RMC Awards Grants to Six Nonprofits for Rural Families Program in FY2010

Six rural-serving organizations have been selected to receive a total of $90,748 in grants from the Strengthening the Well Being of Rural Maryland Families Program, a direct service grant program administered by the Rural Maryland Council and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Since 2006, the program has awarded $575,000 in grants to 23 rural organizations that help low income rural families become more economically stable.

Now in its fifth year, the program received request for more than three times available funding -- an indication of the need for more resources in Maryland's rural communities.

The Rural Families program provides grants to rural-serving nonprofit organizations that have projects or programs that:

Grant recipients for FY 2010 are:

A summary of the grant projects now underway are described below.

Grantee: Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission, Inc.(HRDC), Cumberland. The mission of the Allegany County HRDC is to eliminate social and economic barriers to promote individual and community stability through services, advocacy and collaboration. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to expand the HRDC's current tax program. In an effort to assist lower income households become more aware of their spending habits and in attaining self-sufficiency, an intensive financial literacy course is being initiated to serve 25 households.

Grantee: Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry, Huntingtown. The mission of the Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry is to feed families while helping them work towards self-sufficiency. Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry seeks to make a measurable difference in the lives of low income families in Calvert County. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to implement the Calvert Ca$h project, which will bring together motivated low income families, financial education, job readiness skills and needed resources to impact the rural community, one family at a time.

Grantee: Frederick Community Action Agency, Frederick. The mission of the Frederick Community Action Agency is to administer programs and services to assist disadvantaged and low-income people thereby ameliorating the causes and effects of poverty in Frederick County. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to to support two AmeriCorps Members for eleven months of direct service. These volunteers are involved in outreach to low income communities about the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Grantee: Harford Community Action Agency (HCCAA), Inc., Edgewood. The HCCAA provides assistance to individuals and families who are experiencing temporary financial hardships to meet their housing, food, energy/heating, and/or lifestyle counseling needs and support them on their path back to self-sufficiency. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to conduct the Rural Focus project, which is part of a larger Financial Services Initiative being implemented by HCAA. This Initiative builds on HCAA's historical mission of providing assistance to Harford County families in crisis, helping them to stabilize their financial situation and develop goals for future self-sufficiency.

Grantee: Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc., Salisbury. The Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc's mission is to expand the ability of individuals and families to save for education, housing or business development by partnering with other agencies in our sphere of influence and, just as importantly, by breaking down traditional silos and reaching across to others in different areas. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to support three main activities: 1) planning and implementing educational workshops, 2) accessing a savings-match fund from which each successful participant may leverage $500 and 3) engaging needed technical assistance to help the project partners build capital for project growth and sustainability.

Grantee: SHORE UP! Inc., Salisbury. SHORE UP! Inc., a private, non-profit Community Action Partnership on Maryland's Eastern Shore, is dedicated to building communities, changing lives, and empowering individuals and families to maintain long-term independence and achieve economic self-sufficiency, through a comprehensive system of services and resources." SHORE UP! serves individuals in Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Most customers come from three counties on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore: Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. Grant Program Summary: Grant funds are being used to reach out to low- to moderate-income individuals and families living in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit and provide them with free preparation of their state and federal income tax returns. The EITC Project will also electronically file as many returns as possible, ensure that the returns are accurate, and ensure that customers receive all the refunds/credits due to them, especially the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The information below is provided for reference purposes only. The Fy 2010 Grant Cycle is Closed.

Applications Now Being Accepted
for FY 2010 Rural Families Grants

Children Photo

The Rural Maryland Council will accept applications through August 7, 2009 for the FY 2010 Rural Families Grant Program.

Since 2006, the RMC has administered the Strengthening the Well-Being of Rural Maryland Families, a direct service grant program, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Since then, $385,000 in grants have been awarded to rural-serving organizations.

The overall goal of the Rural Families program is to strengthen the economic stability of low income rural families by helping them develop the financial skills they need to save money and increase their knowledge and understanding of the financial management practices that can help them overcome barriers to economic success. The Rural Families program provides grants only to those organizations who are proposing projects that meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Ensure families claim the Earned Income Tax Credit for the first time or develop systematic savings practices that result in an at-risk rural family saving at least $1,000;
  2. Help each family who claims the EITC (or saves $1,000) to develop a financial plan that uses those funds to eliminate/reduce a financial burden that prevents the family from achieving economic stability;
  3. Connect families with available support services that can help them become self sufficient over the long term;
  4. Include an evaluation component that assesses the effectiveness of the project based on the number of families who are served in Steps #1-3 above.

To Previous Rural Families Grantees: Organizations who received a Rural Families grant (or another Rural Maryland Council grant) in the past are eligible to apply provided that they submitted an acceptable final report. Organizations who received a Rural Families grant in FY 2009 must indicate that they will work with at least 20 percent of the clients they worked with last year to help them further their economic stability.

Who Should Apply? Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits, community-based and community-serving organizations that can provide the services described above to low-income families in at least one rural county. The applicant does not need to be physically located in the area it serves.

Maryland's 18 rural counties are: Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, and Worchester.

Organizations who propose setting up a free-tax preparation site will receive priority if they open that site in Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's or Talbot Counties (i.e., rural counties that currently do not have a dedicated free tax preparation site for low income families.)

Grant Amount: There is no minimum or maximum grant request; however, past awards have been between $5,000 and $20,000.

Project Period: September 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 Before you apply. . .

Conference Calls: The RMC and the Maryland CASH Campaign, which provides technical assistance to the program, will conduct a conference call on July 7, 2009 at 10 a.m. to discuss the program and application requirements. All interested applicants are strongly recommended to participate.

Letters of Intent - Submission deadline is July 10, 2009: Potential applicants who do not participate on the conference call are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent, briefly describing their program prior to drafting a full proposal. This will give us an opportunity to discuss any issues before you take the time to develop a full proposal. Email it to: rmc@mda.state.md.us.

Successful Grantees: All grantees must attend an all-grantee meeting, which will be held during the Statewide Rural Roundtable, October 22, 2009, in Annapolis. By submitting an application, you agree to attend this meeting if you are awarded a grant. Grantee organizations who do not have travel or training budgets will receive a scholarship for at least one staff member to attend.

Applications must be emailed to rmc@mda.state.md.us by 5 p.m. on August 7, 2009.(Note: We are not responsible for any technical glitches that prevent your application from arriving.)

Notification: All grantees will be notified of their status of their request no later than September 1, 2009.

If you have any questions, please email: rmc@mda.state.md.us or call us at: 410-841-5774.

Download the FY 2010 Grant Guidelines and Application Now

FY 2010 Grant Scoring Criteria

Organizational Capacity (15 points): The organization applying for a grant should have a clear mission, a significant record of achieving meaningful, measurable results over a long period of time, and substantial experience working successfully with disadvantaged families. The applicant should also showcase a strong, stable staff which is capable of developing financial skills and plans.

Project Description (40 points): The project description should demonstrate an understanding and commitment to the needs, aims and objectives described in the Grant Guidelines, and an ability to achieve them.

Other Program Descriptions (30 points): The applicant must demonstrate a clear and precise understanding of the major goals of the Rural Families program while helping families build a solid network of support. The applicant should also articulate how it will evaluate the project's effectiveness.

Operational Budget (15): The project budget should reflect a reasonable, well thought-out and responsive program and includes funds from other, diversified sources, if possible.

Rural Maryland Council :: 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway :: Annapolis, MD 21401 :: 410-841-5772