Keep Maryland Beautiful Program Adds New Grant Opportunity

Communities, Nonprofits and Others Can Apply by March 31

The Maryland Environmental Trust with funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has added a new Clean Up & Green Up Maryland Grant to the suite of grant awards now available through its “Keep Maryland Beautiful” program.

Applications will be accepted between now and March 31.

“The new grant opportunity provides support to volunteer-based organizations, nonprofit groups and communities to provide meaningful ways for citizens to engage in environmental education, neighborhood beautification, and stewardship of natural resources, in communities all across the state,” Maryland Environmental Trust Director Bill Leahy said.

Grants available include the:

• Clean Up & Green Up Maryland Grant of up to $5,000, awarded to local groups and nonprofit organizations working to remove litter and engage residents and young people in neighborhood cleaning and greening initiatives, and community stewardship projects.
• Margaret Rosch Jones Grant of up to $2,000, awarded to nonprofit groups or communities for an ongoing project or activity that as demonstrated success in solving an environmental issue. This award recognizes those organizations that have been actively educating people in their community about litter prevention, community beautification, or reducing/eliminating the causes of a local environmental issues. It is given in memory of Margaret Jones, the first executive director of the “Keep Maryland Beautiful” Program.
• Bill James Environmental Grant of up to $1,000, awarded to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other nonprofit youth groups for proposed environmental education projects. The grants are given in memory of William S. James, who drafted legislation to create the Maryland Environmental Trust, incorporating the activities of the Governor’s Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

The Margaret Rosch Jones and Bill James Environmental grants are both funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration and Maryland Environmental Trust.

The objectives of the grants are to: encourage a sense of stewardship and personal responsibility for the environment; stimulate a better understanding of environmental issues; help reduce or eliminate a local environmental problem; litter removal; watershed protection; and encourage education about growth management and protection of rural and urban areas and sensitive resources.