Small Business Hospitality & Community Grant Opportunity

Small Business Hospitality & Community Grant Opportunity is sponsored by Various (Aggregator listing, specific funder not identified in search results). This funding opportunity supports small businesses operating within the United States, with a focus on community-based ventures that are actively developing.

Abell Foundation Grants ProgramOpen The Abell Foundation provides grant funding to nonprofits, government agencies, and fiscally sponsored projects that operate programs in Baltimore City, working to enhance the quality of life in Baltimore.

The program has two tracks: Small Grants (requests of $10,000 or less, reviewed on a rolling basis with no deadline, decisions communicated within 60 days of submission) and Regular Grants (requests greater than $10,000, reviewed at one of five annual Board meetings per year on a set schedule).

Grants support a range of activities including seed funding for innovative pilots and startups, ongoing community programs and services, capital improvements, general operating support, and outreach and advocacy efforts. First-time Small Grant applicants must attend an information session before submitting. First-time Regular Grant applicants must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) before a full application.

Past Regular Grants have ranged from $20,000 to $350,000. In addition to grant funding, the Foundation supports nonprofit partners through connections to local and national networks and the team's deep experience in Baltimore. Grants cannot go to individuals or for-profit businesses, and the Foundation typically does not fund scholarships, fellowships, sponsorships, deficit financing, endowments, or travel.

Abell Foundation Private grant Accreditation Support FundOpen Maryland's Accreditation Support Fund, administered by the Maryland State Department of Education's Division of Early Childhood, provides financial support to help licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes cover costs associated with pursuing state or national accreditation.

The fund includes two tracks: (1) National Accreditation Support covers required application fees for initial applications, renewals, and annual updates — Family Child Care providers may apply as a first step toward NAFCC accreditation; recognized accrediting bodies include AMS, AMI/USA, AIMS, AWSNA, Cognia, COA/ASA, Lumen, MSDE, MSA-CESS, NAC, NAEYC, NAFCC, and NECPA; (2) Maryland Program Accreditation Support covers the cost of non-consumable instructional materials for licensed child care centers and school-age only programs pursuing Maryland Accreditation, with reimbursement caps of $2,500 (programs serving ≤100 children) or $3,000 (programs serving >100 children) per accreditation cycle.

Funds cannot be used for facility improvement, association membership fees, staff training, costs already covered by another funding source, or costs exceeding the fee charged by the accrediting organization.

Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood State grant subsidy Affordable Housing Trust Fund – Community Land Trust Homeownership NOFA (Round 5)Open The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) makes up to $8 million available from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to support homeownership projects sponsored by Community Land Trusts (CLTs).

Qualified applicants can request up to $2 million per project. Up to $500,000 is also available for CLT operating costs (maximum $100,000 per CLT entity). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2026 or until all funds are allocated.

Award notifications are provided within 90 days of application submission. Prior rounds offered up to $8. 1 million with a per-project cap of $1 million, reflecting the program's recurring nature.

Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development Local grant African American Heritage Preservation Program GrantsOpen The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) provides capital grants to help preserve buildings, sites, and communities significant to African American history and culture in Maryland.

The program funds activities such as preserving or acquiring historically significant properties, restoring or rehabilitating historic sites, developing new facilities to interpret African American history, stabilizing endangered properties, and pre-construction planning work. The program is jointly administered by the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC).

Typically, the program has an annual budget of $5 million for grants. The FY27 round is currently open for applications from individuals and organizations. Maryland Historical Trust State grant Apprenticeship Opportunity Program (AOP)Open Howard County's Apprenticeship Opportunity Program (AOP) provides financial incentives to eligible businesses and nonprofits that create, reactivate, or enhance a registered apprenticeship program.

Employers can receive $5,000 per apprentice hired, up to $20,000 per employer, to offset startup costs such as recruitment, training and related instruction, onboarding, mentoring, tools, gear, and uniforms. The program focuses on growing apprenticeships in high-demand industries like electrical, education, and healthcare, and encourages employers to develop a skilled local workforce.

Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. In 2024–2025, the program awarded $285,000 in total incentives supporting 26 active apprenticeship sponsors and 57 new registered apprentices.

Howard County Office of Workforce Development County grant training Arundel Community Reinvestment (ACR) FundOpen The ACR Fund provides zero-interest loans to spur economic activity and improvement in Anne Arundel County's Commercial Revitalization Districts, including the Glen Burnie Town Center, parts of the City of Annapolis, the County's Enterprise Zone in Brooklyn Park, and designated commercial corridors in South County.

AAEDC also leverages Maryland's Project Restore funding to help activate vacant commercial properties in eligible areas. In addition to financing, the program includes professional architectural services from a commercial revitalization firm.

Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC)County loan grant other-technical-assistance Bay Restoration Fund (BRF)Open The Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) provides grants to replace conventional septic tanks with nitrogen-reducing Best Available Technology (BAT) units, including a two-year operations and maintenance package, or to fund sewer connections for existing dwellings where public sewer is available.

The program's goal is to reduce harmful nutrients like nitrogen that septic systems discharge into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Talbot County locally administers the state-supported program.

Talbot County Department of Public Works County grant Bay Restoration Fund Grant Program (Septic System Upgrade Grants)Open The Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) Grant Program helps Baltimore County property owners upgrade their septic systems with Best Available Technology (BAT) for nitrogen removal, or connect to public sewer. The goal is to reduce nutrients flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

Priority is given to failing systems in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area (CBCA — property within 1,000 feet of mean high tide), but other septic systems may also qualify depending on available funding. Grants cover the full cost and installation of a BAT septic system plus two years of maintenance, or the cost of connecting to public sewer including connection fees and permits.

Residential properties with household income under $300,000 per year and all non-profit entities receive 100% funding; non-residential properties receive 50% funding of project cost. Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability County grant Bike Rack Grant ProgramOpen The City of Rockville provides free bicycle racks to businesses, property owners, and non-profits near their storefronts.

The city purchases and installs inverted-U style bike racks either in public rights-of-way or on private property (with a signed agreement). Racks are distributed on a first come, first served basis and are meant for public use, available to anyone at any time. Business owners or property managers who lack bicycle parking near their shop or office may apply to receive a rack provided and installed at no cost.

City of Rockville Local grant Bright Start - Childcare Grant ProgramOpen A grant program established by the City of Hagerstown to expand access to high-quality childcare within the City's Sustainable Communities Area. The program reduces financial barriers for childcare operators seeking to open new facilities or expand existing services.

City of Hagerstown, Department of Planning and Economic Development Local grant C3 Climate Catalytic Capital Fund – Investment Window 3 (IW3): Project Feasibility GrantOpen Investment Window 3 (IW3) provides grant funding for early-stage pre-development work that turns a clean energy concept into a financeable project.

Many clean energy projects never reach the financing stage because feasibility analysis, engineering studies, design, financial modeling, and permitting are too costly to fund out of pocket. IW3 fills that gap by funding work that produces a clear answer about whether and how a project will move forward.

Maryland Clean Energy Center State grant Cannabis Business Assistance Fund (CBAF)Open The Cannabis Business Assistance Loan/Grant Fund (CBAF) is a financing resource operated by the Maryland Department of Commerce. It provides grants and loans to small businesses — including small, minority-owned, and small women-owned businesses — entering the adult-use cannabis industry.

CBAF also provides grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for cannabis-related programs and to business development organizations, including incubators, to train and assist small businesses, minority and women business owners, and entrepreneurs seeking to become licensed in the adult-use cannabis industry.

The current active funding opportunity is the Social Equity Conditional Licensee Grant, which delivers milestone-based grant disbursements in four tranches to Social Equity Applicants awarded a conditional Maryland Cannabis License.

