FY24 Community Projects Fund Grant Program (Quarter 1)
Opens Jul 18 2023 11:59 AM (EDT)
Deadline Aug 20 2023 11:59 PM (EDT)
$5,000.00 to $25,000.00
Description

Notice: The Quarter 1 FY24 Community Projects Fund Grants Program is now closed. Applications are currently under review.


Program Details:

The Office of Grants Management is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2024 Community Projects Fund (CPF) Grants Program from qualified nonprofit organizations providing direct services to or advocacy for Montgomery County community members. Both the County Executive’s FY24 Recommended Budget and the County Council’s FY24 Approved Budget (Resolution 20-184) provide $1 million in one-time funding for small, emerging, and volunteer led nonprofit organizations to implement small, community focused projects, initiatives, and events. FY24 CPF Grants Programs will be offered as a quarterly application with at least $250,000 available in each cycle. Additional funding may be added to this pool from other County sources and may have additional priorities, restrictions, and/or requirements.  Funding may be awarded to new initiatives or to projects supported by Community Grants in previous fiscal years.  FY24 CPF Grants Program applicants may request funding between $5,000 and $25,000.  The performance period of these grant awards will be six (6) months from the award date as the goal of this program is to support specific, short-term initiatives instead of ongoing, full, or multi-year programs.

The target populations for this Grant Program are Montgomery County residents.  This Grant Program is intentionally very flexible and allows nonprofit partners to define their own specific target populations within Montgomery County. Priority to awarding funding will be given to projects that target Underserved Communities within Montgomery County.  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.

Key dates for this program are:

  • FY24 First Quarter Program Opens for Applications:  Tuesday July 18, 2023
  • MS Teams Live Online Grant Program Information Session: Thursday July 20, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM
  • Submission Deadline: Sunday August 20, 2023 at 11:59 PM

Program Documents:

The goal of this program is to support small, community focused projects, initiatives, and events led by small, emerging, and volunteer led nonprofit organizations within Montgomery County with one-time funds. These small projects should target needs not directly addressed by other Montgomery County departmental efforts, that addresses critical gaps in specific communities, cut across traditional sectors, or that offer innovative and experimental approaches to complex issues. Community needs do not always fit neatly into a single department's mission, have often complex multifaceted root causes, and require innovative and flexible solutions. The FY24 Community Projects Fund Grants Program is intentionally highly flexible to allow nonprofit organizations, who have grassroots understanding of community needs, to design and propose small projects and initiatives that will best meet these needs. These funds may also support cultural and community events not traditionally supported by Montgomery County departments.

FY24 Community Project Funds will be offered on a quarterly application cycle with at least $250,000 available in each cycle.  The remaining FY24 cycles will launch on:

  • Second Quarter Applications Open: Sunday October 1, 2023
  • Third Quarter Applications Open: Monday January 1, 2024
  • Fourth Quarter Applications Open: Monday April 1, 2024

The Office of Grants Management expects a large number of applications and total funding requests that will greatly exceed the amount of resources available for FY24 Community Project Fund. Priority in awarding funding will be given to proposals that:

  • Are from small, emerging, or volunteer led nonprofit organizations;
  • Are from organizations based in or serving an Underserved Community;
  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of their target population’s/community’s needs and an effective project strategy to effectively meets these needs;
  • Provide services, advocacy, or other support to the target population/community that is not already funded by other County resources;
  • Provide technically, culturally, and/or linguistically proficient services to the target population/community; 
  • Demonstrate a broad base of impact through their proposal to their target population/community; and
  • Will be fully implemented in the next six (6) months.

The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that demonstrate some of the following:

  • Exhibit cultural proficiency; 
  • Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
  • Use a racial equity lens in providing services.

Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a 501 (c)(3) 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 NOFO document that is downloadable above.

A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Thursday July 20, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 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 the following Tasks:

  • Applicant Information – Organization mission, contact information, background documents and optional demographics
  • Applicant Background - Optional demographic and organization size questions
  • Project Strategy – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
  • Project 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

Additional Task Trainings: The Office Grants Management has provided a series of four trainings focused on a more detailed explanation of each standard Task, optional templates, and past Review Committee feedback on what they felt was useful. Each training session has been recorded and are available by clicking on the links below.

  1. Applicant Information and Applicant Background Reusable Tasks
  2. Project Strategy and Project Work Plan/Timeline Tasks
  3. Project Budget, Project Budget Narrative/Justification, and Project Staffing Plan Tasks
  4. Performance Plan and Performance History Task

The Office of Grants Management will recruit an independent Review Committee that will develop and submit recommendations for funding. The Review Committee will be composed of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government, and possibly the broader Montgomery County community, selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, project management, and/or ability to analyze projects from a Racial Equity and Social Justice lens. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the NOFO for this Grant Program with cumulative rankings and considerations as the County deems relevant at the time of award. These may include updated consideration of how well the applicant has performed on prior programs, the expert opinion of grant administrators with prior experience with applicants, updates to priorities, or other factors.

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 Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing ali.hoy@montgomerycountymd.gov.

FY24 Community Projects Fund Grant Program (Quarter 1)


Notice: The Quarter 1 FY24 Community Projects Fund Grants Program is now closed. Applications are currently under review.


