Notice: The FY23 Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) Grant Program is now closed.
FY23 Underserved Communities Projects Grant Program Award List
- Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence - $74,951.00
- Cura Personalis Project Inc. - $64,100.00
- Homes Not Borders Inc. - $50,000.00
- Islamic Center of Maryland, Inc. - $63,417.00
- Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations, Inc. - $75,000.00
- Montgomery County Black Collective, Inc. - $75,000.00
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, Inc. - $73,333.00
- Pride Youth Services, Inc. - $74,999.00
- SEEC Corporation (SEEC) - $74,200.00
- September House MAJ, Inc. - $50,000.00
- The Give an Hour Nonprofit Corporation - $75,000.00
The program closed on March 15, 2023 with 132 applications submitted that totaled over $9.1 million in funding requests; a 12.2 to one ratio of requests received to funds available.
The Office of Grants Management is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2023 Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) Grant Program from qualified nonprofit organizations providing direct services to or advocacy for underserved communities in the County. Both the County Executive’s FY23 Recommended Budget and the County Council’s FY23 Approved Budget (Resolution 19-1285) provide $750,000 to nonprofit organizations from underserved communities who have unique insights into their local challenges and can develop the best programmatic solutions address them. These grants will provide funding for new projects, programs, and initiatives within Montgomery County with a prioritization towards organizations who do not currently receive County funding. FY23 UCP award amounts will vary with a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum award amount of $75,000. At present, the County Council has made this funding available for one year so all funded activities must be implemented within a 12 month performance period. Organizations are encouraged to submit multi-year funding proposals of up to three (3) years but funding beyond the first 12 month period will be contingent on both satisfactory program performance and future Council appropriations.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Tuesday February 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Session: Friday February 17, 2023 from 1:30 to 3:00 PM (Click here to view the event recording through your web browser.)
- Application Closes: Wednesday March 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Program Downloads:
- Click here to download the full FY23 UCP Grant Program Details document in .pdf format.
- Click here to download the February 17 Information Session slide deck.
- Click here to download the FY23 Budget Resolution which includes the FY23 Non-Competitive Contract Award List (starting on page 38 of pdf). Given the high interest in this program and the limited funding available, organizations with over $100,000 in Non-Competitive Contracts are unlikely to be competitive.
- Click here to download a list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the UCP grant program. These questions include those asked during the February 17, 2023 Information Session. Repeated questions have been consolidated. March 07 UPDATES: 2) correction on one question and b) additional FAQs added.
- Click here to watch the video of the Information Session for Awardees and click here to download the slides of the presentation.
The goal of this program is to support a flexible range of new programs that address the needs of the County’s underserved communities that are designed and led by nonprofit organizations based in these communities. Priority in awarding funds will go to organizations based in the same underserved community that the projects target.
This program uses the same definition of underserved communities as the January 20, 2021 Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
Within their proposal, applicants must outline their plan to use the requested grant resources and how the proposed activities will have a positive impact on their target community. Grants provided under this program will be multi-year awards of up to three years, pending satisfactory program performance and continued appropriation of funding. The range of programming allowed under this grant is intentionally very flexible with a focus on applicants justifying how the proposed project, program, or initiative will have a positive impact on their target communities. Organizations may only submit one application. All proposed expenses should be related to programmatic activities plus a maximum 15% rate for indirect costs. Award sizes will vary with a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum award of $75,000.
Priority in awarding funding will be given to proposals that:
- Are submitted by nonprofit organizations based in underserved communities within Montgomery County, have a mission focused on serving these communities, and are have limited or no FY23 funding from the County;
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of their target community’s needs and an effective program strategy to effectively meets these needs;
- Provide services, advocacy, or other support to the target community that is not already funded by other County resources;
- Provide technically, culturally, and/or linguistically proficient services to the target community; and
- Demonstrate a broad base of impact through their proposal to their target community.
The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that:
- Exhibit cultural proficiency;
- Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
- Use a racial equity lens in providing services.
Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
- The organization must be a Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status organization or a collaboration between two or more organizations with this status;
- The organization must be currently registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT);
- The organization’s principal place of business must be located in Montgomery County; if a national or regional organization, it must have a location in Montgomery County through which it provides related services;
- All activities and expenditures under this grant program must be provided in Montgomery County; and
- Current Montgomery County contract or grant award winners must be current on all reporting obligations for other awards and those reports must reflect substantial progress towards the goals of their awards.
Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a nonprofit designation to apply and all proposed services must take place within Montgomery County. Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups. County funding cannot be used to supplant other funding for already planned services. The full details, eligibility requirements, and other criteria can be found in the Program Details document that is downloadable above.
A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Friday February 17, 2023 from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. The event will be recorded and posted for applicants who miss the event or who wish to review it again. A link to the live and recorded event can be found above.
The application will consist of a:
- Program Summary – Organization mission and contact information
- Strategy Narrative – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
- Program Budget – Details of the implementation costs of the proposed program
- Budget Narrative/Justification – Brief explanation of the Program Budget
- Program Work Plan/Timeline – the proposed program implementation schedule
- Performance Plan – Outline of metrics to be collected, targets for each metric, and the data collection method for each metric as well as any qualitative evaluation methods
- Supporting Documents – Upload of background documents supporting proposal
- Application Certification, Acknowledgments, and Assurances – Confirmation of ethics considerations, legal terms, and the authenticity of the application
Grant applications will be reviewed by an independent committee organized by the Office of Grants Management made up of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, or project management. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the Program Details document with cumulative ranking determining the final awards.
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Click here to go to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here . If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Rafael Pumarejo Murphy, Director of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-777-2775 or emailing rafael.murphy@montgomerycountymd.gov.