Maximum grant amounts vary by license type: Dispensary (Standard up to $131,250; Micro up to $43,750), Processor (Standard up to $183,750; Micro up to $61,250), Grower/Cultivator (Standard up to $525,000; Micro up to $175,000).

Maryland Department of Commerce State grant loan training CareQuest Philanthropy: Grants in Oral HealthOpen CareQuest Institute for Oral Health offers funding for projects that address complex and upstream drivers of oral health disparities. Priority populations include racial and ethnic minorities, rural communities, people with disabilities, and older adults.

Projects should demonstrate intent toward responding to the needs of historically marginalized communities. CareQuest Institute for Oral Health Private grant Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)Open The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses child and adult care agencies with federally-funded dollars for meals and snacks that comply with USDA nutrition standards and meal patterns.

The program provides nutritionally balanced meals to young children enrolled at childcare centers, daycare homes, afterschool care programs, and emergency shelters, as well as to older adults and people with chronic disabilities enrolled in adult day care facilities.

Funds are used to offset meal and supplement costs to public, private nonprofit, or proprietary centers licensed to provide non-residential childcare services for daycare homes, eligible centers, and non-residential eligible adult daycare centers. Child care centers that participate can receive reimbursement for food costs to help ensure young children are well fed and ready for kindergarten.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered in Maryland by MSDE's School and Community Nutrition Programs Branch.

Maryland State Department of Education State subsidy grant Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund (CCCPDF) ScholarshipOpen The Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund (CCCPDF) is a tuition assistance program for child care providers and staff in Maryland to earn a college degree at participating accredited colleges and universities.

Funding covers tuition, fees, and required textbooks for degrees in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Elementary Education, or Special Education. Payments are made directly to the college or university — recipients are not reimbursed. Participants must be enrolled in or working toward eligibility through the Maryland Child Care Credentialing Program at Level Two or higher.

The program also provides grant funding to child care providers to support professional development activities in the early childhood care field.

Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care State subsidy grant Climate Catalytic Capital (C3) FundOpen The C3 Fund (Climate Catalytic Capital Fund) is a dedicated investment fund administered by the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) that provides financing and grants to support clean energy technology development and deployment across Maryland.

Established under the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 with a $15 million allocation over three fiscal years beginning in FY24 (with an additional $23. 75M approved for future cycles), the fund aims to leverage private capital, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and advance energy equity. At least 40% of fund awards each fiscal year must benefit low-to-moderate income communities.

The fund operates through three investment windows: (1) IW1 – short-term bridge loans for geothermal, community solar, and resiliency hub project developers; (2) IW2 – revolving lines of credit for solar developers and installers; and (3) IW3 – project feasibility grants for nonprofits, community organizations, municipalities, affordable multifamily housing owners/developers, and other underserved market actors.

All funding decisions are made by the C3 Fund Investment Oversight Committee (IOC). No more than 5% of the fund balance may be used for administrative purposes.

Maryland Clean Energy Center State loan grant equity-investment other-financial-assistance training Community Development Block Grant ProgramOpen Federal block grant program that helps strengthen Maryland communities by expanding affordable housing opportunities, creating jobs, stabilizing neighborhoods, and improving the overall quality of life.

The program provides grants to non-entitlement local governments who then carry out eligible projects benefiting low- and moderate-income persons, eliminating slum and blight, or meeting urgent community needs. Maryland administers the federal funds received from HUD through two funding categories: a competitive Community Development category and a Special Projects category for planning and economic development.

Eligible activities include economic development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and infrastructure improvements. Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development State grant EARN Maryland (Employment Advancement Right Now)Open EARN Maryland (Employment Advancement Right Now) is a statewide, state-funded, competitive workforce development grant program that is industry-led and regional in focus.

It invests in strategic industry partnerships from key economic sectors across Maryland regions, coordinating education, workforce, and economic development efforts to train and place workers in skilled jobs. The program supports both incumbent workers seeking new credentials and unemployed individuals seeking employment, including hard-to-serve jobseekers.

