospitality or advancing education and philanthropy. Application closes: March 31, 2024. For more information and how to apply, visit: http://www.lesdamesdc.
org/grants.html - Wildseed Grants – The Wildseeds Grants program funds community organizations, strategists and media makers working to uplift frontline stories, build power, and embolden transformative food and farm systems change. Wildseeds Grants typically range from $20,000 to $50,000 over a one-year term. The Fund is able to make a very limited number of two-year commitments for projects requiring a longer timeframe of support. Two-year requests are capped at a total of $75,000 over two years. Grant amounts are contingent on demonstrated need, alignment with the Fund’s purpose and criteria, as well as the Fund’s giving capacity in any given year. To apply, click here. Applications closes: March 15, 2024.
- 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
- Whole Kids Get Schools Cooking Grant: The Get Schools Cooking Grant was created to support medium-sized school districts in the U.S. who are eager to transform their school lunch programs from processed foods to scratch-cooked meals. To learn more and apply, click here. Application closes mid 2024.
- 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.
- Keeping It Cool Grants – The Keeping It Cool Grant Program, funded by The Morningstar Foundation, will provide $425,000 in grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to support cold storage infrastructure and equipment needs of food businesses and nonprofits providing food-related goods and services in the Washington, D.C. region. Eligible locations include Arlington, VA; Alexandria, VA; Fairfax County, VA; Montgomery County, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; and Washington, D.C. Check the Nourish DC website for more information about the grant including eligibility requirements, application links, grant information webinars, and office hours: https://www.
capitalimpact.org/programs/ nourish-dc-collaborative/, -
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:
- Wheaton Access Program – The Wheaton Community Access Program (WCAP) will distribute a total of $75,000 in in-kind assistance towards the reduction of permitting costs for use of local government facilities and venues, specifically: Marian Fryer Town Plaza, Wheaton Veterans Park and Community Use Conference Room. Submission Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2024 or earlier contingent on funding availability. Applications should be submitted at least 14 business days prior to holding the planned event. Online Grants Application Platform: https://mcmdgrants.smapply.org/ . Program Page:https://mcmdgrants.smapply.org/prog/wcap
- Maryland Department of Agriculture in Partnership with USDA Announces Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Grant Opportunities – The Maryland Department of Agriculture is currently accepting applications for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program designed to assist in strengthening Maryland’s food supply chain between farmers and consumers by investing in infrastructure. The department has received $3.8 million through USDA’s RFSI program to administer and facilitate a competitive subaward grant process. The RFSI Program has two grant tracks: The Equipment-only Grant and Infrastructure Grant. MARBIDCO has partnered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to provide matching funds for this program. If eligible, MARBIDCO’s funds can be used to help the grant applicant’s meet their non-federal match requirement if the project involves the aggregation of local farm products for wholesale or institutional sales. An informational Zoom webinar about the RFSI program and grants will be held at 3 p.m. on January 24, 2024. Virtual office hours, for prospective applicants to connect with Maryland Department of Agriculture representatives, are scheduled for February 7 and February 21 at 10 a.m. Registration is required for each session. To lean more and apply, click here. Applicants may only apply for one track. Grant applications are due by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, March 15.
- 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).
- MARBIDCO Grants: Several grant programs to apply to, for cold storage, aggregation, urban ag, and more! Typically with a match.
- 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.