The Rural Maryland Council is inviting applicants for its Regional Planning and Development Councils Grant 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.
Donor Name: Rural Maryland Council
State: Maryland
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $600,000
Details:
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.
For Fiscal Year 2024, the State has budgeted $3,000,000 in General Funds for the Regional Planning and Development Council’s portion of the RMPIF program. However, grant awards are subject to funding availability.
Funding Information
Each regional council is eligible to receive $600,000 in FY2024 for rural regional planning and development assistance. The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund Grant Review Board will review any applications that may be received from a multicounty effort (Frederick, Carroll and Harford Counties) in areas not served by an existing regional council.
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 Regional Planning and Development Councils.