2009 MAERDAF Grants Application Period Opens
(April 21, 2008) - The 2009 Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development
Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), administered by the Rural Maryland Council, is
accepting grant applications through July 7, 2008. MAERDAF provides grants to
rural-serving nonprofit organizations that undertake statewide and
regional planning, economic and community development, and agricultural and
forestry education projects. MAERDAF also provides grants to community colleges
that support small and agricultural businesses through enhanced training and
technical assistance. For more information,
including grant application materials and guidelines.
Read our brochure about the RMC grants available to nonprofit organizations,
Helping Rural
Maryland Grow and Thrive.
Foundation Votes to Help Rural Families
The Rural Maryland Foundation -- a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – was
formed in 2001 to support the efforts of rural leaders who work to
improve the quality of life in our smaller communities. At its April meeting,
the Board of Trustees voted to undertake a fundraising campaign for
the FY 2009 Strengthening
the Well Being of Rural Maryland Families Program, which is administered by
the Rural Maryland Council and provides grants to non-profit organizations that
help vulnerable rural families become economically self-reliant over time.
The Foundation's goal is to raise $25,000 by Fall 2008 when the next grant cycle begins.
For the past three years, the Rural Families program has been completely
funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Despite the enormous need, no taxpayer
dollars have ever been requested or used for the Rural Families program.
Now, you can help our grassroots efforts to help rural families help themselves.
For more information, see the Strengthening
Rural Maryland Families Fact Sheet or the
Rural Maryland Foundation's Fact Sheet.
Help Rural Children Succeed
The Rural School and Community Trust invites rural education and community
leaders to participate in a free webinar titled: Engaging Communities to Help
Every Child Succeed on Thursday, May 29, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. To RSVP, send
an email to info@ruraledu.org with your
name and contact info including email address by Friday, May 23. A day prior to
the event, you will receive an email with dial-in instructions.
For more information
Special RMC Programs
The Mission of the Rural Maryland Council is to build a bright future for Rural Maryland
by helping to address its unique concerns. The RMC works towards achieving effective solutions
by bringing together a diverse partnership of federal, state, and local government officials and
representatives from the private nonprofit and for-profit sectors to form a strong collective
voice dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing Rural Marylanders. The success of the
RMC depends on the strength of its Executive Board, membership and Working Committees. Our
general membership includes several hundred people -- each of whom brings a unique perspective,
background, knowledge, and skill set to the table. Any Maryland citizen is eligible to become a
member of the RMC. There is no fee for joining, just fill out an application form, mail or fax
it back to us and we'll be in touch. Click here for a Membership Application.
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