2022 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants total $320,000
Grants supports communities, projects and schools
Trees Not Trash, a community initiative funded by the Keep Maryland Beautiful Clean Up and Green Up Grant 2021, focuses on beautifying neighborhoods by planting street trees and removing trash in areas with sustainable community development while residents be made aware of the benefits of urban trees. Photo courtesy of Forever Maryland.
Forever Maryland is proud to announce this 85 Grants of $320,000 were recognized for environmental education, community cleanup and beautification projects by the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program.
These annual grants are funded by the Maryland Environmental Trust, Forever Maryland, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT).
“Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants help improve, sustain and improve communities across our state,” said Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources. “These local initiatives are also helping Maryland meet our goals for clean water and access to green space for all of our citizens.”
“DHCD is pleased to provide $250,000 to nonprofits, local governments and community groups,” said DHCD Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “These grants provide support for local projects and activities that directly impact waste cleanup, greening and beautification, and improving civic responsibility in communities across the state.”
“It is important to MDOT’s mission that we contribute to protecting the environment throughout Maryland,” said MDOT Secretary James F. Ports Jr. “This year’s package of 16 MDOT grants — including funds to purchase native shrubs, eradicate invasive species and educating students and tending a pollinator garden – builds on the department’s commitment to preserving our ecosystem. I look forward to seeing these projects flourish.”
Keep Maryland Beautiful recipients included schools, nonprofit groups, municipalities and land trusts in 20 counties and Baltimore City. Many of these grants focus on developing and supporting communities, families, youth, and students who take personal responsibility for the health of their communities, protect the nature in their backyards, and seek ways to reduce or solve environmental problems.
“We are thrilled with the success of the scholarship program,” said Forever Maryland Chairman Nick Dilks. “This program will continue to have a significant environmental, economic, health and recreation impact throughout Maryland through these new grant projects.”
The following awards were presented this year:
- A Aileen Hughes Award totaling $5,000, presented to an individual representing a Maryland Land Trust for outstanding leadership, partnership and innovation in a conservation project. The scholarship is awarded to the Maryland Land Trust in recognition of the individual’s effort and good work. The grant is awarded annually in honor of the late Aileen Hughes, a true leader in the conservation movement.
- 12 Citizenship Awards totaling $17,500 presented in honor from Bill Jameswho drafted the legislation establishing the Maryland Environmental Trust, and Margaret Rosch-Jones, former executive director of the Keep Maryland Beautiful program. These grants are given to schools, nonprofits, and other community organizations whose missions are designed to directly involve community members in environmental education and stewardship. These grants also support organizations that are actively involved in defending the environment by developing innovative solutions to local environmental problems.
- 61 Clean and green Maryland Awards totaling $250,000. This grant was established in 2017 to support community groups and nonprofits statewide with neighborhood beautification activities that include trash removal, greening activities, community education, and statewide civic stewardship.
- 11 Janice Hollmann Scholarship Awards totaling $47,500 given to Maryland land trusts to increase capacity to support community programs and innovation and foster stronger, more connected land trusts. All grants require 100% Land Trust backing for contributions in kind and privately raised funds. The grant is awarded in memory of Janice Hollmann, who exemplified citizenship leadership for local Maryland land trusts.
Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants recipients in 2022 include:
Allegany County
Allegany County Board of County Commissioners
Historic Frostburg, a Main Street Community in Maryland, Inc.
Anne Arundel County
Annapolis Green Inc.
Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
ClearShark Charity Foundation – ClearShark H2O
Picturesque Rivers Land Trust Inc.
Baltimore city
3200 Carlisle Block Association Inc.
Audrey Carter DBA Youth Ventures
Baltimore Green Space – A Land Trust for Community Managed Open Space Inc.
Baltimore Sister Cities Inc.
Cathedral of the Incarnation
Ednor Gardens Lakeside Civic Association
Fells Point main street
Greater Baybrook Alliance
Gwynns Falls Community Association
Lafayette Square Community Development Corporation
Living Classrooms Foundation
Milton-Montford neighbors
Municipal Council of Mount Clare Inc.
Pigtown Main Street
Urban Farm Plantation Park Heights
Rebuilding the Johnston Square Neighborhood Org
Station North Arts District, a program of the Central Baltimore Partnership
Stillmeadow Fellowship
Superior Assisted Living LLC
The sixth branch
Baltimore County
Back River Foundation t/a Maryland Waterways Foundation
Boy Scouts of America/Troop 706
Dundalk Renaissance
Irvine Nature Center
NeighborSpace by Baltimore County Inc.
Northeast Townson Improvement Association
Reisterstown Improvement Association
Ridgely Manor Community Association
Sussex Community Association Inc.
County Calvert
Episcopal Church of All Saints
American Chestnut Land Trust Inc
Carroll County
Downtown Sykesville Connection Inc.
City of Manchester
Cecil County
The High 5 Initiative Inc.
Charles County
Beyond the Classroom Inc.
Charles County Government
Conservancy for Charles County Inc.
Dorchester County
Commissioners of East New Market
Frederick County
Brunswick main street
Catoctin Land Trust
Downtown Frederick Partnership
Friends of Historic Brunswick, Maryland
City of Emmitsburg
City of Middletown
Garrett County
Garrett County Government
City of Oakland
County Harford
Harford Land Trust Inc.
Havre de Grace Alliance
Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway
Howard County
EC250 Inc.
Ellicott City Partnership
Patapsco Heritage Greenway Inc.
The Institute for Community Ecology
County of Kent
Galena Tree & Park Committee
County of Montgomery
Amula Foundation
Bethesda Green
Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming, Incorporated
Gaithersburg Parks, Arts and Leisure Society
Rock Creek Conservation Area
Takoma Langley Crossroads Development Authority Inc.
The Montgomery County Parks Foundation
Prince George’s County
Alice Ferguson Foundation
Cheverly Native Planting Project
City of Greenbelt – Department of Public Works
Defenses de la Cuenca
Keep Prince George’s County beautiful
Laurel Main Street Organization
City of Edmonston
University of Maryland
St. Mary’s County
Southern MD RC&D Board Inc.
Talbot County
Land protection on the east coast
Washington County
Antietam-Concocheague Watershed Alliance
ladders to leaders
City of Smithsburg
City of Williamsport
Wicomico County
Youth Environmental Action Summit
Worcester County
Lower Shore Land Trust Inc
City of Berlin
More information about the scholarships is available on-line.