Grant Assistance Program Coming to Help Rural Maryland

Maryland. – The Rural Maryland Council is establishing a support program to tackle the unique funding challenges faced by rural communities and organizations.

Compared to larger communities, rural towns and organizations struggle to compete for grants and funding that would help them enhance their capacity for economic development.
The Rural Readiness Program received approval earlier this month with the Maryland Rural Council administering.
Sources explained that the program may include not just access to funding but resources, such as training for grant-writing and technology.

Goals of this program include:

• Promote economic diversification and growth in rural areas.
• Strengthen community organizations and leadership capacity.
• Support innovative, community-driven projects aligned with local needs
• Facilitate partnerships among community stakeholders, businesses, and government agencies

“The program consists of cohort learning with 6 to 8 sessions, a combination of mostly virtual learning with at least one in person session” says Charlotte Davis, Executive Director of the Rural Maryland Council.

Organizers say the need for this assistance was evident from a noticeable disparity in the workforce of organizations, such as those in healthcare, which hindered their ability to function.

Jonathan Dayton, of the Maryland Rural Health Association explained that 1.8 million Marylanders qualify as rural residents. The Rural Maryland Council says that they will release a call for applications in July, with the deadline being August 1.

For more information on the Rural Readiness Program and the Maryland Rural Council, visit rural.maryland.gov.