FY23 Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) Grant Program
Notice: The FY23 Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) Grant Program is now closed.
FY23 Underserved Communities Projects Grant Program Award List
- Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence - $74,951.00
- Cura Personalis Project Inc. - $64,100.00
- Homes Not Borders Inc. - $50,000.00
- Islamic Center of Maryland, Inc. - $63,417.00
- Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations, Inc. - $75,000.00
- Montgomery County Black Collective, Inc. - $75,000.00
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, Inc. - $73,333.00
- Pride Youth Services, Inc. - $74,999.00
- SEEC Corporation (SEEC) - $74,200.00
- September House MAJ, Inc. - $50,000.00
- The Give an Hour Nonprofit Corporation - $75,000.00
The program closed on March 15, 2023 with 132 applications submitted that totaled over $9.1 million in funding requests; a 12.2 to one ratio of requests received to funds available.
The Office of Grants Management is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2023 Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) Grant Program from qualified nonprofit organizations providing direct services to or advocacy for underserved communities in the County. Both the County Executive’s FY23 Recommended Budget and the County Council’s FY23 Approved Budget (Resolution 19-1285) provide $750,000 to nonprofit organizations from underserved communities who have unique insights into their local challenges and can develop the best programmatic solutions address them. These grants will provide funding for new projects, programs, and initiatives within Montgomery County with a prioritization towards organizations who do not currently receive County funding. FY23 UCP award amounts will vary with a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum award amount of $75,000. At present, the County Council has made this funding available for one year so all funded activities must be implemented within a 12 month performance period. Organizations are encouraged to submit multi-year funding proposals of up to three (3) years but funding beyond the first 12 month period will be contingent on both satisfactory program performance and future Council appropriations.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Tuesday February 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Session: Friday February 17, 2023 from 1:30 to 3:00 PM (Click here to view the event recording through your web browser.)
- Application Closes: Wednesday March 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Program Downloads:
- Click here to download the full FY23 UCP Grant Program Details document in .pdf format.
- Click here to download the February 17 Information Session slide deck.
- Click here to download the FY23 Budget Resolution which includes the FY23 Non-Competitive Contract Award List (starting on page 38 of pdf). Given the high interest in this program and the limited funding available, organizations with over $100,000 in Non-Competitive Contracts are unlikely to be competitive.
- Click here to download a list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the UCP grant program. These questions include those asked during the February 17, 2023 Information Session. Repeated questions have been consolidated. March 07 UPDATES: 2) correction on one question and b) additional FAQs added.
- Click here to watch the video of the Information Session for Awardees and click here to download the slides of the presentation.
The goal of this program is to support a flexible range of new programs that address the needs of the County’s underserved communities that are designed and led by nonprofit organizations based in these communities. Priority in awarding funds will go to organizations based in the same underserved community that the projects target.
This program uses the same definition of underserved communities as the January 20, 2021 Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
Within their proposal, applicants must outline their plan to use the requested grant resources and how the proposed activities will have a positive impact on their target community. Grants provided under this program will be multi-year awards of up to three years, pending satisfactory program performance and continued appropriation of funding. The range of programming allowed under this grant is intentionally very flexible with a focus on applicants justifying how the proposed project, program, or initiative will have a positive impact on their target communities. Organizations may only submit one application. All proposed expenses should be related to programmatic activities plus a maximum 15% rate for indirect costs. Award sizes will vary with a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum award of $75,000.
Priority in awarding funding will be given to proposals that:
- Are submitted by nonprofit organizations based in underserved communities within Montgomery County, have a mission focused on serving these communities, and are have limited or no FY23 funding from the County;
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of their target community’s needs and an effective program strategy to effectively meets these needs;
- Provide services, advocacy, or other support to the target community that is not already funded by other County resources;
- Provide technically, culturally, and/or linguistically proficient services to the target community; and
- Demonstrate a broad base of impact through their proposal to their target community.
The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that:
- Exhibit cultural proficiency;
- Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
- Use a racial equity lens in providing services.
Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
- The organization must be a Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status organization or a collaboration between two or more organizations with this status;
- The organization must be currently registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT);
- The organization’s principal place of business must be located in Montgomery County; if a national or regional organization, it must have a location in Montgomery County through which it provides related services;
- All activities and expenditures under this grant program must be provided in Montgomery County; and
- Current Montgomery County contract or grant award winners must be current on all reporting obligations for other awards and those reports must reflect substantial progress towards the goals of their awards.
Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a nonprofit designation to apply and all proposed services must take place within Montgomery County. Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups. County funding cannot be used to supplant other funding for already planned services. The full details, eligibility requirements, and other criteria can be found in the Program Details document that is downloadable above.
A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Friday February 17, 2023 from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. The event will be recorded and posted for applicants who miss the event or who wish to review it again. A link to the live and recorded event can be found above.
The application will consist of a:
- Program Summary – Organization mission and contact information
- Strategy Narrative – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
- Program Budget – Details of the implementation costs of the proposed program
- Budget Narrative/Justification – Brief explanation of the Program Budget
- Program Work Plan/Timeline – the proposed program implementation schedule
- Performance Plan – Outline of metrics to be collected, targets for each metric, and the data collection method for each metric as well as any qualitative evaluation methods
- Supporting Documents – Upload of background documents supporting proposal
- Application Certification, Acknowledgments, and Assurances – Confirmation of ethics considerations, legal terms, and the authenticity of the application
Grant applications will be reviewed by an independent committee organized by the Office of Grants Management made up of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, or project management. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the Program Details document with cumulative ranking determining the final awards.
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Click here to go to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here . If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Rafael Pumarejo Murphy, Director of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-777-2775 or emailing rafael.murphy@montgomerycountymd.gov.