Detroit-based farmers now have access to $225,000 in grant funding through a new collaboration between the Eastern Market Partnership and the City of Detroit’s Office of Sustainability Urban Agriculture Division.
The funding aims to advance food access in Detroit, a city with higher-than-average food insecurity rates. Funding will be prioritized to Black- and Indigenous-led farms, youth-led projects, and initiatives rooted in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Eligible projects include educational workshops, farm tours, composting programs, soil health education, food safety trainings, cooking demonstrations, youth programming, and more, according to a press release. Applications for the grant awards opened Sept. 26 and will remain open through October 30th. Three collectives will be granted $50,000 each, and five individual farmers $15,000 each.
“Urban farming is central to Detroit’s future,” Katy Trudeau, Eastern Market president and CEO said in the Friday press release. “By directing resources to growers, we are building stronger food systems, healthier communities and more resilient neighborhoods.”
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Detroit has more than 2,200 gardens and farms, but many households struggle with accessing affordable and healthy foods. According to the Detroit Food Policy Council, approximately 69% of Detroit households experience food insecurity.
Detroit Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway directed funding toward the project, which she said will help bridge the gap for people struggling to access fresh food in Detroit.
“Growing up, my family and I could walk to a neighborhood grocery store for fresh food,” Whitfield-Calloway said in a press release. “Today, our local gas stations have evolved into our grocery stores, operating as mini markets. My priority is taking care of our families. That’s why I advocate at the council table for stronger food systems and proudly support investments in Detroit-based farmers.”
Whitfield-Calloway also proposed an ordinance in 2023 to promote more fresh food at dollar stores, which many Detroiters rely on for food.
She said the $225,000 will “help bridge the gap, sustain our farmers, assist them in scaling up, and promote knowledge sharing across our communities.”
The initiative also supports Eastern Market’s broader strategy to grow opportunities for Detroit farmers, according to the press release, including the revitalization of Shed 7 in the district into a wholesale distribution center with more cold storage for Detroit-based farmers. Shed 7 is expected to open in spring 2026. Another strategy of Eastern Market to increase support for Detroit farmers is dedicated vending space at Saturday Markets, according to the press release.
Pre-pandemic Eastern Market had 54 Detroit-based growers, , according to a report from the Detroit Food Policy Council. The number dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic to eight, but rose again. As of 2023, the number was 44 farmers.
According to the same reports, the number of community gardens, farmers markets and farm stands in Detroit have also grown in recent years.
The grassroots Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, spearheaded by nonprofits Detroit Black Food Security Network (DBCFSN), Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and Keep Growing Detroit has also been successful in recent years, expanding support for Detroit farmers. Through financial and technical assistance, the DBFLF has helped Black Detroit farmers secure more than 20 acres of land since the fund’s launch in 2020.
Applications for the grants are available here. Winners will be announced in November.