Dr. MiltieAtlas by Dr. Miltie™Healthcare Grant Intelligence
Draft healthcare scope holdAtlas Opportunity Score 90/100
MD-DHCD-NOURISHMD-FY2027MarylandCapital & InfrastructureCommunity Health & Human ServicesEquipment & Vehicles

Maryland FY2027 NourishMD Grant Program

Maryland DHCD's FY2027 NourishMD Round 2 will open September 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST and close November 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST. The program offers $25,000 to $150,000 grants to eligible Maryland food retailers serving high-need fresh-food-access areas, with up to $3.67 million available, including $1.67 million tied to Maryland's Rural Health Transformation Program.

Funding$25,000-$150,000 per project; up to $3.67 million available ($2 million State funds plus $1.67 million Rural Health Transformation Program funds).
DeadlineNovember 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM (Tier 1). The September 22, 2026 DHCD public notice does not state a time zone; do not infer one. The portal opened September 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Last verifiedSeptember 24, 2026
Required next actionEligible Maryland food retailers should complete the Tier 1 eligibility application through the official NourishMD portal by November 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM after confirming a Fresh Food Gap Score of at least 65, operating-frequency requirements, healthy-food inventory or sales-space requirements, Maryland good standing, and any Rural Health Transformation rural-location requirements. The current DHCD public notice does not state a deadline time zone, so submit early rather than infer one. Tier 1 is an eligibility and community-need screen; only applicants that pass will advance to Tier 2. Do not treat website publication as customer outreach authorization or create post-outreach lifecycle actions from it.

Broad Eligibility

For-profit and nonprofit Maryland food retailers meeting the Round 2 requirements, including a Fresh Food Gap Score of at least 65, no more than 500 employees, Maryland good standing, qualifying operating-frequency requirements, and at least 20% healthy-food retail inventory or floor space. RHTP funding carries additional rural-location and federal-term requirements.

Atlas Analysis

Second-pass scope review: KEEP DRAFT. Official Maryland DHCD materials show a food-retail grant for fresh-food access, retailer equipment, build-out, SNAP/EBT technology, inventory, and delivery infrastructure. This is public-health-adjacent but not direct healthcare or school-health funding under Atlas rules. N9+ Fit 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit 0/100.

Opportunity Overview

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) FY2027 NourishMD Grant Program Round 2 is a statewide healthy-food-access funding opportunity for qualifying for-profit and nonprofit food retailers. The current RFA uses a two-tier application process and combines State GO Bond funding with Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program funding.

Current Status and Deadline

The official application portal is scheduled to open September 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST. Tier 1 applications are due November 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST. This Atlas record remains in draft until the official portal opens.

Funding

Round 2 offers grant awards from $25,000 to $150,000 per project. DHCD states that up to $3.67 million is available, consisting of $2 million in State funds and $1.67 million in Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program funds.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are for-profit and nonprofit businesses engaged in food retail that meet the RFA requirements, including a Fresh Food Gap Score of at least 65, Maryland good standing, no more than 500 employees, qualifying operating-frequency requirements, and a commitment to maintain at least 20% of food retail inventory or floor space in healthy food items. Eligible retailer types include grocery stores, corner stores, farm stands, farmers markets, CSAs, food co-ops, delivery retailers serving low-access populations, and qualifying small food-focused retail stores.

Eligible Uses

State funds may support qualifying equipment, refrigeration, shelving, renovation and build-out, inventory-expansion capital needs, working capital tied to expansion or construction, SNAP/EBT infrastructure, fresh-food-delivery vehicles, and certain energy improvements. Rural Health Transformation Program funding is more restricted and may support equipment, cold-storage or point-of-sale facility upgrades, SNAP/EBT infrastructure, approved marketing, delivery vehicles, and certain electrical or heat-pump improvements. Pre-harvest infrastructure is not eligible.

Application Structure

Tier 1 screens baseline eligibility and community need. Applicants advancing to Tier 2 must provide project narratives, detailed line-item budgets and vendor quotes, Articles of Incorporation and bylaws, SDAT proof of good standing, State tax registration documentation, IRS Form W-9, litigation or bankruptcy disclosures, and for RHTP applicants an attestation addressing duplication and supplantation.

Atlas Analysis

Atlas Opportunity Score: 90/100. NourishMD is a strong Maryland health-equity and nutrition-access opportunity with substantial statewide funding, direct alignment to fresh-food access, and a specific Rural Health Transformation Program funding component for eligible rural projects.

N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie, LLC is not a qualifying food retailer and there is no legitimate direct N9+ application path. Atlas value is strongest in grant intelligence and package support for eligible Maryland retailers.

Official source: Maryland DHCD — NourishMD Grant Program.

Source verificationOfficial government source · dhcd.maryland.govAtlas last verified this record September 24, 2026. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