It addresses employer workforce needs, creates career paths to good jobs, reduces barriers to employment, and provides job readiness training, GED preparation, occupational skills development, literacy advancement, and help with transportation and child care.

Current industry training tracks include Automotive, Biotechnology, Childcare, Construction/Skilled Trades, Cyber/IT, Green, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, Residential Leasing, and Transportation/Logistics.

As of October 2024, more than 25,000 Marylanders have been positively impacted, over 15,000 incumbent workers have received training and credentials, and nearly 11,000 individuals have obtained employment through the program. For every $1 of state funding invested, an additional $18. 16 in economic impact is created.

Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning State grant training Economic Development Incentive (EDI) FundOpen A $50 million multi-year fund managed by FSC First on behalf of Prince George's County, administered through the Prince George's County Office of the County Executive and supported by the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

The fund stimulates economic growth by providing loans and, in exceptional cases, grants to businesses and development projects to support business retention, expansion, and attraction.

Goals include broadening the commercial tax base, retaining and creating jobs, supporting key industry sectors—including federal government contractors, hospitals and health services, information technology services, and research-intensive technologies—and supporting small, local, and minority enterprises. Interest rates are set on a case-by-case basis at competitive market rates or slightly below (the Prince George's prime rate is 4%).

Approximately $7 million to $11 million is available each fiscal year, with approximately 65% of committed funds revolving back into the fund for future investment. A $1 million set-aside supports small businesses in obtaining lines of credit from traditional banks.

Projects located in the county's developed tier, transit-oriented development areas, Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative areas, and other focus areas receive special priority. Eligible uses include land and building acquisition, building construction and improvement, equipment acquisition, and working capital.

FSC First County loan grant other-financial-assistance Equitech Growth FundOpen The Equitech Growth Fund (EGF), managed by TEDCO, provides grants for infrastructure and workforce development initiatives that support Maryland's economic competitiveness, foster economic opportunity for all, and accelerate growth of emerging and advanced industries.

The goal is to position Maryland as a leading global and inclusive innovation economy by 2040. Two award tracks are available: Infrastructure Awards (up to $1M, 12–36 month projects) and Workforce Awards (up to $250K, 12–24 month projects). Subject to availability of funding, TEDCO accepts applications once a year.

Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)State grant Facade Improvement Grant (FIG)Open The Facade Improvement Grant offers matching funds to help business owners and property owners in Baltimore City make exterior building upgrades that improve the look and feel of commercial areas. Eligible properties include commercial buildings, vacant and corner commercial properties, industrial properties, and shopping centers.

Grants must be approved before work begins and are reimbursed after the project is complete. Several grant options exist depending on property type.

Baltimore Development Corporation Local grant Finksburg Facade Improvement ProgramOpen The Finksburg Facade Improvement Program (FIP) provides matching grant funds to eligible property and business owners in the Finksburg Designated Sustainable Community to improve the appearance of building facades and signs.

Goals include encouraging facade renovation, improving the appearance of the Finksburg Corridor, leveraging private investment, and preserving the economic vitality of commercial services. Funded by Maryland DHCD's Community Legacy Program and administered by Carroll County Government's Comprehensive Planning Division. Grants cover up to 80% of total facade renovation costs, with property owners contributing at least 20%.

A greening incentive offers up to 100% reimbursement for projects that include approved greening or landscaping improvements visible from MD 140. Minimum grant is $500; maximum grant is $10,000. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis as funding permits, with remaining funding of $39,148.

Work completed before the grant award is not eligible.

Carroll County Government Local grant Friends of the Robinson Nature Center Title 1 Field Trip SponsorshipOpen The Friends of the Robinson Nature Center (through the James and Anne Robinson Foundation) provide sponsorship funding to cover the cost of field trips, Robinson on the Road (in-school), and virtual field trips to Robinson Nature Center for Howard County Title 1 Schoolwide and Title 1 TAS schools that cannot otherwise afford them.

