The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience and the Office of Grants Management are soliciting grant applications for the FY23 Resident and Community Food Gardening Grant Program for qualified nonprofit organizations in Montgomery County that expand resident and community food production capacity as a means of increasing local food security. Award amounts will vary, with a maximum award amount of $15,000. All funded activities must be implemented within 12 months and all grant agreements must be finalized by June 30, 2023.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Wednesday April 26, 2023 at 12:00 PM.
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Session: Wednesday May 3, 2023 from 3:45-5:00 PM (click here to view a recording of the event).
- Application Deadline: Wednesday May 24, 2023 (4 week application period) at 9:00 AM.
Program Downloads:
- Click here to download the full FY23 Community Gardening Grant Program Details document in .pdf format.
- Click here to download the slide deck from the FY23 Community Gardening Grant Program Information Session on Wednesday May 3, 2023.
Proposals must focus on increasing organizational capacity to provide resident access to yard, patio, and community gardening supplies, space, and education. Eligible activities include establishing new or renewed small-space food production locations, increasing access to culturally appropriate foods, providing gardening and nutrition education resources, engaging community residents directly in food production, and providing supplies to residents to enable them to grow their own produce in yards and/or on patios.
Priority for funding will focus on projects that:
- Establish new or renewed small-space food production locations, including:
- Private land, such as those owned by community based organizations, faith-based institutions, and educational institutions;
- Underutilized, unused, vacant, or abandoned lots in neighborhoods and municipal centers;
- Unused and abandoned plots in community gardens; and
- Other creative opportunities for land access or growing spaces, such as (but not limited to) vertical gardening and rooftop gardening.
- Increase access to culturally diverse foods and those that are more difficult to access in retail and food assistance settings in Montgomery County;
- Provide gardening and nutrition education resources, and engage community residents directly in food production;
- Demonstrate partnerships, including with the business community for in-kind or discounted supply purchases to increase the cost efficiency of programming; and
- Provide planting materials, containers, seeds, seedlings, gardening supplies and/or education to residents to enable them to grow their own produce in yards and/or on patios;
The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that demonstrate some of the following:
- Exhibit cultural proficiency;
- Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
- Use a racial equity lens in providing services.
Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
- The organization must be a Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status organization or a collaboration between two or more organizations with this status;
- The organization must be currently registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT);
- The organization’s principal place of business must be located in Montgomery County; if a national or regional organization, it must have a location in Montgomery County through which it provides related services;
- All activities and expenditures under this grant program must be provided in Montgomery County; and
- Current Montgomery County contract or grant award winners must be current on all reporting obligations for other awards and those reports must reflect substantial progress towards the goals of their awards.
Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a nonprofit designation to apply and all proposed services must take place within Montgomery County. Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups. County funding cannot be used to supplant other funding for already planned services. The full details, eligibility requirements, and other criteria can be found in the Program Details document that is downloadable above.
A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Wednesday May 3, 2023 from 3:30-5:00 PM. The event will be recorded and posted for applicants who miss the event or who wish to review it again. A link to the live and recorded event can be found above.
The application will consist of a:
- Program Summary – Organization mission and contact information
- Program Narrative – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
- Program Budget – Details of the implementation costs of the proposed program
- Budget Narrative/Justification – Brief explanation of the Program Budget
- Program Work Plan/Timeline – the proposed program implementation schedule
- Performance Plan – Outline of metrics to be collected, targets for each metric, and the data collection method for each metric as well as any qualitative evaluation methods
- Supporting Documents – Upload of background documents supporting proposal
- Application Certification, Acknowledgments, and Assurances – Confirmation of ethics considerations, legal terms, and the authenticity of the application
Grant applications will be reviewed by an independent committee organized by the Office of Grants Management made up of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, or project management. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the Program Details document with cumulative ranking determining the final awards.
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Click here to go to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here. If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing ali.hoy@montgomerycountymd.gov.
