The NourishMD Grant Program is a targeted investment designed to expand access to healthy and fresh foods in Maryland communities experiencing food insecurity by providing direct grants to eligible retailers.
Governor Wes Moore today announced that the Fiscal Year 2027 application round for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s NourishMD Grant Program will open on September 22, 2026. NourishMD will provide approximately $3.67 million in grants to support the development, stabilization, and expansion of retail outlets that provide fresh food in Maryland’s food deserts – areas where residents have limited or no access to nutritious food options.
The NourishMD Grant Program provides eligible food retailers with grants between $25,000 and $150,000 for capital-related needs such as infrastructure and technology, facility upgrades, and equipment purchases. Eligible food retail businesses must be located in an area with a Fresh Food Gap Score of 65% or higher as provided by the Maryland Community Compass, an initiative of the Governor’s Innovation Team. In the program’s pilot round, retailers were awarded a combined $3.64 million in grants to expand fresh and healthy food access in target communities.
To maximize efficiency and provide targeted technical assistance, the Fiscal Year 2027 NourishMD Grant Program application is split into two distinct phases. Interested businesses must first submit an eligibility application to verify baseline eligibility and measure community need. Eligible approved applicants will proceed to the comprehensive project application phase, where they will submit a full application to be considered for funding. Awards will be provided on a competitive basis, with special focus given to applicants in Sustainable Communities, Just Communities or communities where poverty is highly concentrated as demonstrated by ENOUGH Initiative eligibility. Eligibility applications are due by November 2, 2026.
Read more or to apply at https://dhcd.maryland.gov/business-development/nourishmd-grant-program
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