Maryland Environment Grants

This grant provides funding to local governments and nonprofit organizations in Maryland, West Virginia, and designated counties in Pennsylvania to support watershed restoration and planning projects that improve water quality and community sustainability.

This grant provides funding to states, territories, and Tribes to monitor beach water quality and inform the public about safety during recreational activities in coastal waters.

This grant provides funding to 501(c)(3) organizations in the Northeast and East Coast regions of the U.S. for projects focused on environmental sustainability, education, and cultural initiatives that enhance community well-being, particularly those related to bird habitats and open space preservation.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations that support immigrant rights, legal services, and holistic support for refugees and asylum seekers, particularly in Baltimore, the DC region, and New York.

This program provides financial incentives for residential and commercial property owners in Maryland to install battery energy storage systems, enhancing energy resilience and supporting the transition to clean energy.

This program provides funding to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants to upgrade their systems for better nitrogen removal, improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

This program provides financial assistance to eligible Maryland residents with low to moderate incomes for the installation of new solar energy systems at their primary homes.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations that work on climate justice initiatives, focusing on supporting communities of color and low-income populations in Baltimore City, the DC region, and New York.

The Chesapeake Oyster Innovation Award Program, offered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and supported by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, aims to increase knowledge of the value of oysters, advance technologies for increasing oyster populations or aquaculture production, and improve oyster population monitoring techniques. This program supports projects in Maryland and Virginia and welcomes requests from members of the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, including community organizations and both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The grant awards up to $10,000, with applications due by September 19, 2024. Match is encouraged but not required.

The Transportation Alternative and Recreational Use FY25 Grant, administered by the Maryland State Highway Administration, aims to fund transportation alternative and recreational use projects within the state. This federal grant offers 80% reimbursable funds, requiring a 20% match from project sponsors. Projects should enhance the intermodal transportation system or support recreational trails and amenities. Approximately 60% of the funds are allocated to projects within the jurisdictions of three Maryland Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs): The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, National Capitol Region Transportation Planning Board, and Wilmington Area Planning Council. Eligible sponsors include local governments, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, natural resource and public land agencies, school districts, tribal governments, and 501c(3) non-profit agencies. Project sponsors are responsible for all aspects of their project, including design, management, construction, and maintenance.

This grant provides funding for non-federal partners to model oyster larval transport and hydrodynamics in Herring Bay, Maryland, to support ecological restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Outreach and Restoration Grant Program encourages outreach, community engagement activities, and on-the-ground restoration projects that increase knowledge, change behavior, and accelerate stewardship of natural resources. Donor Name: Chesapeake Bay Trust State: Maryland County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/22/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Outreach and Restoration Grant Program is a partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Trust and BGE an Exelon Company, Charles County, the City of Baltimore Department of Public Works, the City of Gaithersburg, the City of Rockville, the City of Salisbury, Harford County, Howard County, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration, Queen Anne’s County, and Tradepoint Atlantic. The Outreach and Restoration Grant Program aims to engage a diverse range of organizations, both with community-related missions and environmental-focused missions, to implement community-led stewardship efforts that will increase public understanding of environmental challenges and solutions; address community environmental health disparities, implement demonstration-scale, community-inspired, on-the-ground restoration projects; and expand the base of public support necessary to advance the restoration and protection of Maryland’s bays, tributaries, and other natural resources. All projects should meet one or both of the following goals: Engage members of a specific audience in community sustainability and environmental health issues through knowledge-building or behavior-change efforts.  Accomplish on-the-ground restoration that will result in improvements to the health of a Maryland natural resource, either through water quality improvement or habitat enhancement. Types of Projects Applicants can request funds from one of the following tracks. Within any track, the Trust encourages projects that address the interconnectedness between the health of the environment and human health. They seek projects that provide water or other natural resource benefits along with co-benefits for human communities such as improved air quality, access to greenspace, reduced flooding, mitigating urban heat island effect, etc.  Funding Information  Applicants can request funds from one of the following tracks:  Track 1: Outreach/Knowledge Building (up to $50,000)  Track 2: Behavior Change (up to $75,000)  Track 3: Restoration (up to $100,000)  Track 4: Outreach and Restoration (up to $125,000) Geographical Areas This grant program funds projects throughout the entire state of Maryland. Funding for this program comes from several different partners, each of whom are looking for projects within their specific locations and areas of focus. Funding partners are seeking projects in Charles County, the City of Baltimore, the City of Gaithersburg, the City of Rockville, the City of Salisbury, Harford County, Howard County, Queen Anne’s County, southeast and southwest Baltimore County.  Eligibility Criteria The Trust and the funding partners welcome requests from the following applicants:  501(c)3 Private Nonprofit Organizations  Faith-based Organizations  Community and Homeowners Associations  Service, Youth, and Civic Groups  Federal, State, Regional, County, and Municipal Public Agencies  Soil/Water Conservation Districts & Resource Conservation and Development Councils  Forestry Boards  Public and Independent Higher Educational Institutions. For more information, visit Chesapeake Bay Trust.