FY23 Resident and Community Food Gardening Grant Program
The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience and the Office of Grants Management are soliciting grant applications for the FY23 Resident and Community Food Gardening Grant Program for qualified nonprofit organizations in Montgomery County that expand resident and community food production capacity as a means of increasing local food security. Award amounts will vary, with a maximum award amount of $15,000. All funded activities must be implemented within 12 months and all grant agreements must be finalized by June 30, 2023.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Wednesday April 26, 2023 at 12:00 PM.
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Session: Wednesday May 3, 2023 from 3:45-5:00 PM (click here to view a recording of the event).
- Application Deadline: Wednesday May 24, 2023 (4 week application period) at 9:00 AM.
Program Downloads:
- Click here to download the full FY23 Community Gardening Grant Program Details document in .pdf format.
- Click here to download the slide deck from the FY23 Community Gardening Grant Program Information Session on Wednesday May 3, 2023.
Proposals must focus on increasing organizational capacity to provide resident access to yard, patio, and community gardening supplies, space, and education. Eligible activities include establishing new or renewed small-space food production locations, increasing access to culturally appropriate foods, providing gardening and nutrition education resources, engaging community residents directly in food production, and providing supplies to residents to enable them to grow their own produce in yards and/or on patios.
Priority for funding will focus on projects that:
- Establish new or renewed small-space food production locations, including:
- Private land, such as those owned by community based organizations, faith-based institutions, and educational institutions;
- Underutilized, unused, vacant, or abandoned lots in neighborhoods and municipal centers;
- Unused and abandoned plots in community gardens; and
- Other creative opportunities for land access or growing spaces, such as (but not limited to) vertical gardening and rooftop gardening.
- Increase access to culturally diverse foods and those that are more difficult to access in retail and food assistance settings in Montgomery County;
- Provide gardening and nutrition education resources, and engage community residents directly in food production;
- Demonstrate partnerships, including with the business community for in-kind or discounted supply purchases to increase the cost efficiency of programming; and
- Provide planting materials, containers, seeds, seedlings, gardening supplies and/or education to residents to enable them to grow their own produce in yards and/or on patios;
The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that demonstrate some of the following:
- Exhibit cultural proficiency;
- Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
- Use a racial equity lens in providing services.
Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
- The organization must be a Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status organization or a collaboration between two or more organizations with this status;
- The organization must be currently registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT);
- The organization’s principal place of business must be located in Montgomery County; if a national or regional organization, it must have a location in Montgomery County through which it provides related services;
- All activities and expenditures under this grant program must be provided in Montgomery County; and
- Current Montgomery County contract or grant award winners must be current on all reporting obligations for other awards and those reports must reflect substantial progress towards the goals of their awards.
Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a nonprofit designation to apply and all proposed services must take place within Montgomery County. Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups. County funding cannot be used to supplant other funding for already planned services. The full details, eligibility requirements, and other criteria can be found in the Program Details document that is downloadable above.
A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Wednesday May 3, 2023 from 3:30-5:00 PM. The event will be recorded and posted for applicants who miss the event or who wish to review it again. A link to the live and recorded event can be found above.
The application will consist of a:
- Program Summary – Organization mission and contact information
- Program Narrative – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
- Program Budget – Details of the implementation costs of the proposed program
- Budget Narrative/Justification – Brief explanation of the Program Budget
- Program Work Plan/Timeline – the proposed program implementation schedule
- Performance Plan – Outline of metrics to be collected, targets for each metric, and the data collection method for each metric as well as any qualitative evaluation methods
- Supporting Documents – Upload of background documents supporting proposal
- Application Certification, Acknowledgments, and Assurances – Confirmation of ethics considerations, legal terms, and the authenticity of the application
Grant applications will be reviewed by an independent committee organized by the Office of Grants Management made up of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, or project management. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the Program Details document with cumulative ranking determining the final awards.
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Click here to go to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here. If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing ali.hoy@montgomerycountymd.gov.