BMORE Beautiful Care-A-Lot Program

The Care-A-Lot Grant Program, administered by BMORE Beautiful, is designed to support community groups and organizations that have the capacity to maintain vacant lots in Baltimore City. The program prioritizes Mayor and City-Owned vacant lots but also includes community-owned and private nuisance lots (with permission from the lot owner). Eligible applicants can receive funding of up to $6,325, depending on the number of vacant lots maintained. The funding value is calculated at $23 per lot visit for a total of 11 visits per lot during the grant period. A vacant lot in this context is defined as a parcel of land in Baltimore City that has no building or structures but has an assigned address. These lots can be singular or connected parcels. The program offers support for maintaining various types of lots, including small pocket parks, community-owned vacant lots, and private nuisance lots, but excludes lots used for personal purposes or assigned to Baltimore City Recreation & Parks. The application process is competitive and requires that applicants meet certain eligibility criteria. To apply, organizations must be a registered IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity in good standing with the State of Maryland. If the applicant is not directly registered, they may identify a fiscal sponsor meeting these criteria. The organization must also have a principal place of business within Baltimore City. Teams applying for the grant must consist of at least two people committed to reporting, invoicing, and implementing the grant throughout the 2025 growing season. Selected applicants are required to meet specific program requirements, such as having access to a reliable mower. While applicants may apply for equipment funding up to $500, such funding is not guaranteed. Participants must maintain the approved lots according to a defined schedule—once in April and twice monthly from May to September—providing services like mowing, litter collection, and planting. Maintenance logs and invoices must be submitted for each visit, and late submissions may not be processed. The key dates for the program are as follows: the application evaluation and lot verification period runs from January 13 to February 28, 2025. The application deadline is 5 pm on February 28, 2025, with a virtual interest meeting scheduled for January 23, 2025. Grant notifications and agreements will be released between March 11 and 13, 2025, and applicants must submit signed agreements by March 24, 2025. The Care-A-Lot season will begin on April 12, 2025, and end on September 30, 2025.