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Find similar grantsMass Food Venture Program is sponsored by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Supports food ventures in low or moderate-income communities, including community kitchens and farmers markets.
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Massachusetts Food Ventures Program 2026 — Massachusetts Department... Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Massachusetts Food Ventures Program 2026 This program provides funding to Massachusetts-based organizations and individuals to improve access to healthy food and create economic opportunities in low- to moderate-income communities.
The Massachusetts Food Ventures Program (MFVP), managed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), is a state-funded initiative under the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The program is designed to enhance access to healthy, affordable food options and expand economic opportunities in low- to moderate-income communities across Massachusetts.
It aligns with the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan and supports local food enterprises that source Massachusetts-grown, harvested, or caught food. Through collaborations between local agricultural enterprises and public or private entities, the MFVP aims to strengthen the food system's infrastructure and promote equitable food access. The MFVP offers competitive reimbursement grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.
A 50 percent cash match of the total project cost is required, with matching funds needing to be secured before disbursement. The funds are intended strictly for project costs, excluding rent, operations, maintenance, or previously completed work. Eligible expenditures include infrastructure development for food processing, commissaries, food co-ops, food hubs, and innovative mobile markets, among others.
Projects must prioritize service to low- to moderate-income populations and must accept SNAP benefits where applicable. First-time applicants and those who have not received prior MDAR funding are given preference, while returning applicants must demonstrate the outcomes of previous funding.
Applicants eligible for the grant include Massachusetts municipalities, non-profit and for-profit organizations based in Massachusetts, and individual Massachusetts residents. All applicants must either own the property for the project or have a lease agreement demonstrating long-term usage rights. Site visits are required prior to final award determinations to verify proposal details.
Successful applicants will be bound by a contract that includes quarterly and final reporting requirements, and must complete all project work by June 30, 2026. Applications are due by 4:00 PM on May 28, 2025. They can be submitted either online via COMMBUYS or by mailing a hard copy to MDAR.
No email submissions are allowed. The application must include detailed project descriptions, budgets with proof of matching funds, business and marketing plans, and evaluation methods. Additional attachments include resumes, architectural plans, lease agreements, financial documents, and letters of commitment from partners.
Construction projects require further documentation, such as architectural designs and permits. Projects will be evaluated based on feasibility, alignment with MFVP goals, job creation, market need, community benefit, sourcing from Massachusetts growers, and readiness to begin. Applicants must also complete or be prepared to complete various standard forms upon selection, such as tax and banking documentation.
Environmental justice considerations are encouraged and factored into program tracking, though they do not affect eligibility. For assistance, applicants may contact Rose Arruda at [email protected] or 617-851-3644. Additional resources and instructions are available via the COMMBUYS portal and Mass.
gov. Awards are expected to be announced in September 2025, with contracts executed shortly after.
Yes - 50% of total project cost No funds for rent, overhead, operations, or previously completed work Expenditures must be completed by June 30, 2026 City or township governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Eligible applicants include Massachusetts-based municipalities, for-profit and non-profit organizations, and individual residents.
Projects must be based in Massachusetts and serve low- to moderate-income communities.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Food ventures in Massachusetts, primarily in low or moderate-income communities. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $1,000,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Mass Food Venture Program is funded by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Massachusetts. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Massachusetts Urban Agriculture Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) that funds commercial projects to increase the production, processing, and marketing of produce in urban areas across the Commonwealth. Priority areas include soil management, land acquisition, farm equipment, marketing and distribution, green infrastructure, innovative growing technologies like aquaponics and vertical farming, and organic farming transitions. Projects must represent long-term capital investments and foster youth development, small business development, and job training. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public or nonprofit educational or public health institutions, and established urban farmers with more than three years of commercial urban farming experience. Recent awards ranged from $20,000 to $30,000. Backyard produce or livestock raised for personal consumption is not funded.
Urban Agriculture Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) that funds commercial urban agriculture projects designed to increase production, processing, and marketing of locally grown produce across Massachusetts cities. The program prioritizes strategies to address food insecurity and expand access to fresh, local produce in urban neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-to-moderate income residents. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public or nonprofit educational or public health institutions, and established urban farmers with more than three years of commercial urban farming experience. Awards go up to $50,000, with the application deadline on July 15, 2026.
The Cummings Foundation's flagship program will award $35 million to roughly 150 eastern-Massachusetts nonprofits in 2027, up from $30 million — and nearly all of it now flows as unrestricted general operating support. Letters of Inquiry opened July 15 and close September 16, 2026. Here is who qualifies, how the multi-year and 10-year tracks work, and how to write an LOI that survives the first cut.
Read articleCummings Foundation grew its annual local program from $30 million to $35 million for 2026 awards, but the dollar increase is the smaller story. Nearly every grant now flows as unrestricted general operating support — the funding nonprofits ask for most and receive least. For eligible Massachusetts organizations, the 2027 cycle opens July 15 with a September 16 letter-of-inquiry deadline. Here is who qualifies, why the shift to operating support changes the calculus, and how a small nonprofit should approach a program that hands out 150 grants a year, most of them chosen by community volunteers.
Read articleThe Cummings Foundation lifted its flagship local grant program from $30M to $35M for 2026, citing government funding cuts and rising costs, while shifting nearly all of its 150 grants to unrestricted general operating support. Here is who qualifies, how the July-to-January application cycle works, and how a Massachusetts nonprofit should build a competitive letter of inquiry.
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