Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces over $600,000 in Grants to Support Greater Food Access in Massachusetts
Funding will expand urban farms, community gardens, and food infrastructure improvements across the state
BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $600,000 in funding to support greater food access to residents in underserved Massachusetts communities by expanding urban farms, community gardens, and food business operations in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is awarding grants through the Urban Agriculture Program and the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program to 16 organizations including urban farms and community gardens that will help strengthen the local food system and address food insecurity. The two programs are essential to increasing the production of locally grown food, expanding retail and distribution channels, and distributing healthy, nutritious, local food to underserved communities across Massachusetts.
“These two MDAR grant programs make our local food system more resilient by lessening our dependency on outside food production,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “More local food production in our urban neighborhoods will ensure that residents have greater access to fresh produce, improving their well-being. Providing resources to help food enterprises grow enhances their ability to feed their communities.”
The Urban Agriculture Program supports urban agriculture initiatives in cities of all sizes in Massachusetts. The grants will fund projects to urban farms and community gardens to increase their capacity for food production, allowing them to provide more fresh, healthy, local food to low- to-moderate income communities.
The Massachusetts Food Ventures Program helps increase food access by funding processing infrastructure, distribution channels, and retail outlet strategies at local food enterprises. Awardees will receive funds for capital expenditures ranging from specialized equipment needed to scale up food production to food packaging and commercial kitchen/incubator space. These projects will also foster job creation and expansion of food access and distribution in low- to moderate-income areas.
“Investing in urban agriculture and food ventures is not just about increasing food access; it’s about empowering
communities to build healthier, more resilient futures,” said Senator Robyn Kennedy (D - First Worcester). “These funds will help close the gap in food equity by supporting innovative solutions that bring fresh, local food to neighborhoods that need it most through programs at REC, SECMA, and Common Ground.”
“I’m thrilled to see Eastie Farm and other local organizations benefit from the incredible support of the Healey Administration and its commitment to strengthening our food systems,” said State Representative Adrian C. Madaro (D – East Boston). “These grants will support critical food access in communities across the Commonwealth and address food insecurity.”
The following are the Urban Agriculture Program grant recipients for 2025:
Organization Name | Project Type | Award |
REC | Purchase of farmland | $60,000 |
Codman Square NDC | Building of retaining walls on urban farm | $46,500 |
Eastie Farm | Build-out of mushroom production center | $40,011 |
We Grow Microgreens | Build-out of permanent farm stand | $39,500 |
Groundwork Southcoast | Raised beds, tools for community garden | $19,800 |
The Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts | Infrastructure for mushroom production | $11,472 |
Mill City Grows | Soil, fencing | $20,000 |
Trustees of Reservations | Irrigation, soil | $20,000 |
Groundwork Lawrence | Soil, tools | $12,923 |
City of Salem | Tools, equipment, and small greenhouse | $6,754 |
Mattapan Food & Fitness Coalition | Small greenhouses, food production equipment | $10,655 |
Worcester Common Ground | Building insulation and equipment | $12,382 |
The following are the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program grant recipients for 2025:
Organization Name | Project Type | Award |
Franklin County CDC | Blast freezer, equipment | $89,423 |
Boston Area Gleaners | Build out of loading dock | $125,000 |
Eastie Farm | Electric Vehicle | $42,000 |
Chatham Light Fisheries | Refrigerated delivery van | $56,015 |
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