The Community Engagement Cluster and the Office of Grants Management are soliciting grant applications under the County’s FY 2024 Emerging Business Districts Grants Program.
Donor Name: Montgomery County Office of Grants Management
State: Maryland
County: Montgomery County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/20/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The grant aims to establish Business Improvement Districts or Urban District Corporations within Montgomery County by subsidizing the formation and support of non-profit commercial district management entities to conduct place making, place management, branding, and economic development activities in a designated neighborhood.
The BID and UDC establishment process can be roughly divided into three phases to be completed over an estimated period of three years: planning, outreach, and legislative approval. While the long-term goal of this program is to support the establishment of BIDs and UDCs, selected awardees are anticipated to be at various points along the continuum of the three phases. The support provided under this grants program aims to help applicants advance through these phases.
Priorities
Montgomery County Government will prioritize awards to organizations that demonstrate the following in their applications:
- Efforts towards becoming an independent business district
- Broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process, with strong support from both the public and private sectors or a plan for obtaining the needed community support
- Vision and mission statements relevant to community condition and equity principles
- Clear and measurable milestones
- Cultural proficiency
- Inclusivity of the LGBTQIA+ community members
- Application of a racial equity lens
Funding Information
Montgomery County Government anticipates awarding $450,000 through approximately one to three grant awards. It is anticipated that each grant award may range between $100,000 and $300,000.
Project Period
The duration of any grant award under this solicitation is expected to be 12 months with possibility for renewal for up to three total years contingent on satisfactory performance and funds availability.
Target Population
The direct target population for this Grants Program are organizations that are already working towards becoming a BID or UDC. The indirect target populations are businesses, organizations, and residents of Montgomery County benefitting from their work.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible expenses under this grants program include operating costs defined as costs that support ongoing expenditures associated with projects. Illustrative operating expenses include but are not limited to:
- Administrative expenses to fund a Program Manager and support staff
- Community or business outreach
- Any expense incurred in the process of determining which commercial district management entity would be most beneficial for the corridor
- Implementation of neighborhood economic development activities
- Neighborhood place making and place management
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet all the following conditions:
- The organization must have a Federal 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status or be a collaboration between two or more entities with at least one having this status;
- The organization must be currently registered and in Good Standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT);
- All activities and expenditures under this grant program must be provided in Montgomery County OR be exclusively for Montgomery County residents if activities and expenditures occur outside of the County;
- 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;
- Proposed expenses must be for a new activity, expansion of existing activities, or a combination of both. County funding cannot be used to supplant other funding for already planned activities;
- Applicants may only submit one application per organization under this NOFO.
- Organizations that were funded under this program last year are eligible to apply. If submitting a multi-year application, please note that FY23 counts as Year 1. As such, they may submit applications that request funding for up to two more years.
For more information, visit Montgomery County Office of Grants Management.
