Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant Program

The Keep Maryland Beautiful Track 1 & 2 program is administered through the Chesapeake Bay Trust as part of a partnership involving the Maryland Environmental Trust, Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of Agriculture, and Chesapeake Bay Trust. The program is statewide in Maryland and is designed to build the capacity of land trusts while supporting community-based organizations that increase civic engagement, encourage adoption of stewardship practices, and develop solutions to local environmental problems. Projects are intended to activate residents through education, outreach, planting, and other stewardship activities while increasing awareness of environmental issues and advancing practical responses to those issues. Track 1, Community Stewardship, supports small-scale, community-driven projects that enhance Maryland's environment and inspire stewardship. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, community associations, homeowner associations, service and civic groups, and public agencies. Eligible project types include community engagement and environmental education, particularly projects aligned with the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience framework, projects addressing root causes of environmental issues, and hands-on stewardship and place-based learning. Examples include converting vacant spaces into community green spaces with trees and native plants, environmental education programs for different age groups, rain gardens, litter cleanups, stormwater solutions, and youth-focused environmental projects. Track 1 requests may be up to $5,000. Track 2, Land Trust Assistance, supports Maryland land trusts and is intended to strengthen organizational capacity, advance implementation of Standards and Practices, foster public support for conservation, and enhance long-term stewardship of permanently protected lands. Eligible project types include land conservation, monitoring and stewardship, and organizational support. Examples include collaborative conservation planning, GIS software and equipment, mapping of priority conservation areas, easement-related staff or contractual work, baseline documentation, monitoring, and volunteer training. Track 2 requests may be up to $10,000. Applicants to this track must be Maryland land trusts with a current Maryland Environmental Trust Cooperative Agreement dated on or after November 2, 2020, and must satisfy the applicable organizational, financial, legal standing, and compliance requirements described in the RFP. The total funding pool for Tracks 1 and 2 is $114,074, consisting of $54,074 for Track 1 and $60,000 for Track 2. Eligible costs may include project-related personnel, supplies, contractual services, travel, field trip fees, equipment, software and other project costs, and indirect expenses of no more than 10 percent of direct costs. Restrictions include a prohibition on alcohol, non-native plants when planting vegetation, and costs incurred outside the grant period. Staff training and professional development costs are limited to registration fees, meals, and travel within Maryland; overnight accommodations and travel outside Maryland are not eligible. Track 2 funds may support research and preparation associated with acquiring easements but may not be used to purchase an easement itself. Matching funds are encouraged but are not required. Applications must be completed through the Chesapeake Bay Trust online application system; email submissions are not accepted. Applicants create or use an existing online account, gather applicant and project information, prepare the narrative required for their selected track, prepare an online budget and an additional budget justification, upload required supporting documents, and agree to the program terms and conditions. An Executive Officer and a Project Leader must be identified as two separate individuals, and the Project Leader's email address in the applicant information must match the email address used to submit the application. Supporting documentation varies by track and may include Maryland Good Standing documentation, financial statements or tax returns, financial-readiness documentation, an unexpired Maryland Environmental Trust Cooperative Agreement, maps, photographs, contractor information, and confirmation of checking with Miss Utility when applicable. Applicants selected for funding will later be asked to provide a W-9. Applications are evaluated by technical experts and discussed by a review committee using the evaluation criteria provided with the track-specific Narrative Questions. Reviewers look for a clearly demonstrated community or conservation need, strong and measurable project goals, meaningful community engagement, benefits to natural and human communities, appropriate and sustainable partnerships, measurable results, and lasting impact beyond the grant period. The RFP opened on September 3, 2026, and applications must be submitted by 4:00 PM EST on December 1, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. Funding decisions are scheduled to be communicated by email and through the application portal on Keep Maryland Beautiful Day, March 20, 2027. Projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving an award, although extension requests may be considered case by case. Questions may be directed to Marylin Veiman Echeverria at mveiman@cbtrust.org or (410) 974-2941 x130. The RFP does not state a fixed recurring application schedule.

Clearly explain the community or conservation need, why the project is needed now, why grant funding is important, and how the work aligns with the selected track. Use specific measurable goals and evidence such as surveys, volunteer counts, photo documentation, or ecological monitoring. Demonstrate meaningful community engagement, appropriate local leadership, benefits to natural and human communities, credible partnerships and letters of support for collaborative proposals, and a plan for stewardship and lasting impact after the grant period. Submit several days before the deadline when possible because the funder warns of potential high website traffic and cannot guarantee deadline-day technical assistance.