Grant Opportunities

The Rural Maryland Council has been allocated over $9,000,000 in the Fiscal Year 2025 State Operating Budget for the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) and the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF). We thank Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, and Speaker Adrienne Jones for prioritizing these funds, which will have a positive impact on the economic growth and sustainability of rural areas in Maryland.  

Fiscal Year 2025 Grant Cycle Is Open – Phase I (Letter of Intent) Deadline is Friday, May 17, 2024

RMC Grant Programs

The Rural Maryland Council offers two grant programs. The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) provides grants to rural-serving nonprofit organizations that promote statewide and regional planning; economic and community development; and agricultural and forestry education. Community colleges that provide enhanced training and technical assistance to support agricultural and small businesses are also eligible to apply. The goal of MAERDAF is to increase the overall capacity of rural serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges to meet a multitude of rural development challenges and to help them establish new public/private partnerships for leveraging non-state sources of funding.

The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) provides grants that 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. Resources provided to RMPIF are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation.

FY2025 Important Grant Dates

• Grant Process Opening: Monday, April 15, 2024
• Phase 1 – Call for Letter of Intent Deadline: Friday, May 17, 2024
  • Grantees will be notified the week of June 2, 2024, on the Phase 1 decision.
• Phase 2 – Full Application Deadline: Friday, July 12, 2024
  • Awards announced the week of August 12, 2024 (Note this date is subject to change)

FY2025 Grant Information Sessions – Register Today!

• Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 10:00am to 12:00pm by Zoom Teleconference – Register Here
• Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 12:00pm to 2:00pm in Northeast Maryland – Register Here
• Thursday, April 25,2024, 12:00pm to 2:00pm in Southern Maryland – Register Here
• Tuesday, April 30, 2024, 12:00pm to 2:00pm in Western Maryland – Register Here
• Thursday, May 2, 2024, 12:00pm to 2:00pm in Eastern Maryland – Register Here

FY2025 Grant Guidelines and Criteria 

• FY2025 RMC MAERDAF – Grant Guidelines and Criteria 
• FY2025 RMC RMPIF – Rural Infrastructure Grant Guidelines and Criteria
• FY2025 RMC RMPIF – Rural Entrepreneurship, Agriculture, Workforce and Cooperative Development Guidelines and Criteria
• FY2025 RMC RMPIF – Rural Health Grant Guidelines and Criteria
• FY2025 RMC RMPIF – Rural Regional Council Grant Guidelines and Criteria

FY2025 Grant Instructions

• MAERDAF Grant Instructions
• RMPIF Grant Instructions

FY2025 Grant Information Session Slides and Recording

• Grant Information Slide Deck – 4.17.2024
• Grant Information Session Zoom Teleconference – 4.17.24

Grant Forms for Phase II Applications Only (To be completed and uploaded in the grant portal)

FY2023 Grant Information Session Information and Session Recordings