Montgomery County has launched the FY26 Food Aggregation Grant Program to help small local farms expand access to institutional buyers such as schools, hospitals, and senior centers.
Administered by the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience, the program seeks to address challenges faced by small-scale farmers who cannot meet large-volume purchasing requirements on their own. The County is seeking experienced food aggregators to establish and operate a local facility that would combine products from multiple farms, allowing them to be sold at an institutional scale. The program includes up to $550,000 in first-year funding, with up to $1.6 million anticipated over four years, and is supported in part by state funding through Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation.
County officials said the initiative is intended to strengthen the regional food system, support family-owned farms, and help institutions meet state targets for purchasing locally sourced food. County Executive Marc Elrich and other leaders noted that food aggregation facilities can improve market access, shorten supply chains, and increase food security. The program also aligns with regional efforts supported by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to encourage local food procurement. Eligible applicants must demonstrate experience in institutional contracting and food distribution, and the application process includes eligibility and viability reviews, with a virtual information session scheduled for February 12 and a first-phase deadline of February 20.
