NourishMD Grant Program Creates New Opportunities for Farmers Markets, Farm Stands, and Local Food Retailers to Strengthen Maryland’s Food System

NourishMD Grant Program Creates New Opportunities for Farmers Markets, Farm Stands, and Local Food Retailers to Strengthen Maryland’s Food System

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 22, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), in partnership with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), is pleased to highlight new opportunities for farmers markets, farm stands, and other food retailers through the NourishMD Grant Program, a targeted investment designed to expand access to healthy, fresh foods in Maryland communities experiencing food insecurity.

Through this initiative, eligible retailers, including farmers markets, on-farm markets, and farm stands, may apply for grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, with up to $2 million in total funding available statewide. Funds are intended to strengthen local food infrastructure, support farmers, and improve food access for Maryland residents by investing in equipment, facilities, inventory expansion, and technology, particularly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/EBT) infrastructure and systems.

The NourishMD Grant Program presents a unique opportunity for both existing Maryland Market Money (MMM) access points and new, prospective retailers to build capacity, modernize operations, and better serve communities with high fresh food gaps. For farmers’ markets and farm-based retailers, the program can support critical upgrades such as refrigeration, point-of-sale technology, storage, and market infrastructure, helping farmers accept nutrition benefits, reduce administrative barriers, and reach more customers.

“Maryland’s farmers markets and farm-based retailers play a critical role in connecting communities to fresh, local food,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “Through the NourishMD Grant Program, we are investing directly in the infrastructure and technology that farmers and market operators need to grow their businesses, accept nutrition benefits like SNAP and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), and ensure more Marylanders can access healthy, locally grown food.”

Eligible applicants include for-profit and nonprofit food retailers that serve communities with a Maryland Community Business Compass (MCBC) Fresh Food Gap Score of 60% or higher. While most retailers must operate year-round at least five days per week, farmers’ markets and on-farm markets are exempt, recognizing their seasonal nature and importance to the local food economy.

The program also supports Maryland Market Money’s broader mission to remove economic barriers to local food access while strengthening farm viability. By pairing NourishMD investments with nutrition incentive programs like MMM, farmers and market operators can expand both the physical and digital infrastructure needed to serve more customers and increase farm sales.

Marylanders’ access to healthy food should never depend on their ZIP code or neighborhood. Food deserts are a result of long-standing inequity and disinvestment that limits opportunity and dignity for too many Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “This exciting partnership between DHCD and MDA has equity at its core — it will support small businesses, strengthen local economies, and ensure more families can access the healthy food they deserve.

The NourishMD Grant Program application portal opened January 20, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. EST, and will close February 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Award notifications are expected in May 2026, with funding disbursed following Board of Public Works approval.

Farmers markets, farm stands, and other interested food retailers are encouraged to learn more, explore eligibility, and apply by visiting: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Business/Pages/NourishMD-Grant-Program.aspx

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