The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) supports Rural Maryland Council’s activities including the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), and the State’s five Regional Councils. RMPIF is designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. MAERDAF provides capacity building grants to rural serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges that promote statewide and regional planning, health care, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education.
| Total Requested: | 141 Applications | $11,180,214 |
| Total Awarded: | 59 Grants | $6,150,000 |
Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund: 29 Grants = $5,239,212
Rural Maryland Council: 1 Grant = Disbursement: $500,000
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Rural Maryland Council | $500,000 |
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 RMPIF and 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
Regional Councils: 5 Grants = Disbursement: $2,000,000
One-third of RMPIF supports the State’s five regional councils:
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Tri-County Council for Western Maryland | $400,000 |
| Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland | $400,000 |
| Upper Shore Regional Council | $400,000 |
| Mid-Shore Regional Council | $400,000 |
| Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore | $400,000 |
Regional Council activities funded through RMPIF, include:
- Equity lending
- Transportation software and systems
- Regional agricultural development and education
- Economic and small business development activities
- Rural economic research
Examples of projects funded include the following:
- The Tri-County Council for Western Maryland has developed a successful lending program for small businesses and entrepreneurs in their region, named Summit Financing Solutions. This program uses Federal, State, and local dollars to operate a number of loan funds that allow the Council to provide gap-financing and direct
- The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland directs the Skillup® Southern Maryland, which is a program designed to help their region build a workforce ecosystem that supports positive economic development. Through this program and wraparound Federal supportive services, job seekers can explore career pathways, view local job postings, register for free online learning, and receive workforce services. Employers can search for qualified candidates, post jobs, and receive in-depth consulting to address hiring and training needs.
- The Upper Shore Regional Council will continue to support the Upper Shore Career Technical Liaison position and program for Kent and Queen Anne’s As well as provide micro grants that allows teachers and mentors to assist high school seniors graduating from qualifying technical programs in their region to purchase the necessary tools and equipment to begin at their career.
- The Mid-Shore Regional Council will fund the People for Change Coalition, Inc. to implement a summer career enrichment program for middle school students in partnership with the Dorchester Career and Technology The Youth Cyber Security Program is designed to lead to career paths in computer science, engineering, and project management.
- The Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore will co-sponsor the Worcester County Skilled Trades, Agriculture, Technology and Tourism Internship Program (WSTATT-IP). This is a work-based learning experience that provides high school students and recent graduates from Worcester County paid internships that focus in the STATT sectors.
The RMPIF grant program has three focus areas-Health Care, Entrepreneurship, and Infrastructure. In FY2022, this program received 56 applications totaling $6,231,452 in requests. Of these requests, 23 grants totaling $2,739,212 were awarded.
RMPIF Health Care: 12 Grants = $966,449
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission | $60,000 |
| Channel Marker, Inc | $125,000 |
| Corsica River Mental Health Services, Inc. | $7,500 |
| For All Seasons, Inc. | $72,225 |
| Fort Ritchie Community Center, Inc. | $25,000 |
| Garrett County Memorial Hospital DBA Garrett Regional Medical Center | $143,000 |
| Health Partners Inc. | $129,300 |
| Maintaining Active Citizens, Inc. | $50,000 |
| TidalHealth | $125,000 |
| Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland | $87,500 |
| University of Maryland Shore Regional Health at Chestertown | $125,000 |
| Women Supporting Women, Inc. | $16,924 |
RMPIF Entrepreneurship: 5 Grants = $647,763
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. | $160,000 |
| Maryland Small Business Development Center, Northern Region at Harford Community College | $142,763 |
| People for Change Coalition | $70,000 |
| The Greater Cumberland Committee | $175,000 |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore-Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences | $100,000 |
RMPIF Infrastructure: 6 Grants = $1,125,000
| Awardee | Total Award |
| End Hunger in Calvert County | $250,000 |
| Fair Hill Foundation | $50,000 |
| It Takes a Village to Help Our Children, Inc. | $200,000 |
| Maryland Rural Development Corporation | $25,000 |
| Town of Rising Sun | $300,000 |
| United States Bomb Technician Association | $300,000 |
Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund: 30 Grants = $910,788
The MAERDAF grant program has five focus areas-Agricultural and Forestry Education, Community and Economic Development, Rural Broadband, Energy, and Youth Engagement. In FY2022, this program received 79 applications totaling $2,448,763 in requests. Of these requests, 30 grants totaling $910,788 were awarded.
MAERDAF Agricultural and Forestry Education: 6 Grants = $133,140
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Allegany College of Maryland | $40,000 |
| Chesapeake Culinary Center | $13,000 |
| LEAD Maryland Foundation, Inc. | $30,000 |
| Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation | $10,390 |
| Steam Onward, Inc. | $13,450 |
| Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council | $26,300 |
MAERDAF Community and Economic Development: 19 Grants = $608,633
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Bay Community Support Services, Inc. | $27,200 |
| Beach to Bay Heritage Area | $40,000 |
| Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc | $40,000 |
| Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum | $34,535 |
| Chesapeake Housing Mission Inc. | $30,000 |
| Community Mediation Maryland | $40,000 |
| Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation | $25,000 |
| For All Seasons, Inc. | $38,682 |
| Forever Maryland Foundation | $28,600 |
| Garrett College | $40,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Choptank, Inc. | $29,202 |
| Habitat For Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc. | $40,000 |
| Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, Inc. | $20,000 |
| Maryland Rural Development Corporation | $40,000 |
| Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory | $15,414 |
| Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Inc. | $21,000 |
| The Greater Cumberland Committee | $40,000 |
| Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council | $40,000 |
| Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council | $19,000 |
MAERDAF Energy: 2 Grants = $62,000
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Adkins Arboretum | $40,000 |
| Forest Glen Commonwealth, Inc. | $22,000 |
MAERDAF Youth Engagement: 3 Grants = $107,015
| Awardee | Total Award |
| Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education | $30,000 |
| Preservation Maryland | $37,015 |
| The Parents’ Place of Maryland | $40,000 |
For More Information, visit the RMC website: www.rural.maryland.gov
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