Equitable Food Access Initiative: Home Delivered Meals Grant Program

The Equitable Food Access Initiative: Home Delivered Meals is a funding opportunity issued by the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health), through its Community Health Administration (CHA) and Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Bureau. The program seeks to advance food equity for District residents by improving food access and nutritional outcomes through home-delivered meals tailored to medical and dietary needs. This initiative reflects CHA's broader mission to address health disparities and promote disease prevention by targeting vulnerable populations with chronic conditions influenced by poor nutrition and limited access to healthy foods. DC Health is soliciting applications from qualified community-based nonprofit organizations and for-profit entities providing direct food distribution services. The grant supports the implementation of evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions designed to deliver medically tailored meals to at least 1,000 District residents aged 18 and older who are at risk of, or diagnosed with, chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. These services are aimed especially at residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8—areas identified as having the highest burden of food insecurity and chronic disease. The initiative also allows for services to caregivers and dependents of these individuals. Organizations must be located in the District of Columbia and demonstrate the capacity to serve these target populations effectively. Eligible applicants must integrate a minimum of one activity in each domain of the chronic disease framework: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches; Community-Clinical Linkages; Health Systems Interventions; and Data and Surveillance. Activities must include the delivery of free, home-delivered, medically tailored meals reviewed by Registered Dietitians and aligned with dietary guidelines from authoritative bodies. Applicants are required to source at least 10% of produce from local vendors and develop formal referral systems connecting recipients to local and federal food programs such as SNAP, WIC, and community-based nutrition markets. A critical aspect of the initiative includes establishing partnerships with at least five federally qualified health centers or community organizations and developing strategic alliances with at least five entities to educate healthcare providers about the importance of medically tailored meals. Data collection and program evaluation are required, including hospital outcome tracking, medication adherence, emergency room visits, and community impact reporting. Applicants must provide quarterly and annual reports and ensure the integration of evaluation outcomes into program decisions. The total funding for the first year is $1,335,000, with a single award anticipated. The period of performance begins October 1, 2026, and ends September 30, 2027, with the potential for four additional 12-month budget periods, contingent on available funding and performance. No cost-sharing or matching is required for this grant. The application window opened on March 13, 2026, and will close at 3:00 PM on April 21, 2026. Applications must be submitted through DC Health’s EGMS portal. A pre-application meeting is optional but recommended. The anticipated award notification date is June 29, 2026. Required components for submission include a detailed project narrative, budget and justification, evaluation plan, staffing plan, letters of support, logic model, and assurances. Contact for this opportunity is Jo-Ann Jolly, Division Chief, at [email protected]. Applicants must be registered in both SAM and EGMS, and have a valid Tax ID and UEI. Funding is contingent on legislative authorization through the FY27 Local Budget Act and subject to compliance with all DC Health and federal grant conditions.

Ensure strong focus on partnerships, data collection, health equity in food access, and detailed evaluation strategies.