Montgomery County officials announced today that the county’s Food Policy Council is opening a new food systems grant program “to support projects that create a more equitable and sustainable food system.”
The county said it has allocated $600,000 in grants for businesses, non-profits, municipal governments or other organizations that support the local food system. The grants can be used for projects, programming or equipment that support at least one of the following objectives:
- Support gardening, nutrition, or other relevant food systems education
- Increase market access or other opportunities for farmers
- Improve food security
- Reduce food waste
- Increase consumer access to local food
- Support the local food economy
- Improve school food environment
“These grants will have a transformative impact on our communities, whether it is investing in irrigation for community gardens, food lockers for food pantries, expanding composting infrastructure, or something as simple as an EBT reader for a local farmers’ market,” their announcement said. “The County especially welcomes projects that aim to support underserved or marginalized communities, as well as those that emphasize community leadership and collaboration.”
Letters of Intent are due by Friday, May 30. Select applicants will be invited to submit a full application in mid-June, with awards being announced in early August.
Two virtual information sessions about the grant opportunity will be held on Tuesday, May 13 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, May 15 at 12 p.m.
Applications and full information about the Food Systems Infrastructure Grant can be found here.
Montgomery County’s Food Policy Council was launched in 2024. Learn more about the Montgomery County Food Policy Council here.