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For information about the MAERDAF Program.
2008 Grant Materials
Instructions for Applying, 2008* (PDF)
MAERDAF 2008 Application (word)
MAERDAF 2008 Proposed Budget (excel)
*You must have Adobe Acrobat reader to read the Instructions. You can download the reader for free from the Adobe Reader website.
MAERDAF:
Grants Available to Rural Serving Nonprofits
The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), which is administered by the Rural Maryland Council, is CLOSED for FY 2008. Application materials at the left are posted here for reference only.
2008 MAERDAF Grants Announced
(Aug. 7, 2007) - The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), administered by the Rural Maryland Council, will award more than $250,000 to 17 rural-serving nonprofit organizations during FY 2008. Established in 2000, 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. Many rural-serving organizations have been able to establish or continue programs and projects that have had a significant and positive impact on Rural Maryland because of the MAERDAF program.
The FY 2008 grantees are:
- Delmarva Education Foundation - To assist with the College/ Career Access Program in Wicomico and Somerset Counties
- Future Harvest - Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (CASA) - To assist with the statewide Farming for Profit and Stewardship Conference
- Friend of the Grape, Inc. - To help the Chesapeake Culinary Center professionally train a workforce for the hospitality industry
- Habitat for Humanity of Talbot County - To help eliminate substandard housing in Talbot and Dorchester Counties for families whose income falls between 40-50 percent of the median
- Lead Maryland - To help expand staff capacity and meet the goals of its strategic plan
- Lower Shore Broadband Cooperative - To assist with the construction of two wireless sites on the lower shore
- Mac, Inc., the designated agency on aging for Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties - To help deliver the Managing Chronic Pain for Arthritis program
- Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts - To help conduct the Maryland Envirothon, a statewide high school environmental education competition
- Maryland Capital Enterprises - To help cultivate additional partnerships and solidify existing ones
- Maryland FFA Foundation - To assist with the annual state convention and career development event for high school students
- Maryland Forests Association - To assist with the annual meeting which draws approximately 200 attendees from around the state
- Microenterprise Council of Maryland - To create a web portal of rural entrepreneur service providers
- Mid-Shore Regional Council - To help establish and maintain an agricultural economic development specialist
- Maryland Rural Development Corporation - To assist with the Emergency Preparedness Taskforce Initiative
- Mountain Laurel Medical Center - To help with start-up costs for this new federally qualified health center which serves low income and uninsured residents in the medically underserved area of Garrett County
- Tri-County Council of Western Maryland - To help the Business Technical Assistance Program promotes small business and entrepreneurial growth in western Maryland
- Upper Shore Regional Council - To help develop alternative markets for grains grown on the Eastern Shore
The MAERDAF Grant Review Board is comprised of a representative from the Maryland Departments of Agriculture, Maryland Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland Departments of Business and Economic Development, Maryland Departments of Housing and Community Development, Maryland Departments of Natural Resources, and the RMC.