The City of Frederick is excited to announce the launch of a new grant opportunity through the Department of Economic Development. Donor Name: City of Frederick State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/12/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The grant, called “ACCESS GRANTED,” is specifically designed to support and empower small minority, and women-owned businesses. This initiative is available to both start-up and established businesses in need of access to capital for a defined project that will help scale their business. By providing this financial assistance, The City of Frederick aims to foster a supportive and inclusive business environment that enables entrepreneurs to reach their full potential.  Preferences will be given to Small minority and/or woman owned business.  Physically located within The City of Frederick limits.  Funding Information The city has earmarked $400,000 to deploy as grants for this new program.  Eligibility Criteria To be eligible, businesses must meet the following criteria:  Be a registered for-profit business.  Be in good standing in the state of Maryland.  Have no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees For more information, visit City of Frederick.

The BNR Program provides funds to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for retrofitting or upgrading to include biological nitrification/denitrification facilities, aiming for an effluent concentration goal of 8 mg/l total nitrogen. The program encourages upgrades alongside Enhanced Nutrient Removal, funded by the Bay Restoration Fund grant. The Biological Nutrient Program (BNR) funds are targeted to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and provides funds to retrofit or upgrade WWTPs with biological nitrification/denitrification facilities to achieve a goal of annual average effluent concentration of 8 mg/l total nitrogen. The BNR upgrade is generally undertaken along with Enhanced Nutrient Removal upgrade using Bay Restoration Fund grant funding

Established in 1959, The Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation is committed to improving the human condition through promoting life-long educational opportunities and a spectrum of cultural programming. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking primarily in the Baltimore area, awarding grants to nonprofit organizations sponsoring high quality programs in three program areas: Arts and Culture, Youth Development, and Adult Self-Sufficiency. The Foundation provides support for programs and general operations and will occasionally consider requests for capital support. In Arts and Culture, the Foundation focuses on growing and diversifying audiences, increasing access to arts across age and income levels, and engaging young people as producers and consumers of arts and arts education. In Youth Development, the Foundation promotes recreation, learning and leadership development through out-of-school-time programs; supports pregnancy prevention and other policies and practices that improve outcomes for vulnerable youth. In the Adult Self-Sufficiency program area, the aim is to strengthen families by supporting adult literacy training, parenting programs and industry-specific job training and preparedness programs.

The Rural Maryland Council is accepting applications for 2025 Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund Grant: Regional Planning and Development Councils. Donor Name: Rural Maryland Council State: Maryland County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/17/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030 while preserving the best aspects of a cultural heritage and rural way of life. Resources provided to the Fund are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives. The Fund will serve the interests of the entire State by: Encouraging the increase of entrepreneurial activity and commerce and a balanced economy in the State; Relieving conditions of unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; Assisting in the retention of valuable farm and forest land for productive use by present and future generations; Promoting intergovernmental cooperation and public sector/private sector partnerships in and between rural and other areas; Enhancing the deployment of housing, transportation, water, wastewater, and broadband communications infrastructure and services in rural areas; Supporting rural commercial center redevelopment and community revitalization efforts; and, Generally promoting the health, happiness, safety, employment opportunity, and general welfare of the residents of each of the rural counties and municipal corporations of the State. Regional Councils: The General Assembly has established five regional planning and development councils to concentrate on the needs of specific rural regions and ensure that those areas are not overlooked in public policy discussions. Each council serves a three-county area that is geographically, culturally and socioeconomically similar. By working together and ignoring jurisdictional lines when need be, the rural regions have become stronger and more effective in finding solutions to the challenges before them. The regional councils have brought elected, civic, and business leaders in their regions together to help create economic development strategies, preserve and assist agricultural and resource-based industries, obtain federal funding for infrastructure improvements, coordinate and sometimes even manage regional transportation projects (including public transit services), and develop support for a diverse set of public policy initiatives. Rural regional planning and development assistance will provide grants specifically for projects and activities of the five rural regional planning and development councils and for other multi-county rural improvement efforts. The Councils have established strategic needs within the rural communities which will be reflected in the approved grant agreements. Funding Information Each regional council is eligible to receive $600,000 in FY2025 for rural regional planning and development assistance. Eligibility Criteria  Tri-County Council of Western Maryland, Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland, Upper Shore Regional Council, Mid-Shore Regional Council, Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, and multicounty efforts serving rural communities in areas not served by the regional councils. For more information, visit RMC.

