Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant Program
About MFARM
The Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant Program (MFARM) helps people who are food insecure to access the nourishment that they need, while providing a market for farmers to sell their products.
The purpose of this program is to build food system resiliency by leveraging Maryland agricultural/seafood products and services to support the State's food banks and charitable emergency food providers to alleviate food insecurity.
How the grant works
The grant program allows Maryland's food banks, charitable emergency food providers and nonprofits to request funding to purchase agricultural/seafood products listed in the Certified Local Farm and Fish Program and deliver it to Maryland families in need throughout the year.
The funding priority is to purchase agricultural/seafood products listed in the Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider Directory.
Grant funds may also be used to fund the transportation of agricultural/seafood products
Eligibility requirements
Maryland food banks, charitable emergency food providers, and nonprofits with a focus on food insecurity/food access that are registered and are in Good Standing with Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Nonprofits must also be registered as a charity with the Maryland Secretary of State. An official and signed W-9 form will be required by all applicants.
If you have an established relationship with producers\seafood providers from the Certified Local Farm and Fish Directory, you will need to provide a Letter of Support from the producers that is signed and preferably on letterhead.
Funding availability
Funding Availability: $200,000
- Minimum Request: $5,000
- Maximum Request: $40,000
- Funding Formula: 80% of the funds will go towards food costs while 20% of the funds can go towards transportation/distribution, staff, supplies, etc.
How to apply
Applications are accepted via Maryland OneStop. The application window is currently closed.
2025 MFARM recipients
Aaron's Place
Grant amount: $20,000
Project description: Aaron's Place, a Caroline County-based food pantry, will use this funding to purchase fresh food from local farmers and seafood processors helping them feed those in need in Maryland's Mid-Shore region.
AfriThrive
Grant amount: $22,440
Project description: AfriThrive connects small farmers growing culturally appropriate foods with those in need in the immigrant and refugee communities in Prince George's and Baltimore counties.
Appalachian Farm & Food Alliance
Grant amount: $40,000
Project description: The Garrett Growers Cooperative will supply 150 Garrett County families with school-aged children with weekly vegetable boxes during the fall and summer as part of this initiative.
Capital Area Food Bank
Grant amount: $20,000
Project description: The Capital Area Food Bank will use these funds to purchase Wild Caught Chesapeake Blue Catfish from Tilghman Island Seafood to distribute in Prince George's and Montgomery counties.
Civic Works, Baltimore City
Grant amount: $40,000
Project description: This urban non-profit's "Food as Medicine" initiative will be supported by these funds, providing for those in need within the city. Chesapeake Farm to Table will supply the produce, with deliveries handled by volunteers and a collaboration with DoorDash.
Community FarmShare, Montgomery County
Grant amount: $20,000
Project description: Community FarmShare, a non-profit organization, will utilize funding to decrease the cost of fresh, locally sourced produce for those in need, operating through its mobile farm market.
Frederick Farm to School
Grant amount: $7,560
Project description: Frederick Farm to School will provide fresh, local food to two low-income communities in Frederick via the Farm to School Veggie vans.
OurSpace World
Grant amount: $20,000
Project description: This non-profit aims to connect small farmers with communities in need within Prince George's County. Funding will establish a consistent market for Sisters of Soil Community Farm, located in Largo.
Prince George's Community College
Grant amount: $10,000
Project description: Prince George's Community College will provide food to food insecure college students from county farmers to three college campuses: Largo, Laurel and Hyattsville.
MFARM FAQs
MFARM Info Session Questions
Maryland residents
That’s fine!
80% upfront once the grant agreement is signed, 20% dispersed based on final program and financial report
If the local farm is not in the CLFF directory, send them the link and tell them they need to sign up. We will not approve grant apps if the farm is not in the CLFF directory. Farmers need to have a nutrient management plan to be in the CLFF directory.
You can spend more on food!
They can have donated previously, but funding will allow the organization to pay for the product. The farmer can also apply for a tax credit for donated products.
It depends on who submits a grant application.
An "emergency food provider" typically receives funding through the Maryland Emergency Food Program (MEFP); they can also be a nonprofit.
Yes, faith-based organizations or bona fide religious organizations defined by the Secretary of State (SoS). If the organization is “Exempt” from the SoS’s filing requirements, please upload a letter on the organization’s letterhead stating why the organization is exempt from filing with the SoS.
You can search the organization’s status on the SoS’s Charities - Public Registry.
If you are a nonprofit farmer, you still need to have a nutrient management plan. If you’re a food bank, then no, you don’t need to have a nutrient management plan.
Please see the example of the sample report on the OneStop public profile.
There are 4-5 seafood providers in the CLFF directory that solely focus on the blue catfish. You would either need to pick up the product from them or they might be able to deliver. You can request transportation costs if you are going to pick up product.