Feed the Need Mini-Grants

Future Harvest's Feed the Need grant program "bridges this gap by directly funding local farmers to harvest, package, and deliver fresh, farm-grown produce directly to community food access partners." Originally launched in 2020 and back for 2026, Future Harvest is awarding Feed the Need mini-grants of $2,000 to $3,000 for farmers who grow food for food assistance providers of their choice.

Future Harvest "recognizes that local farmers are perfectly poised to step up and fill the critical needs of area food assistance providers for fresh and nutritious products. This project will feed those in need and support farmers to build a more resilient regional food system."

Funding is available thanks to several private sources, as well as a grant awarded to Future Harvest from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

Open to farmers who grow food for food assistance providers of their choice in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

• Some geographic preference will be given to farmers supplying food to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Prince George's County, Western Maryland, Baltimore, and Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C.

• Farmers who wish to work with food assistance providers in other areas of Maryland, DC, and Virginia are invited to apply.

Grant funds support activities such as sliding-scale pricing on CSA orders, home deliveries, and donating produce to local food banks and pantries.

Historical context from the 2020 round: Future Harvest's Feed the Need Fund "raised more than $40,000 for the farming community in the Chesapeake region," making 22 awards ranging from $500 to $3,000, selected by a review committee of Future Harvest board members, staff, and farmers from a pool of 102 applicants requesting more than $300,000. Fourteen of the 22 grantees were Black, Indigenous, or other farmers of color. No total award pool or number of awards has been published for the 2026 round.

Applications are currently open (program page states "Applications are currently open"; application form verified live and accepting responses on 2026-09-03).

Apply through the online Future Harvest Feed the Need Application: https://forms.gle/P8efsbSeYp9mbtg98

No application deadline is published on the program page or the form. Questions: info@futureharvest.org or (410) 549-7878.

• 2020 Feed the Need Report (PDF): https://futureharvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FEED-THE-NEED-REPORT_FINAL_030921.pdf

• Future Harvest resources for farmers: https://futureharvest.org/resources/resources-for-farmers/

• Donate to the Feed the Need Fund: https://futureharvest.org/donate/