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Rural Maryland Council Announces Fiscal Year 2021 Grant Recipients

Press Release

Contact: Charlotte Davis, (410) 841-5774

The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) supports Rural Maryland Council’s activities including the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), and the State’s five Regional Councils. RMPIF is designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. MAERDAF provides capacity building grants to rural serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges that promote statewide and regional planning, health care, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education.

Total Requested: 179 Applications $14,679,005
Total Awarded: 73 Grants $6,010,510

Due to COVID-19 and with guidance from the Department of Budget and Management, the Rural Maryland Council will allocate grant funds in two disbursements in FY21. The first disbursement (Disbursement #1), containing 93% of the grant award, will be released in October/November 2020 and the second disbursement (Disbursement #2), containing the remaining 7% of the award, will be released in April 2021. Note that Disbursement #2 of the grant awards are subject to funding availability.

Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund: 34 Grants

= $4,808,170

Rural Maryland Council: 1 Grant = Disbursement #1:

$455,248/Disbursement #2: $32,457

Founded in 1994, the Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the state’s federally designated rural development council and functions as a voice for Rural Maryland-advocating, educating, and helping rural communities and businesses across the state to flourish and to gain equity to its suburban and urban counterparts. The Council administers the RMPIF and MAERDAF grant programs. Additionally, the Council conducts research activities to understand rural challenges and outreach to engage rural residents in developing solutions to these challenges and convenes groups to identify solutions through consensus and coalition building.

RMC operates under the direction of a 40-member Executive Board in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. The Council’s vision is a future where all of Rural Maryland is prosperous with thriving resources, vibrant economies, and healthy, connected communities. The organizational goals are to:

  • Encourage healthy, connected communities throughout Rural Maryland through convening stakeholders, education, public relations, and advocacy;
  • Support the development and growth of vibrant economies in Rural Maryland;
  • Foster stewardship of Maryland’s natural resources; and,
  • Maximize outreach, resources, and mission through financial and organizational

Regional Councils: 5 Grants = Disbursement #1:

$1,820,993/Disbursement #2: $129,827

One-third of RMPIF support the State’s five regional councils: Tri-County Council of Western Maryland, Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, Upper Shore Regional Council, Mid-Shore Regional Council, and the Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Regional Council activities funded through this Fund, include:

  • Equity lending
  • Transportation software and systems
  • Regional agricultural development and education
  • Economic and small business development activities
  • Rural economic research

The RMPIF grant program has three focus area-Health Care, Entrepreneurship, and Infrastructure. In FY2021, this program received 65 applications totaling $8,172,358.00 in requests. Of these requests, 28 grants totaling $2,727,442.67 were awarded.

RMPIF Health Care: 15 Grants = $971,998

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission $34,583 $2,466 $37,049
Asian American Center of Frederick $46,673 $3,328 $50,000
Brook Lane Health Services $140,018 $9,983 $150,000
Calvert Health Foundation $37,388 $2,662 $40,000
Charles Regional Medical Center

Foundation

$37,730 $2,690 $40,420
Delmarva Community Services $99,879 $7,121 $107,000
Family & Children’s Services of Central

Maryland

$140,018 $9,983 $150,000
For All Seasons, Inc. $74,676 $5,324 $80,000
Ivy & Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. $8,966 $639 $9,605
Maintaining Active Citizens, Inc $58,341 $4,159 $62,500
Sagepoint Senior Services Foundation $44,899 $3,201 $48,100
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Foundation $93,345 $6,655 $100,00
Western Maryland Area Health

Education Center

$23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Worcester County Health Department $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
YMCA of Chesapeake, Inc. $44,174 $3,149 $47,324

*Subject to funding availability

RMPIF Entrepreneurship: 7 Grants = $892,134

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
Chesapeake Culinary Center $5,128 $366 $5,494
Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Eastern Shore Innovation Center $126,016 $8,984 $135,000
Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. $105,013 $7,487 $112,500

 

Maryland Small Business Development Center, Northern

Region at Harford Community College

$210,026 $14,974 $225,000
The College of Southern Maryland $255,765 $18,235 $274,000
Upper Shore Regional Council $107,477 $7,663 $115,140

 

RMPIF Infrastructure: 6 Grants = $848,311

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
City of Crisfield $59,974 $4,276 $64,250
Pocomoke City $140,018 $9,983 $150,000
Talbot County Department of Public Works $397,650 $28,350 $426,000
Smith Island United $93,345 $6,655 $100,000
Town of Hancock $58,771 $4,190 $62,961
Town of Hurlock $42,099 $3,001 $45,100

*Subject to funding availability

Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural

Development Assistance Fund: 39 Grants = $844,543

MAERDAF Agricultural and Forestry Education: 12 Grants = $210,340

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
Chesapeake College Foundation $10,268 $732 $11,000
Frederick CTC FFA Alumni, Inc. $3,967 $283 $4,250
LEAD Maryland Foundation $25,670 $1,830 $27,500
Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation $18,408 $1,312 $19,720
Maryland Forests Association, Inc. $30,337 $2,163 $32,500
Maryland Horse Foundation $14,002 $998 $15,000
MPT Foundation, Inc. $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Philips Wharf Environmental Center $4,667 $333 $5,000

 

Sassafras Environmental Education

Center

$7,934 $566 $8,500
Steam Onward Inc. $10,968 $782 $11,750
Western Maryland RC&D $36,358 $2,592 $38,950
Western Maryland RC&D $10,427 $743 $11,170

 

MAERDAF Community and Economic Development: 21 Grants = $530,151

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
Allegany College of Maryland $19,369 $1,381 $20,750
Community Foundation of Howard County $18,669 $1,331 $20,000
Community Mediation Maryland $46,673 $3,328 $50,000
Community Support Systems, Inc. $7,934 $566 $8,500
Crisfield Arts & Entertainment District Project $7,934 $566 $8,500
Garrett County Arts Council, Inc. $18,299 $1,305 $19,604
Habitat for Humanity Choptank, Inc. $12,415 $885 $13,300
Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Habitat for Humanity, Susquehanna $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Historic St. Mary’s City Foundation $19,789 $1,411 $21,200
Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s $12,135 $865 $13,000
Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area, Inc. $32,671 $2,329 $35,000
Lower Shore Land Trust $10,639 $758 $11,397
Maryland Food Bank, Eastern Shore $9,335 $666 $10,000
Maryland Rural Development Corporation $37,338 $2,662 $40,000
Ocean City Development

Corporation

$29,777 $2,123 $31,900
Preservation Maryland $20,536 $1,464 $22,000
Shore Up, Inc $23,336 $1,664 $25,000
Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland $28,004 $1,997 $30,000

 

Vehicles for Change, Inc. $46,673 $3,328 $50,000
Western Maryland RC&D $46,673 $3,328 $50,000

*Subject to funding availability

 

MAERDAF Healthcare: 6 Grants = $119,052

Awardee Disbursement #1 Disbursement #2* Total Award
Bay Community Support Services, Inc. $23,995 $1,711 $25,706
Channel Marker, Inc $18,571 $1,324 $19,895
For All Seasons, Inc. $46,673 $3,328 $50,000
Jesse Klump Memorial Fund, Inc. $5,787 $413 $6,200
National Ski Patrol-Eastern Division- Wisp Ski Patrol $8,868 $632 $9,501
Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. $7,234 $516 $7,750

*Subject to funding availability

For More Information, visit the RMC website: www.rural.maryland.gov

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