“Despite limited resources this year, the Rural Maryland Council remains committed to investing in projects that strengthen our rural communities. We are inspired by the dedication of so many organizations working to improve the quality of life across rural Maryland, and we are proud to support their important efforts” -Susan O’Neill, Board Chair
The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) supports the operating activities of the Rural Maryland Council, including the administration of the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) and funding for the State’s five rural Regional Councils. The RMPIF grant program is designed to make strategic investments in key economic and community development initiatives while fostering regional and intergovernmental collaboration.
The MAERDAF grant program provides capacity-building support to rural-serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges. These grants strengthen efforts that advance statewide and regional planning, economic and community development, youth engagement and leadership development, energy, and agricultural and forestry education.
The Rural Maryland Council was allocated $6,000,000 in the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget. However, this represents a $3 million reduction to their competitive grant programs. As a result, grant decisions were particularly challenging this year due to the limited available funding and the highly competitive pool of applicants.
Fiscal Year 2026 Grant Awards
| Total Requested | 170 Applications | $14,147,476 |
| Total Awarded | 62 | $5,468,485 |
Regional Councils: 5 Grants = $1,925,000
Per Statute, one-third of the RMPIF fund is distributed to the State’s five rural regional planning and development councils:
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Mid-Shore Regional Council | $385,000 |
| Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore | $385,000 |
| Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland | $385,000 |
| Tri-County Council for Western Maryland | $385,000 |
| Upper Shore Regional Council | $385,000 |
“A Collective Voice for Rural Maryland
Regional Council activities funded through RMPIF, include: • Equity lending
- Transportation software and systems
- Regional agricultural development and
education
- Economic and small business development activities
- Summer Career Enrichment • Rural economic research
Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund: 33 Grants = $2,873,359 The RMPIF grant program has three focus areas- Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Rural Health. RMPIF Entrepreneurship includes Workforce Development, Cooperative Development and Agricultural Development. In FY2025, this program received 78 applications totaling $9,248,088 in requests. Of these requests, 33 grants totaling $2,873,359 were awarded.
RMPIF Entrepreneurship (includes Workforce Development, Cooperative Development, and Agricultural Development): 10 Grants = $1,160,076
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Affiliated Sante Group | $94,500 |
| Asian American Center of Frederick | $103,500 |
| County Commissioners of Caroline County | $250,000 |
| Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation | $68,800 |
| Fort Ritchie Community Center, Inc. | $34,549 |
| Hagerstown Community College | $197,045 |
| Maryland Rural Water Association | $55,000 |
| Mount St. Mary’s University | $115,182 |
| Shore Legal Access | $60,000 |
| The Patuxent Partnership | $181,500 |
RMPIF Infrastructure: 7 Grants = $732,133
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Adkins Arboretum | $49,025 |
| City of Frostburg | $43,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Choptank, Inc. | $75,000 |
| Habitat For Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc. | $321,360 |
| Maryland Broadband Cooperative | $102,248 |
| Robotics and Engineering in Allegany County-Together, Inc. | $41,500 |
| The Foundation of H.O.P.E., Inc | $100,000 |
RMPIF Rural Health: 16 Grants = $981,150
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission | $12,500 |
| CalvertHealth Foundation | $63,040 |
| Cecil Transit | $34,310 |
| Charles Regional Medical Center Foundation | $60,000 |
| Chesapeake Housing Mission Inc. | $50,000 |
| Compass Regional Hospice | $30,000 |
| Friends Aware, Inc. | $30,000 |
| Garrett County Health Department | $132,978 |
| Health Partners Inc. | $93,317 |
| Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Incorporated | $8,000 |
| NAMI Maryland | $39,000 |
| Safe Ride Foundation Inc. | $45,000 |
“A Collective Voice for Rural Maryland
| The Benedictine School for Exceptional Children Foundation Incorporated | $85,505 |
| The Jude House | $45,000 |
| University of Maryland School of Medicine | $172,500 |
| Veteran and Military Support Alliance Inc. | $80,000 |
Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund: 24 Grants =$670,126
The MAERDAF grant program has five focus areas-Agricultural and Forestry Education, Community and Economic Development, Energy, and Youth Engagement and Leadership Development. In FY2026, this program received 87 applications totaling $2,974,388 in requests. Of these requests, 24 grants totaling $670,126
were awarded.
MAERDAF Agricultural and Forestry Education: 6 Grants = $170,586
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Community Trust Foundation | $45,000 |
| Delmarva Chicken Association | $17,086 |
| Ladies of Charity Calvert County, Inc | $8,500 |
| LEAD Maryland Foundation, Inc. | $40,000 |
| Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation | $25,000 |
| MPT Foundation, Inc. | $35,000 |
MAERDAF Community Development: 5 Grants = $163,705
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Bayside Community Network, Inc. | $27,500 |
| Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore | $17,205 |
| Day Care, Inc. | $45,000 |
| Rebuilding Together Eastern Shore | $45,000 |
| Wor-Wic Community College | $29,000 |
MAERDAF Economic Development: 7 Grants = $159,133
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Appalachian Community Capital Development Foundation | $40,000 |
| Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland, In Concert | $26,175 |
| Chesapeake College | $13,512 |
| Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore | $20,000 |
| Rose Hill Cemetery | $9,446 |
| Technology Council of Maryland, Inc. | $45,000 |
| Visit St. Mary’s MD, INC | $5,000 |
MAERDAF Energy: 1 Grant = $45,000
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Alliance for Green Heat | $45,000 |
MAERDAF Youth Engagement & Leadership Development: 5 Grants = $131,702
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Building African American Minds, Inc | $45,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna | $45,000 |
| Howard County Conservancy | $12,535 |
| Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts | $8,000 |
| ShoreRivers | $21,167 |
Rural Maryland Council: Operating Budget – $650,000
| Organization | Funds Utilized |
| Rural Maryland Council | $650,000 |
Founded in 1994, the Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the state’s federally designated rural development council and functions as a voice for Rural Maryland – advocating, educating, and helping rural communities and businesses across the state to flourish and to gain equity to its suburban and urban counterparts. The Council administers the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) and the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) grant programs. Additionally, the Council conducts research activities to understand rural challenges and outreach to engage rural residents in developing solutions to these challenges and convenes groups to identify solutions through consensus and coalition building.
RMC operates under the direction of a 40-member Executive Board in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. The Council’s vision is a future where all of Rural Maryland is prosperous with thriving resources, vibrant economies, and healthy, connected communities. The organizational goals are to:
- Encourage healthy, connected communities throughout Rural Maryland through convening stakeholders, education, public relations, and advocacy;
- Support the development and growth of vibrant economies in Rural Maryland;
- Foster stewardship of Maryland’s natural resources; and,
- Maximize outreach, resources, and mission through financial and organizational development.
