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Grants to Maryland Land Trusts, Nonprofits, Public Agencies, and Groups for Land Conservation and Community Stewardship Activities

Keep Maryland Beautiful (KMB) Grants and Aileen Hughes Award


Grant Writers
Agency
State
GrantWatch ID#
140847
Funding Source
Maryland Environmental Trust, Forever Maryland Foundation and Maryland Department of Transportation
Array ( )
Geographic Focus
USA: Maryland
Important Dates
Deadline: 11/15/23 4:00 PM EST Save
Grant Description
Grants to Maryland land trusts, nonprofits, public agencies, homeowners associations, and civic groups, and an award to a Maryland land trust representative, for land conversation and community stewardship activities. Grants are intended to support youth and community engagement, capacity building for land trusts, and tree planting on agricultural lands. The award will honor an individual representing a Maryland land trust for outstanding leadership, partnership, and innovation in a conservation project or organizational development.

Grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful (KMB) program help nonprofit groups, communities, and land trusts in Maryland to advance environmental projects that promote community wellbeing and protect natural resources in urban and rural areas. These grants build the capacity of land trusts and support other community-based organizations that are increasing civic engagement and the adoption of stewardship practices and developing solutions to local environmental problems.

Proposed projects activate residents and encourage stewardship through education, outreach, and planting activities while increasing awareness of and working towards addressing local environmental problems. 

The Trust strongly encourages applications directly from underrepresented groups, and for projects that increase awareness and participation of communities that are traditionally underrepresented, such as communities of color. 

KMB Grants - Eligible Project Types:

  • Track 1: Community Stewardship
    • (1a) Community and/or youth engagement 
  • Track 2: Capacity Building for Land Trusts
    • Strategic Land Conservation
    • Enhanced Land and Easement Stewardship
    • Land Trust Strengthening
  • Track 3: Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands
    • Projects on individual private, commercial private, community-owned, nonprofit, and government ​owned property are eligible for funding.

For details on each of the above tracks, and for project examples, see https://cbtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/FY24_KMB_RFP_FINAL.pdf#page=3. For additional project examples for Track 2 above, see Appendix C on https://cbtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/FY24_KMB_RFP_FINAL.pdf#page=11.

For further information on Community Stewardship grants: https://dnr.maryland.gov/met/Pages/Grant-EE-CI-CU.aspx

For further information on Capacity Building for Land Trusts: grants: https://dnr.maryland.gov/met/Pages/GrantLandTrust.aspx

For further information on Tree Planting grants, see Supporting Documents ("MDA Grant Program information") below.

Aileen Hughes Award:

The Aileen Hughes Award is awarded to an individual representing a Maryland land trust for outstanding leadership, partnership, and innovation in a conservation project or organization development. 

The purpose of the award is to acknowledge leaders in Maryland land trust community and to encourage a high level of excellence, innovation and collaboration. 
Full Grant Text RFP
Recipient
Additional Eligibility Criteria
Funding Partners and the Trust welcome requests for the KMB grants from the following organizations in the state of Maryland:
• Nonprofits;
• Land Trusts; *
• Community and Homeowners Associations;
• Service, Youth, and Civic Groups; and/or
• Municipal, County, Regional, State, and Federal Public Agencies.
* Land trusts are required to have a current Cooperative Agreement with MET (dated on or after November 2, 2020). Funds under the Capacity Building for Land Trusts track are only available to Maryland land trusts.

Eligible applicants will be in good standing with the state of Maryland and will be able to provide a Certificate of Good Standing. (Certificates of Good Standing can be obtained for free at
https://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch.)

By submitting an application to this program, applicants acknowledge that: 1) They are compliant with federal employment and nondiscrimination laws and 2) they have not been debarred, convicted, charged or had a civil judgment rendered against them for fraud or related offense by any government agency (federal, state or local) or been terminated for cause or default by any government agency (federal, state, or local).

Aileen Hughes Award:
- Eligible Applicants include Maryland land trusts.
- Maryland land trusts are required to have a current Cooperative Agreement with MET (dated on or after November 2, 2020).
Eligible applicants will be in good standing with the state of Maryland and will be able to provide a Certificate of Good Standing. (Certificates of Good Standing can be obtained at hhtps://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch.)
- For further details, see https://cbtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/Aileen-Hughes-Grant-RFA.pdf#page=2.
Ineligible
Funding for KMB Track 3 (Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands) projects is restricted to costs required to implement reforestation/afforestation projects. Requests for any other purpose will not be funded.
Pre-Application Information
For both the KMB grants and Aileen Hughes Award: Applicants must submit applications in the Chesapeake Bay Trust Online System by 4:00 pm EST on November 15, 2023.

The FY24 Keep Maryland Beautiful grant awards and Aileen Hughes Award will be announced March 20, 2024, Keep Maryland Beautiful Day.

KMB grant program: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Trust staff to discuss applications at least two weeks prior to the deadline. The Trust cannot guarantee availability of site visits or project development assistance within two weeks of the deadline.
Estimated Size of Grant
KMB Grants:
- Community Stewardship: Up to $5,000
- Capacity Building for Land Trust: Up to $10,000
- Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands: Up to $50,000
(i) On lands of less than 2 acres: Maximum request of $10,000
(ii) On lands greater than 2 acres: Maximum request of $50,000

Estimated Total Funding for KMB grants - The funding partners have $317,000 available in FY24 for KMB grants, including:
- Approximately $84,000 for Community Stewardship and Capacity Building for Land Trusts.
- Approximately $233,000 available for Tree Planting Projects on Agricultural Lands.

The Aileen Hughes Award:
Award amount is up to $5,000.
Term of Contract
KMB grants:
- Projects must be completed within 12 months upon receipt of the award. Requests to extend the project completion period will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis.
​- Funds are to be used from March 30, 2023 to February 29, 2024.
Contact Information
To take the eligibility quiz and apply online for KMB grants:
https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_1520?SA=SNA&FID=35748

To apply for the Aileen Hughes Grant: https://www.grantrequest.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fapplication.aspx%3fSA%3dSNA%26FID%3d35750%26sid%3d1520&SA=SNA&FID=35750&sid=1520

For questions and assistance for both the KMB Grant program and the Aileen Hughes Award, please contact:
Amber Cameron, Program Coordinator
410-974-2941, ext. 124
acameron@cbtrust.org
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