Hogan Administration Announces $490,000 in Community Services Block Grant Awards
Hogan Administration Announces $490,000 in Community Services Block Grant Awards
Funds will provide services for nearly 20,000 low-income residents
New Carrollton, Md. (October 20, 2017) – The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development today announced $490,000 in Community Services Block Grant awards. The grants to 12 nonprofits and units of local government will provide services to nearly 20,000 low-income Marylanders and will leverage nearly $700,000 in additional funding from private, nonprofit, and other partners.
“These awards will help provide much-needed resources and services to our low-income citizens,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The organizations receiving this funding will help Marylanders in need to gain valuable access to education, employment, and other support services to help them succeed.”
Maryland receives nearly $10 million in federal funds through the Community Services Block Grant. By law, 90 percent of these funds go directly to support the work of the 17 Community Action Agencies in Maryland. Five percent of the funds are reserved for discretionary grants, which comprise the awards listed below. Funded programs provide a range of direct services designed to assist low-income individuals and families to attain the skills, knowledge, and support needed to achieve self-sufficiency. Community action agencies provide services in all 23 Maryland counties and the City of Baltimore. Services and activities may include housing, Head Start education for youth, nutrition programs, transportation programs, employment, and emergency services such as shelter or energy assistance.
“Our local government and Community Action Agency partners are vitally important to maintaining the safety net for the most vulnerable Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “These awards will enable them to continue to deliver quality services and programs to our citizens, and we are proud to support their good work.”
The FY18 Community Services Block Grant awardees are:
Allegany County Human Services Development Commission, Inc. – $15,000
The Mobility Management program helps address the transportation barrier for low-income and elderly residents needing to access non-emergency medical health care appointments.
Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency, Inc. – $35,000
The Green Summer Works Program prepares low-income youth for success at school and the workplace. The program was developed to introduce youth to employment opportunities in the environmental and “green” sectors, while undergoing comprehensive workforce preparation, life skills, and financial literacy training.
Community Action Council of Howard County, Inc. – $40,000
The agency will use the funding for a full-time Employment Coach Case Manager to assist Head Start families with assessment of employment needs, development of employment opportunities, enrollment in certification programs, and removal of barriers to employment. This program will also promote job stability for the newly-employed.
Delmarva Community Services, Inc. – $40,000
The grant will allow the agency to provide gap services to a defined group of individuals who are often considered hard to serve and who need intensive case management and training. Service gaps identified included dentistry, home care and homeless hygiene kits, and intensive services under the agency’s Preparing Adults for Life program.
Harford Community Action Agency, Inc. – $20,000
The program will offer initial case management to all households who enter the agency’s food pantry and provide extensive case management for those who return for a subsequent month and are still in crisis.
Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. – $24,500
The program will provide bundled services through leveraging funding from their Office of Heating and Energy Program partner. The participants will receive assessment and encouragement to access multiple services by providing additional case management and incentives.
Maryland CASH Campaign, Inc. – $90,500
The grant funding will be used to continue the Maryland Community Fellows Program. Graduate students will be placed in community action agencies and nonprofit organizations to address staff and volunteer gaps to ensure access to the EITC program and deliver high-quality, free tax preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
Maryland Community Action Partnership, Inc. (MCAP) – $100,000
MCAP will provide statewide communication and coordination to the state’s 17 community action agencies. Services will be rendered through training and technical assistance and will include skill sharing and knowledge advancement through conference, seminars, and communication.
Maryland Rural Development Corporation – $30,000
The agency’s Green Summer Youth Program will hire 24 low-income youth workers who will receive on-the-job training and green conservation and beautification work experience.
Shore UP!, Inc. – $40,000
The Youth Jobs Program will provide employment for low-income youth at nonprofit organizations in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. The participants will develop job-readiness skills, leadership skills, and financial literacy skills. Other opportunities will include college preparation and a vocation skills training program.
Spanish Speaking Communities of Maryland, Inc. – $35,000
The funding will enable the organization to continue to provide free consultations to target populations with very low incomes, those who speak little English or are illiterate, the unemployed and under-employed. Residents also come for a range of services and referrals related to nutrition, education, housing, and other needs.
Washington County Community Action Council, Inc. – $20,000
The agency will launch the first locally-available Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in their service area. The program will provide free tax preparation services and enroll households into additional asset-building for financial education programs, such as savings bonds, energy consumption conservation, or financial literacy programs.
For more information on the Community Services Block Grant program, visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov/Communities/Pages/programs/CSBG.aspx.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Luell, Director of Communications, sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803