Friends of the Robinson Nature Center / James and Anne Robinson Foundation Private grant Grants for Organizations (GFO)Open The Maryland State Arts Council's Grants for Organizations (GFO) program provides general operating support grants to nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, as well as units of government, that produce or present ongoing arts programming open to the public in Maryland.

GFO grants help strengthen and sustain Maryland's arts infrastructure, create audiences, uplift communities, and stimulate economic impact across the state. A tiered funding formula, phased in starting FY2024, groups organizations into five budget tiers and distributes funds more equitably, with smaller organizations receiving a higher percentage of allowable expenses: Tier 1 ($50K–$500K budget) up to 15%; Tier 2 ($500K–$1.

5M) up to 10%; Tier 3 ($1. 5M–$5M) up to 6%; Tier 4 ($5M–$10M) up to 4. 5%; Tier 5 ($10M+) up to 4%.

Maximum grant caps phase down over five years: $1. 4M (FY24), $1. 3M (FY25), $1.

2M (FY26), $1. 1M (FY27), $1M (FY28). In FY2025, MSAC awarded GFO grants totaling $18,136,157 to 309 organizations.

Starting FY2027, MSAC will implement a four-year application cycle. Organizations that did not receive GFO funding in the prior cycle must first submit an Intent to Apply form by September 15 annually to determine eligibility before completing a standard grant application by November 15.

Maryland State Arts Council State grant Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Small Grants ProgramOpen The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's Small Grants Program awards funding to smaller nonprofit organizations in Maryland and Northeastern Pennsylvania that provide direct services for poor and vulnerable populations.

Grants of up to $50,000 per year for two years (up to $100,000 total) may be used for operating, program, or capital expenses in the areas of health, housing, jobs, education, and aging. Organizations must have an annual budget of $1 million or less to be eligible. There is no deadline for grant requests and no Letter of Inquiry is required, unlike the Foundation's standard grantmaking process.

After two years of funding, organizations must take a year off before being eligible for an additional two years; after four total years of Small Grants funding, organizations must shift to the regular grant process.

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Private grant Hearst Foundations Health GrantsOpen The Hearst Foundations fund leading regional hospitals, medical centers, and specialized medical institutions that provide access to healthcare for high-need populations.

They also fund programs to enhance skills and increase the number of healthcare practitioners and educators, as well as public health, medical research, and development of young investigators. Hearst Foundations Private grant Historic Preservation Loan Program for Capital ProjectsOpen Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) offers low-interest capital loans to help preserve historic properties across Maryland.

Loans support acquisition, refinancing, rehabilitation, and predevelopment projects that benefit the public. The fixed annual interest rate is set at 0. 125% above the most recent state general obligation bond rate, with potentially lower rates for nonprofits and local governments.

Certain qualified nonprofit organizations may also apply for non-repayable fund transfers (similar to grants) to acquire, restore, or re-lend for historic properties. Loan applications are accepted year-round as funds become available, with transfer applications opening in November and closing in January. The full process typically takes 6 to 9 months from application to settlement.

If a loan is approved, the borrower must convey a historic preservation easement on the property to MHT. Maryland Historical Trust State loan grant Hotel Rental Tax FundingOpen Hotel Rental Tax Funding provides grants to Washington County organizations, agencies, businesses, and municipalities to develop tourism attractions, enhance economic development, and support cultural and recreational projects.

The program uses revenue from the County's 6% Hotel Rental Tax, which is reinvested into the community through the Convention and Visitors Bureau, local municipalities, and designated local projects. The goal is to help applicants undertake activities they would not pursue without special funding, with the intent that successful projects eventually become self-sustaining.

