2009 MAERDAF Grants Application Due July 7
(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. Note: Applications must be in our office by close of business
on July 7 to be eligible. We are not open July 4. For more information,
including grant application materials and guidelines.
Read the FY 2008 MAERDAF Annual Report (pdf)
Save the Date for Common Cents
The RMC is joining with the Maryland CASH Campaign and other
asset building coalitions to help sponsor
The Common Cents Conference,
September 4-5 in Bethesda. The conference
will present innovative program models that have successfully addressed the
financial problems facing low income residents throughout the state.
More information will be posted shortly.
RMC Chair to Lead Broadband Coordination Board
(June 16, 2008) -- Charlie Ross, president and CEO of the Garrett County
Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Rural Maryland Council Executive Board,
has been elected to a one-year term as chairman of the
Maryland Broadband Coordination Board, beginning July 1, 2008. He replaces
Worcester County Commissioner Virgil Shockley, who served two terms as chairman
and will remain on the Board. Established by the Maryland General Assembly in 2006,
the Rural Broadband Coordination Board, which is staffed by the RMC, is responsible
for overseeing efforts to deploy broadband infrastructure in rural and underserved
areas of the state. The Board is also responsible for reviewing and approving
all disbursements from the Rural Broadband Assistance Fund. During the last two years,
the Coordination Board, has been responsible for more than $13 million in state
and federal funding. Read more.
Mr. Ross was recently interviewed by Dr. Brad Gottfried, president of
the College of Southern Maryland on the local radio show: Southern Maryland Perspectives.
Listen to the Interview.
Oral Health Grants Available
Two oral health grants are open for applications from eligible Maryland
community organizations and agencies. All Maryland jurisdictions are eligible
for these grants, however, the following counties have been recognized by the
Dental Action Committee as the most dentally needy and will receive special
consideration: Calvert, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, and Worcester.
- The
"New or Expanded Dental Services Program Grant" provides funding for new
or expanded dental services and/or providers through various models. Letters of
Intent are due July 3 with applications due July 31.
- The
"Oral Health Safety Net Clinics" is an Administration-Sponsored Capital
Program Grant which provides funding for capital infrastructure for oral
health programs. Applications are due August 1, 2008.
Grant applications are posted on the
Office of Oral Health website.
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.
Healthcare Access Presentations Available
All conference presentations and fact sheets used during the DHMH Office of
Health Policy and Planning April 30 workshop, entitled “Piecing Together the
Healthcare Access Puzzle,”
can be found at:
www.fha.state.md.us/ohpp/html/conference.cfm
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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