This funding opportunity supports tree planting projects in urban, underserved communities in Maryland, aiming to improve livability and address climate change, with eligible applicants including nonprofits, schools, and local governments.

The Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County (“RDA”) is soliciting proposals from community-based 501 (c) (3) organizations for the Community Impact Grant (CIG) Program Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Funding Round. Donor Name: Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County State: Maryland County: Prince Georges County (MD) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/29/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Grant Category and Uses  The CIG Program provides grants to community-based organizations located in Prince George’s County to implement small innovative capital projects that revitalize and enhance communities and quality of life. Grants can not be used for operating or program costs, salaries, stipends or personnel expenses. Eligible project activities include: Neighborhood Beautification Streetscape, street furniture, pedestrian enhancements and recreational improvements Signage, banners and way-finding systems Commercial façade improvements Internal and/or external improvements to commercial buildings used by the public Permanent public art installations Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainability  Restoration of parks, streams and open space Urban agriculture and replenishment of tree canopy Green roofs, low impact development and storm water management Preservations of historic landmarks, structures and sites Funding Information The RDA has two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) available for county-wide project. Grant performance period is one year from the date of execution of a CIG Grant Agreement.  Eligibility Criteria Any civic/neighborhood association or community-based organization that is an incorporated 501C3, located within Prince George’s County, in good standing with the State of Maryland, can apply for funding. Prince George’s County government and affiliated entities are not eligible to apply. For more information, visit RDA.

This funding initiative provides financial support to businesses and organizations along the Route 40 corridor in Cecil County, Maryland, for exterior improvements and revitalization efforts, with a special focus on removing blighted structures.

The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030 while preserving the best aspects of cultural heritage and rural way of life. Donor Name: Rural Maryland Council State: Maryland County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/17/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Resources provided to RMPIF are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives. The Fund will serve the interests of the entire State by: Encouraging the increase of entrepreneurial activity and commerce and a balanced economy in the State; Relieving conditions of unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; Assisting in the retention of valuable farm and forest land for productive use by present and future generations; Promoting intergovernmental cooperation and public sector/private sector partnerships in and between rural and other areas; Enhancing the deployment of housing, transportation, water, wastewater, and broadband communications infrastructure and services in rural areas; Supporting rural commercial center redevelopment and community revitalization efforts; and, Generally promoting the health, happiness, safety, employment opportunity, and general welfare of the residents of each of the rural counties and municipal corporations of the State. Funding Information For Fiscal Year 2025, the State has budgeted $1,500,000 in General Funds for the entrepreneurship portion of the RMPIF program. Eligible Expenditures Salaries and Wages are allowable expenses. It is strongly encouraged to include a statement on sustainability for future years. Administrative costs including construction, leasing, and renovation of buildings are eligible expenses Acquisition of land is not. The purchase or rental of vehicles are eligible expenses. The purchase of equipment is an eligible expense. These administrative expenses should not exceed more than 25% of the grant request. Quotes for purchases and construction work should be included. Meals are allowable if the costs are reasonable and a justification is provided that such activity maintains the continuity of the meeting and to do otherwise will impose arduous conditions on the meeting participants. Indirect administrative costs are capped at 10%. Eligibility Criteria  Applicants must be a local government, institute of higher education, regional council, or be a 501(c)(3) IRS tax designation or similar and serve a regional or statewide rural constituency. Community Colleges, Career Technology Centers, Regional Councils, and Libraries are eligible applicants. The applicant does not have to be located in a rural area or in the area it serves. For more information, visit RMC.