Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant Program (MFARM)

MFARM, administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, builds food-system resiliency by leveraging Maryland agricultural and seafood products to help food banks and charitable emergency food providers alleviate food insecurity, while creating a market for Maryland farmers and watermen to sell their products. The funding priority is purchasing agricultural/seafood products listed in the Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider Directory; grant funds may also cover transportation of those products. Funding formula: 80% of funds toward food costs and up to 20% toward transportation/distribution, staff, and supplies. Total pool approximately $200,000. [Institutional: grants go to food banks/food providers, benefiting farmers as sellers.]

Maryland food banks and charitable emergency food providers (e.g., food pantries, nonprofits, and similar organizations). Funds are used to purchase Maryland-produced agricultural/seafood products from local farms and seafood processors, prioritizing the Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider Directory.

Request range. MDA publishes all three figures plainly: "Funding Availability: $200,000", "Minimum Request: $5,000", "Maximum Request: $40,000."

How the money must be split. "Funding Formula: 80% of the funds will go towards food costs while 20% of the funds can go towards transportation/distribution, staff, supplies, etc." So on a $40,000 award, at most $8,000 can go to anything other than food purchases.

What it buys. Maryland agricultural and seafood products, with the priority being products "listed in the Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider Directory." Grant funds may also cover "The transportation of agricultural/seafood products."

Match / cost share. None published.

2025 awards used the full range — Appalachian Farm & Food Alliance $40,000; Civic Works $40,000; AfriThrive $22,440; Aaron's Place, Capital Area Food Bank, Community FarmShare and OurSpace World $20,000 each; Prince George's Community College $10,000; Frederick Farm to School $7,560.

Paperwork conditions. Applicants must be registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (nonprofits also registered as a charity with the Maryland Secretary of State), and "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."

Note on who the applicant is. Grants go to food banks, charitable emergency food providers and food-focused nonprofits. A farmer's benefit here is as a paid seller into that purchasing, not as a grantee.

Verified 2026-09-04.

Apply via Maryland OneStop (Farm to Foodbank application). Requests range from a $5,000 minimum to a $40,000 maximum against an approximately $200,000 pool. Recurring cycle (2025 recipients announced, e.g., Aaron's Place, AfriThrive, Capital Area Food Bank).