Program Details:

The Office of Grants Management is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2024 Community Projects Fund (CPF) Grants Program from qualified nonprofit organizations providing direct services to or advocacy for Montgomery County community members. Both the County Executive’s FY24 Recommended Budget and the County Council’s FY24 Approved Budget (Resolution 20-184) provide $1 million in one-time funding for small, emerging, and volunteer led nonprofit organizations to implement small, community focused projects, initiatives, and events. FY24 CPF Grants Programs will be offered as a quarterly application with at least $250,000 available in each cycle. Additional funding may be added to this pool from other County sources and may have additional priorities, restrictions, and/or requirements.  Funding may be awarded to new initiatives or to projects supported by Community Grants in previous fiscal years.  FY24 CPF Grants Program applicants may request funding between $5,000 and $25,000.  The performance period of these grant awards will be six (6) months from the award date as the goal of this program is to support specific, short-term initiatives instead of ongoing, full, or multi-year programs.

The target populations for this Grant Program are Montgomery County residents.  This Grant Program is intentionally very flexible and allows nonprofit partners to define their own specific target populations within Montgomery County. Priority to awarding funding will be given to projects that target Underserved Communities within Montgomery County.  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.

Key dates for this program are:

  • FY24 First Quarter Program Opens for Applications:  Tuesday July 18, 2023
  • MS Teams Live Online Grant Program Information Session: Thursday July 20, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM
  • Submission Deadline: Sunday August 20, 2023 at 11:59 PM

Program Documents:

The goal of this program is to support small, community focused projects, initiatives, and events led by small, emerging, and volunteer led nonprofit organizations within Montgomery County with one-time funds. These small projects should target needs not directly addressed by other Montgomery County departmental efforts, that addresses critical gaps in specific communities, cut across traditional sectors, or that offer innovative and experimental approaches to complex issues. Community needs do not always fit neatly into a single department's mission, have often complex multifaceted root causes, and require innovative and flexible solutions. The FY24 Community Projects Fund Grants Program is intentionally highly flexible to allow nonprofit organizations, who have grassroots understanding of community needs, to design and propose small projects and initiatives that will best meet these needs. These funds may also support cultural and community events not traditionally supported by Montgomery County departments.

FY24 Community Project Funds will be offered on a quarterly application cycle with at least $250,000 available in each cycle.  The remaining FY24 cycles will launch on:

  • Second Quarter Applications Open: Sunday October 1, 2023
  • Third Quarter Applications Open: Monday January 1, 2024
  • Fourth Quarter Applications Open: Monday April 1, 2024

The Office of Grants Management expects a large number of applications and total funding requests that will greatly exceed the amount of resources available for FY24 Community Project Fund. Priority in awarding funding will be given to proposals that:

  • Are from small, emerging, or volunteer led nonprofit organizations;
  • Are from organizations based in or serving an Underserved Community;
  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of their target population’s/community’s needs and an effective project strategy to effectively meets these needs;
  • Provide services, advocacy, or other support to the target population/community that is not already funded by other County resources;
  • Provide technically, culturally, and/or linguistically proficient services to the target population/community; 
  • Demonstrate a broad base of impact through their proposal to their target population/community; and
  • Will be fully implemented in the next six (6) months.

The Office of Grants Management will seek proposals from organizations that demonstrate some of the following:

  • Exhibit cultural proficiency; 
  • Are inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community members; and
  • Use a racial equity lens in providing services.

Applicants should directly address the priority areas and criteria above in their proposal. Applying organizations need a 501 (c)(3) 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 NOFO document that is downloadable above.

A virtual information session on the grant program will be held via an MS Teams Live event on Thursday July 20, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 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 the following Tasks:

  • Applicant Information – Organization mission, contact information, background documents and optional demographics
  • Applicant Background - Optional demographic and organization size questions
  • Project Strategy – Series of narrative questions detailing the proposed program
  • Project 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

Additional Task Trainings: The Office Grants Management has provided a series of four trainings focused on a more detailed explanation of each standard Task, optional templates, and past Review Committee feedback on what they felt was useful. Each training session has been recorded and are available by clicking on the links below.

  1. Applicant Information and Applicant Background Reusable Tasks
  2. Project Strategy and Project Work Plan/Timeline Tasks
  3. Project Budget, Project Budget Narrative/Justification, and Project Staffing Plan Tasks
  4. Performance Plan and Performance History Task

The Office of Grants Management will recruit an independent Review Committee that will develop and submit recommendations for funding. The Review Committee will be composed of neutral, qualified individuals from Montgomery County Government, and possibly the broader Montgomery County community, selected for their experiences in the grant program’s subject area, grants administration, project management, and/or ability to analyze projects from a Racial Equity and Social Justice lens. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 100-point scale based on the criteria and priorities established in the NOFO for this Grant Program with cumulative rankings and considerations as the County deems relevant at the time of award. These may include updated consideration of how well the applicant has performed on prior programs, the expert opinion of grant administrators with prior experience with applicants, updates to priorities, or other factors.

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 Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing ali.hoy@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Value

$5,000.00 to $25,000.00

Opens
Jul 18 2023 11:59 AM (EDT)
Deadline
Aug 20 2023 11:59 PM (EDT)