Feed the Need

The Feed the Need mini-grant program is administered by Future Harvest, a regional organization focused on building a resilient food system. Originally launched in 2020 and revived for 2025, the program is designed to support local farmers in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia who supply fresh produce and goods to food assistance providers. It addresses two core objectives: reducing food insecurity and strengthening the local farming economy. The program is primarily funded through private sources and a significant grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Grant awards range from $2,000 to $3,000 and are intended to support farmers in growing and delivering fresh food to food assistance organizations of their choice. The funding may also be used for technical assistance and field day training. Future Harvest prioritizes applications from farmers serving specific geographic areas, including the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Prince George’s County, Western Maryland, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.'s Wards 7 and 8. However, farmers in other parts of Maryland, D.C., and Virginia are also encouraged to apply. Eligibility for the grant is limited to individual farmers or farm-based organizations. Applicants must provide details on their farming experience, the products they grow, their food safety certifications, and their current selling channels. They must also describe how much and how frequently they can provide food to assistance programs, whether the food needs refrigeration, and whether the food banks or recipient organizations can handle the products safely. The application consists of several questions, including descriptions of the products to be delivered, proposed delivery timelines, funding amount requested, budget plans, and rationale for selection. Applicants are also asked to identify the food assistance organization they plan to partner with, including its location and contact details. Optional demographic questions regarding race, ethnicity, and gender are included to help inform the grant’s equity goals. Applications must be submitted by July 11, 2025. Grantees will be notified by July 31, 2025. Selected applicants will be required to submit a W-9 form that matches the payment name, as well as complete a short final report with receipts detailing the type and amount of donation and the receiving organization. Applicants must also verify that they can deliver the grant-funded food and agree to potentially have their photo and project details used for marketing purposes. The program builds on the success of previous years in which dozens of farmers were funded to deliver food directly to communities in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past recipients provided a range of services including sliding scale CSA shares, home deliveries, and fresh produce donations to food banks across the region. The effort aims to both address immediate food needs and foster long-term community food resilience.