Requests can be made throughout the fiscal year and are contingent on available funding. Washington County County grant Housing Investment Trust Fund (HITF)Open The Housing Investment Trust Fund provides workforce housing gap financing to support the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of workforce and affordable housing in Prince George's County.

The fund targets households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI), with HITF-assisted units required to be affordable to households at 80% AMI or below. It encourages non-profit and for-profit developers to produce and rehabilitate housing, and assists Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) in creating housing opportunities for households of limited income.

The program is codified in Prince George's County Code, Sections 10-294 through 10-300, with a statutorily mandated minimum of $10 million allocated annually from County recordation taxes.

Prince George's County Department of Housing and Community Development County loan grant Kent County Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF) Small Grant ProgramOpen The Kent County CRRF Small Grant Program awards small grants up to $4,000 on a rolling basis to support initiatives that benefit low-income communities in Kent County.

The county makes approximately $20,000 available annually, distributed through quarterly funding decisions throughout the year. Applications are reviewed and funding decisions are made four times per year (February, May, August, and November) until annual allocations are expended.

Kent County County grant Kent County Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) Small Grant ProgramOpen The Kent County ORF Small Grant Program awards small grants of up to $4,000 on a rolling basis to fund opioid abatement activities that meet the requirements of the National Settlement Agreements. The county makes approximately $20,000 available annually, distributed through quarterly funding decisions throughout the year.

Applications are reviewed four times per year (February, May, August, and November award cycles) until annual allocations are expended. Kent County County grant Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network ProgramOpen The Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program provides grant funding for bicycle network development projects across Maryland.

It supports projects that maximize bicycle access and improve last-mile connections to work, school, shopping, and transit. The program prioritizes projects that improve safety and access for disadvantaged communities, and seeks to leverage past investments in bicycle facilities while complementing existing state, local, and federal transportation programs.

Maryland Department of Transportation State grant Lead Hazard Reduction Grant and Loan ProgramOpen A state-funded program administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that helps Maryland homeowners and landlords reduce or eliminate lead-based paint hazards in residential and childcare properties.

Financial assistance is provided as a grant or loan depending on the applicant's ability to repay and location. Grants are available in certain target areas (units must be in a targeted census tract); elsewhere the income limit is 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), with no income limits in targeted areas.

The program also includes a HUD-funded component: a $4 million award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes providing grants of up to $25,000 per eligible property owner for lead abatement services statewide (except Baltimore City), with funding available until April 1, 2029.

Eligible property types include owner-occupied single-family homes, residential rental properties (including multi-family), and licensed residential childcare facilities. Frederick County administers the program locally, with the maximum loan term of 20 years and units required to be in a targeted census tract to qualify for a grant.

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development State grant loan Marine Sewage Pumpout Facility GrantsOpen The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reimburses marinas for the purchase and installation of marine sewage pumpout facilities. Funding is also available for pumpout operations, maintenance, upgrades, and replacements of existing sewage pumpout stations.

Annual grants are also available to cover operations and maintenance costs of existing stations. The program gives boaters a proper method of disposing of sewage, contributing to cleaner Maryland waters. It is funded 75% by the federal Clean Vessel Act and 25% by the Maryland Waterway Improvement Fund.

Marinas must pay for equipment upfront and then submit paperwork for reimbursement. Some county permit fees for first-time installations are also reimbursable.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources State grant Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) and Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) – FY2027 Grant ProgramsOpen Two competitive grant programs administered by the Rural Maryland Council and funded through a shared state appropriation.

MAERDAF provides grants to nonprofit organizations and community colleges to increase their capacity to meet rural development challenges, establish public/private partnerships, and leverage non-state funding. Eligible activities include statewide and regional planning, economic and community development, agricultural and forestry education, and training and technical assistance for agricultural and small businesses.

RMPIF promotes economic prosperity in traditionally disadvantaged and underserved rural communities by raising the overall standard of living in rural areas to meet or exceed statewide benchmark averages while preserving cultural heritage and the rural way of life.

