Nov. 15 Deadline for Keep MD Beautiful Grants

Applications are now being accepted for the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program.

Four different grants are being offered through Forever Maryland to help volunteer and nonprofit groups, communities, and land trusts support environmental education projects, litter removal, citizen stewardship, and solve natural resource issues in urban and rural areas. The deadline to apply for funding is November 15, 2021. Awards will be announced in spring 2022.

The Keep Maryland Beautiful grants will be offered in two categories: Environmental Education, Community Initiatives, and Cleanups for community groups, local governments, and nonprofits; and Land Trust Capacity, Excellence, and Stewardship for local land trusts. Keep Maryland Beautiful grants are awarded annually to support the removal of thousands of pounds of litter and the revitalization of public lands and waterways in an effort to enhance and expand local capacity to conserve the state’s resources.

“We are pleased to work with our partners again to offer Keep Maryland Beautiful grants, supporting locally developed projects for cleaner communities, protected lands, and restored waterways,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. “These initiatives engage Maryland citizens in important ways that protect our natural resources, enhance our communities, and improve our quality of life.”

Funding for the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program is provided by the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Forever Maryland, and Maryland Environmental Trust.

Grants and funding amount available are:

• Aileen Hughes Grants of up to $5,000 are awarded to an individual representing a Maryland land trust for outstanding leadership, partnership, and innovation in a conservation project or organization development.
• Citizen Stewardship Grants of up to $5,000 is awarded to schools, nonprofits, and other community organizations whose missions are centered upon directly engaging community members (especially children and young adults) in environmental education and stewardship. These grants also support organizations that demonstrate active engagement as defenders of the environment by developing innovative solutions to local environmental problems.
• Clean Up & Green Up Maryland Grants of up to $5,000 are awarded to local governments, community groups, and nonprofit organizations to promote neighborhood beautification and cleanliness by increasing litter removal, greening activities, community education, and citizen stewardship.
• Janice Hollman Grants of up to $10,000 are awarded to land trusts to increase capacity, support programming and innovation, and foster stronger, better-connected trusts that will protect all natural resources and enhance the lives of citizens and generations to come.

Fiscal 2021 awards included 91 grants totaling $312,500 for beautification projects, community cleanup activities, and environmental education programs in 19 counties and Baltimore City.

Friends of St. Clement’s Bay in St. Mary’s County was a recipient.