NEW: AGCO Foundation
Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC)
Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)
- The Maryland Department of Agriculture offers funding to help farmers adopt cover crops to build healthy soils and protect water quality.
- Their Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program offers cost-share programs specifically for urban farmers and farmers with small acreages.
- In 2023, they launched a new Urban Agriculture Water and Power Infrastructure Grant, funded by the MD state legislature. The purpose of the grant is to "help urban farms and community gardens purchase and install equipment to access water and electricity needed to sustain their operations. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis as long as funds remain available. "
- In 2022 they launched a pilot Small Acreage Cover Crop Program to enable more urban and small-scale farms to participate. Farmers who plant 5 or fewer acres of a cover crop may be eligible for this new program. Growers will be reimbursed based on paid receipts, up to $1,000 per farmer per growing season.
The 2024 program accepted applications between March 25 and April 30.
- Organic certification cost reimbursement grant, paid by USDA, through MDA. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. "UPDATE: Due to appropriations in the most recent Farm Bill extension, there is no guarantee that cost-share will be available to organic producers in 2025."
- Animal Waste Technology demonstration grant. 2025 deadline for letters of intent was Oct 17.
Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO)
- MARBIDCO is primarily a lending institution, but they also offer some loan-incentive and grant programs.
- In particular, the following are relevant to urban farmers
- Maryland urban agriculture commercial lending incentive grant. Providing "an incentive for urban farmers to seek commercial lender financing for the development or expansion of their agricultural enterprise. Maximum incentive grant is $10,000, calculated at no more than 20% of the project’s total cost and no more than 25% of the amount approved by the commercial lender for the project." Accepted on a rolling basis.
Chesapeake Bay Trust
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE SARE)
- NESARE has farmer grants for demonstration and education projects. 2025 deadline 5pm EST on Dec 9.
Organic Farming Research Foundation
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
USDA Rural Development
- Don't let the name fool you, urban farmers can be eligible for programs through USDA Rural Development.
- Value-Added Producer Grant. Provides funding "for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Examples of planning activities include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Examples of working capital expenses include processing costs, marketing and advertising expenses, some inventory and salary expenses." The 2025 deadline was in April.
- USDA Rural Energy for America, Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants grant “provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.” If previous link breaks, try going to the main renewable energy program page here, and look for the energy efficiency program.
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculutre (NIFA)
- Consider learning more about successful grant proposals, and giving back to your community by signing up to be a grant reviewer. For eligible reviewers who request it, an honorarium of $265 can be provided for your full participation in the relevance review panel. Learn more here.
Horizon Farm Credit [NEW added 9/6/2023
- Horizon Farm Credit is primarily a cooperative lender, but they also occasionally offer seed grants. For example, in 2023 they launched a new Jump Start program for beginning farmers.
- The 2025 application was due in March.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (MDHCD)
- The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Neighborhood Business Works (NBW) program periodically offers Opportunity Zone Microgrants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 to businesses that are expanding within an opportunity zone in Maryland. When these microgrants are announced, they are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis, so if this is a program that is relevant to your interests, it is important to get on their email list.
Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC)
Baltimore Community Foundation
Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation
- Support programs for agriculture
- Arundel Community Reinvestment Fund: zero interest loans up to $100,000, to finance economic activity, investment and improvement in Anne Arundel County’s eleven Commercial Revitalization Districts, the area at inner West Street in Annapolis from Church Circle to Chinquapin Round Road and the county’s one state-designated Enterprise Zone is Brooklyn Park.
- Inclusive Ventures Program: "The Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP) seeks to help small, minority-owned, woman-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County succeed and grow by offering a robust menu of resources including business education and training, access to capital, and mentorship.... Graduates receive a certificate of completion and a $5,000 operational grant to be used for working capital."
American Heart Association
United Way of Central Maryland
- Neighborhood Grant. For organizations with total annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less to receive $2,500 to $10,000 in funding to carry out community-centered projects that are resident-driven, connect community members and create impact in Central Maryland. 2023 deadline was in Oct.
- Changemaker Challenge. Fill out contact info form to be updated when it opens again.
Maryland Horse Industry Board:
- Grants for up to $3,000 for projects that “develop the Maryland Horse Industry [through] research, education, and promotional activities.” Grant usually opens in August with a deadline the first week of October.
- Sign up for their newsletter to be notified about grant openings.
Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive
- Offers a grant to "support and build the collective resilience of food and land-justice based cooperatives; led by Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color."
Emergent Fund
- Emergent Fund is a “rapid response fund created to explicitly support Black, Indigenous and People of Color-led (BIPOC) social justice movements.”
Liberated Capital
