{"id":41116,"date":"2024-03-20T10:59:16","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T14:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=41116"},"modified":"2024-03-20T12:20:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:20:24","slug":"2024-keep-maryland-beautiful-grants-total-236276","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2024\/03\/20\/2024-keep-maryland-beautiful-grants-total-236276\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants Total $236,276"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grants Supports Communities, Land Trusts, and Nonprofits<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Photo

Living Classrooms at Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center in Baltimore received a Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant in 2023. Photo Courtesy of Living Classrooms Foundation.<\/p><\/div>\n

Maryland Environmental Trust has approved 18<\/span> grants totaling <\/span>$236,276 <\/span>to be awarded for environmental education, community cleanup, and beautification projects through the <\/span>Keep Maryland Beautiful program<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program are awarded to volunteer-based and nonprofit groups, communities, schools, and land trusts in Maryland. The grants are designed to support environmental education projects, litter removal, community stewardship, and to help protect natural resources in urban and rural areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Presented annually since 1986, the grant program is managed by the<\/span> Maryland Environmental Trust<\/span><\/a> \u2013 a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources \u2013 and administered on the department\u2019s behalf by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Maryland Environmental Trust\u2019s Board of Trustees voted to approve the grants after staff completed the application and review process.<\/span><\/p>\n

The grants are funded by the Maryland Environmental Trust<\/a><\/span>, <\/span>Maryland Department of Transportation<\/span><\/a>, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Keep Maryland Beautiful Program continues to be a strong partnership between our communities and state, and on behalf of the Trust and the department I thank everyone who contributes to its success,\u201d said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. \u201cThis program fosters stewardship in every corner of Maryland and underscores that no effort is too small to support the larger goals of cleaner water and access to green space for all Marylanders.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes all Marylanders working together to improve the health of our communities,\u201d said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld. \u201cThe Keep Maryland Beautiful grants bring together an important coalition of state agencies, schools, nonprofits, and Maryland residents to increase awareness for the importance of environmental stewardship. The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to help fund these important grants to improve environmental education in our state and work to build greener, healthier communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Maryland Department of Agriculture is excited to partner with the Maryland Environmental Trust to support the Keep Maryland Beautiful grant program,\u201d said Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. \u201cThese grants have a meaningful impact on communities and non profits organizations that promote education and awareness of environmental impact throughout Maryland. Further, MDA’s support demonstrates the ag community’s pledge to continue to be good stewards of the land.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chesapeake Bay Trust is a proud facilitator of the Keep Maryland Beautiful program,\u201d said Jana Davis, president of the Chesapeake Bay Trust.\u00a0 \u201cThe program\u2019s history of community stewardship, land trust capacity building, and focus on diversity aligns with our core mission and beliefs. Partnership programs such as this help us all work to engage and empower our local communities and ensure the health of the Bay watersheds. This way, everyone can enjoy the benefits of our treasured natural resources.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep Maryland Beautiful recipients included schools, nonprofit groups, municipalities, and land trusts in 10 counties. Many of these grants focus on developing and supporting communities, families, youth and students who take personal responsibility for the health of their communities, protecting nature in their backyards and seeking ways to help reduce or resolve environmental challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Awards given this year were:<\/span><\/p>\n