*We are no longer accepting applications. Check back soon for more exciting announcements from the Climate Smart Farms Initiative!*
What is the Montgomery County Climate Smart Farms Initiative?
The Montgomery County Climate Smart Farm Initiative, a partnership of the Montgomery County Food Council and Montgomery County Green Bank, was a groundbreaking pilot program designed to enhance sustainability, and build climate resilience capacity by promoting local food production, and strengthening the regional food system. The initiative helped farmers reduce their vulnerability and respond to the “new norms” of climate change and related weather events, while reducing the farm’s impacts, to prevent worsening climate change and pollution. Climate smart agriculture addresses both sides of the issue for farming in an era of climate change, by finding ways to farm that address the realities of climate change, while promoting the most critical, effective solutions for how to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. By focusing on how climate change disrupts the food system as a whole, this project sought to promote local food system and guarantee a safe, secure, resilient food supply for all.
Through this initiative:
- We hosted learning opportunities for farmers who wish to explore how climate smart practices will boost their business’ viability on their farm, including peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
- Farmers were invited to apply for funding to implement new facilities, equipment, practices, and infrastructure projects on their farm, through a competitive mini-grant process, open April-May 2025.
- Farmers had access to farmer consultants that aided them in planning and implementing climate smart projects.
- Farmers shared successes and challenges they experienced while implementing climate smart projects.
Throughout this initiative, we learned about barriers that farmers have in implementing climate smart projects, and shared that knowledge, so that future financial and technical assistance opportunities were made available to promote healthy environmental stewardship and ensure a viable, equitable, sustainable, healthy food system.
Please contact Lorien MacAuley, PhD, lorien@mocofoodcouncil.org, with any questions about the MoCo Climate Smart Farm Initiative.
Climate Smart Farmer Grant
We aim to fund climate smart practices that 1) assist a farm in adapting to climate change (e.g. a practice that improves drought tolerance), 2) assist a farm in reducing or preventing the effects of climate change (e.g. a practice that reduces emissions and sequesters carbon), or 3) an activity that combines both adaptation and climate change impact reduction/prevention. Up to 15 awards will be granted to Montgomery County farmers. Award limits are $10,000 to $25,000 per award, depending on funding level.
A virtual information session for grant applicants was held on Friday, April 11th. Please see the recording, here, and access the slides, here. We encourage you to contact us with any questions before the application due date about project suitability and whether your project fits within the range of climate smart agricultural practices.
Who is Eligible?
Montgomery County-based food producing farms that will implement projects in the Spring–Fall 2025 timeframe and provide Montgomery County grown products to retail, wholesale, institutional markets and/or individuals in the DMV area (preference to farms selling to County markets) are eligible to apply. Please submit only one grant application per farm/entity.
Stipulations of funding:
All projects must take place on Montgomery County farms and provide food to retail, wholesale, institutional markets and/or individuals in the DMV area (preference to farms selling to Montgomery County markets). All award recipients agree to: A site visit; conversational interview; details of the economic viability of the implemented climate smart practice within the context of your farm business budget; photography of project pre/during/post installation. Awarded projects must begin within 6 weeks of receipt of funds and be completed by December 2025. Proposals can suggest combining this funding with other funding sources.
About the Montgomery County Green Bank
The Montgomery County Green Bank is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping businesses and residents affordably implement energy efficiency, clean energy, and climate-resilient solutions. The Montgomery County Green Bank supports Montgomery County, MD by driving investment into energy efficiency and clean energy through lending and investment partners in the region. These efforts include working with homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and commercial entities of all varieties. For more information, visit www.mcgreenbank.org.
LINKS
https://mocofoodcouncil.org/agriculture-economic-opportunity
PRESS RELEASE, ANNOUNCING MOCO CLIMATE SMART FARMS INITIATIVE: mocofoodcouncil.org/CSAfarms
[Grant Application Form link] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvgpHaYH5lNYRj-7MSO_Uxl8JlG8ZUNkFcRt0k__rLkwoIkQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
[Grant scoring rubric link]
[Grant narrative template form link]
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YiucZusbcm1_KXzjQllYbCym7V_u9U0KM7T8lcQvqdY/edit?usp=sharing
Published on: Apr 7, 2025