RMPIF supports significant targeted investments in economic and community development, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, rural health, workforce development, cooperative development, agricultural development, rural community development, and regional and intergovernmental cooperation.

In Western Maryland, RMPIF funding is combined with the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland's (TCCWMD) Summit Financing Solutions loan fund to improve access to capital for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses and to provide technical assistance to help businesses secure professional services and financing.

Together, these programs support the state's five rural regional councils, rural nonprofits, community colleges, and other rural-serving organizations. Both programs use a two-phase application process (Letter of Intent followed by Full Application) and share the same funding cycle administered by the Rural Maryland Council. A total of $6,047,464 in state operating budget funds is available for FY2027 (the FY2026 cycle had $6,118,485).

The two-phase online grant application opened April 20, 2026. RMPIF was established in 2006 and is authorized through June 30, 2030 under state law, with annual appropriations at the Governor's discretion. The RMC is particularly interested in proposals addressing agriculture, energy, rural broadband, healthcare, youth engagement, and workforce/economic development.

Rural Maryland Council State grant loan other-technical-assistance Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) ProgramOpen The MACS Program provides farmers, agricultural landowners, and small-scale equine and livestock operations with cost-share grants to cover up to 100 percent of the cost to install conservation measures known as best management practices (BMPs) on their farms.

These practices prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients, and safeguard water quality in streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. More than 40 eligible BMPs include grassed waterways, streamside buffers of grasses and trees, animal manure management systems, animal waste storage facilities, spring developments, cover crops, stream protection practices, conservation cover, nutrient management services, and many other practices.

Farmers can also receive cost-share assistance to transport excess poultry litter off the farm. The program supports tree-planting conservation practices including riparian forest buffers, hedgerow plantings, silvopasture, tree and shrub establishment, and windbreak establishment, with up to 100% cost-share (87. 5% for silvopasture) plus $2 per tree planted.

The program also supports livestock farmers through stream protection practices, including livestock watering facilities (frost-free waterers, spring developments), livestock exclusion fencing, stream crossings, and riparian forest buffers, helping farmers comply with Nutrient Management Program livestock setback requirements.

A 2024 expansion made farms with at least 1,000 pounds of live animal weight eligible, covering small-scale equine and livestock operations and qualifying practices such as watering facilities, pasture management, animal waste storage structures, heavy use area protection, roof runoff structures, stream exclusion fencing, and interior pasture fencing. Cost-share rates range from 50% to 100% depending on the practice.

Priority watersheds are identified for targeting funds. The Maryland Department of Agriculture's Office of Resource Conservation works closely with Maryland farmers and soil conservation districts to plan and implement these conservation practices and programs that balance crop and livestock production with environmental protection.

Maryland Department of Agriculture State grant Maryland Apprenticeship Incentive Grant ProgramOpen A grant program that helps Maryland employers and registered apprenticeship sponsors offset the cost of training registered apprentices. Employers can receive up to $3,000 per newly registered adult apprentice or up to $7,500 per newly registered high school level apprentice to cover eligible training expenses.

Established under the Registered Apprenticeship Investment for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) Act (SB 431, Chapter 2, 2025).

Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning State grant Maryland Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (BCCP)Open Maryland's Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (BCCP) is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund.

It operates on two levels: (1) providing grants to local health departments and health systems to deliver breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic, patient navigation, outreach, and education services; and (2) providing free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services directly to eligible low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women across the state.

Services include clinical breast exams, mammograms (screening and diagnostic), breast ultrasound, surgical consultation, breast biopsy, Pap tests, HPV tests, colposcopy, and cervical biopsy, as well as patient navigation support including help scheduling appointments, finding transportation, accessing interpretation services, and linkage to treatment.

Maryland Department of Health State grant subsidy other-technical-assistance Maryland Business Ready Sites Program (MBRSP)Open The Maryland Business Ready Sites Program (MBRSP) aims to