{"id":46993,"date":"2026-03-20T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=46993"},"modified":"2026-03-19T16:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T20:01:35","slug":"keep-maryland-beautiful-2026-grant-program-awards-205000-to-community-organizations-for-environmental-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/03\/20\/keep-maryland-beautiful-2026-grant-program-awards-205000-to-community-organizations-for-environmental-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Maryland Beautiful 2026 Grant Program Awards $205,000 to Community Organizations for Environmental Work"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Baltimore City College High School students investigate the ecosystem at the Carrie Murray Nature Center as part of the Howard County Conservancy’s Youth Climate Institute, funded by a recent Keep Maryland Beautiful grant. Photo by Maryland Environmental Trust.<\/p><\/div>\n

Maryland Environmental Trust has approved 21 grants totaling $205,134 to be awarded for community cleanup, environmental stewardship, and tree planting projects through the <\/span>Keep Maryland Beautiful program<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 2026 program marks 40 consecutive years of grantmaking to support environmental projects that conserve and care for Maryland\u2019s natural resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grants currently are funded by the <\/span>Maryland Environmental Trust<\/span><\/a> (MET), <\/span>Maryland Department of Transportation<\/span><\/a> (MDOT), and the <\/span>Maryland Department of Agriculture<\/span><\/a> (MDA). The grant program is managed by MET\u2013a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)\u2013and administered on the department\u2019s behalf by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe community work being supported through this program shows that every contribution matters when it comes to protecting our natural resources,\u201d said DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. \u201cThe Keep Maryland Beautiful grants are a testament to the work and collaboration among our funding partners and longstanding supporters who invest in the program year after year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur natural resources are among Maryland\u2019s greatest assets and the Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to be a partner in ensuring a healthy and accessible environment for our families and communities,\u201d said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Katie Thomson. \u201cFunding from the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants fosters stewardship of nature and supports environmental work by organizations, schools and neighborhoods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy empowering local communities, land trusts, and non-profits to take ownership of environmental stewardship, we are protecting the very natural resources that the agricultural community relies on to thrive,\u201d said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. \u201cFrom supporting soil health to preserving the open spaces that define our rural heritage, these grants ensure that Maryland\u2019s working landscapes remain productive and vibrant. When we invest in the beauty and health of our land, we are directly investing in the long-term success of our farmers and the resiliency of our state\u2019s number one industry.”<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Keep Maryland Beautiful grant program dates back to Maryland Environmental Trust\u2019s origins in 1967, the current run of consecutive annual awards began in 1987. Chesapeake Bay Trust began administering the grant program in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you to our partners for their unwavering support of the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program,\u201d said MET Director John Turgeon. \u201cThese small but mighty grants help invest in our local nonprofits, communities, and land trusts that protect and care for Maryland\u2019s natural resources.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Keep Maryland Beautiful grant program empowers people across the state to lead local projects for their communities,\u201d shared Dr. Jana Davis, president of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. \u201cWe are proud to administer this program that engages a wide range of local groups, from students to land trusts to civic organizations, to enhance natural spaces, strengthen neighborhoods, and inspire continued stewardship for the people and places that make Maryland special.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep Maryland Beautiful recipients included schools, nonprofit groups, and land trusts in nine counties and Baltimore City.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The grants are awarded through these programs:<\/span><\/p>\n