Montgomery County Food Assistance Provider Grant Applications Now Open; Capacity Building Grants to Help with Infrastructure

For Immediate Release: Monday, July 20, 2020

            Montgomery County is now accepting applications for its Food Assistance Provider Capacity Building Grant program. The funding will be used to help food assistance providers improve infrastructure and increase their ability to provide food access to hard-to-reach communities in Montgomery County during the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future. Nonprofit organizations can apply for up to $85,000.

            Applications for the grants are due by noon on Monday, August 3, 2020; and funds will be distributed beginning Thursday, August 13, 2020.

            The COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance Provider Capacity Building Grant is a partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Montgomery County Food Council (MCFC) and the Healthcare Initiative Foundation (HIF). The $1 million in funding for the program comes from the federal CARES Act and was appropriated by the County Executive and Montgomery County Council to increase food access to county residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant includes funding for items that will help food assistance providers increase their ability to store and transport larger quantities of food and improve the organizations’ infrastructure. The County’s Food Security Task Force, formed by the County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), will review and determine all grant awards. The HIF is the fiscal agent for the program and will award the money.

            Grant applications will be reviewed on criteria that includes requests in the priority area such as storage, transportation, technology, and the ability of the organization to increase the number of individuals and households served by increasing capacity. Special consideration will be given to organizations who form partnerships to better serve the community.

            To submit an application, visit the HIF website at https://hifmc.org/for-grantseekers/covid-19-food-access-grant/.  If an organization cannot complete the application online or requires the application be provided in a language other than English, email Jess.Fuchs@hifmc.org. After successfully logging into the site, select the COVID-19 Food Assistance Capacity Building Grant application on the dashboard.

            For specific questions, email mark.hodge@montgomerycountymd.gov.

            DHHS, along with Montgomery County Public Schools, the MCFC and local food assistance providers have been working during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the increasing need for food assistance across the county. To address food insecurity and plan for a greater need, OEMHS created the Food Security Task Force, made up of county staff, community partners and food assistance recipients. A strategic plan to address food insecurity and priorities for future food assistance spending has been implemented.

            The County has recently partnered with the Community Foundation to launch the Food Security Fund to galvanize private sector and individual support of food access initiatives in the County in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Visit the Fund website to learn more and contribute.  

            For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

            Put the “count” in Montgomery County! Be sure to complete the Census online, by phone, or by mail. It’s safe, confidential, easy, and important. #2020Census #EveryoneCountsMCMD

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Release ID: 20-387
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 301-529-7669