NourishMD Grant Program

NourishMD, a partnership between the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), makes direct grants to eligible food retailers to expand access to healthy, fresh food in Maryland communities experiencing food insecurity. Grants range from $25,000 to $150,000, with up to $3.65 million total available ($2 million in state funds plus $1.65 million in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds; RHTP-funded awards require a designated rural county). Funds support equipment (refrigeration, shelving), facility acquisition/construction/expansion, initial inventory, working capital tied to expansion, and SNAP/EBT infrastructure and technology. MDA and NourishMD co-award funds to farmers markets and on-farm stands via a partnership with Maryland Market Money (MMM); applicants to both receive award priority. No application fee; a $250 processing fee is deducted from the award. [Institutional retailer grant; on-farm markets, farm stands, and farmers markets are eligible retailers.]

For-profit or nonprofit food retailers that serve a community with a Maryland Community Compass (MCC) Fresh Food Gap Score of 65% or higher (all projects must meet an absolute Fresh Food Gap Score floor of 65); operate at least 5 days per week year-round (farmers markets/on-farm markets are exempt from the 5-day requirement but must operate weekly year-round); currently offer or plan to offer fresh, frozen, or minimally processed healthy foods; and dedicate at least 20% of inventory or food-sales space to healthy food. Eligible retailers include grocery stores, corner stores, co-ops, farm stands, farmers' markets, delivery retailers, and small food-focused stores.

Grant size: $25,000 – $150,000 per award, made as a direct grant (not a loan).

Total funding available: up to $3.65 million — $2 million in state funds plus $1.65 million in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds. That is the program pool, not a per-applicant figure. To qualify for the RHTP portion, the retailer must be located in a designated rural county. Dually-sourced awards are available.

Fees: no application fee, and a $250 processing fee deducted from the award amount.

Eligible uses depend on the funding source. The $2 million in state funds may cover equipment purchases (refrigeration, shelving, etc.), facility acquisition, construction or expansion, initial inventory costs, working capital tied to expansion/construction, and infrastructure and technology for SNAP/EBT. The $1.65 million in federal RHTP funds may cover equipment purchases, working capital, and SNAP/EBT infrastructure and technology.

No applicant match or cost-share percentage is published. Applicants who also apply to the Maryland Market Money program "will receive priority for awards"; MMM itself provides a dollar-for-dollar match on purchases made with federal nutrition benefits at participating markets and farm stands. Separately, DHCD's Neighborhood BusinessWorks Program "can further provide loans of up to $5 million."

Round 2 (FY2027) is open: the Tier 1 Application Portal opened September 22, 2026 and closes November 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST. All interested applicants must submit a Tier 1 application by the deadline; applicants who meet baseline requirements advance to a Tier 2 application. Learn more, check eligibility, and apply through the DHCD NourishMD portal; a NourishMD consultation can be scheduled to discuss needs and financing options.