The Baltimore County Department of Planning (“Planning”) is opening a new round of Community Improvement Grants to assist neighborhood and community-based organizations to implement projects in their communities, neighborhoods and business districts.
Donor Name: Baltimore County Department of Planning
State: Maryland, Maryland
County: Baltimore County (MD), Baltimore County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/10/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
All proposed projects must be located within the County’s Urban Rural Demarcation Line (URDL). Prioritizing projects within the URDL aligns with the County’s Master Plan goals to ensure a livable built environment, harmony with nature, resilient economy, responsible regionalism, and healthy community. By targeting investments within the URDL, grants will support the engagement of community-based non-profit organizations to implement these Master Plan goals as they are experienced at a neighborhood scale.
This funding opportunity has a two-tiered structure to allow for greater flexibility in funding smaller projects, and more targeted strategic support of larger projects. The tiers have different eligibility criteria, described below. Application deadlines for both funding tiers will enable Planning to evaluate proposals according to criteria specified below, and to compare submittals with each other to optimize the use of limited resources.
Funding Allocations and Tiers
- Total Funding Allocation: $1,800,000
- Minimum Proposal Request is $3,000. Maximum Proposal Request is $200,000.
- Tier One Proposals: $3,000 – $15,000 – $400,000 reserved for these grants.
- Tier Two Proposals: $15,001-$200,000 – $1,400,000 reserved for these grants.
Project Period
Projects must be completed within 2 years of receipt of a fully executed grant agreement.
Eligible Projects
Funds are available for projects located inside the County’s Urban Rural Demarcation Line (URDL). Prioritizing projects within the URDL aligns with the County’s Master Plan goals to ensure a livable built environment, harmony with nature, a resilient economy, responsible regionalism, and healthy communities. This grant program supports community-based non-profit organizations in implementing these Master Plan goals as they are experienced at a neighborhood scale.
Examples of Eligible Projects
- Community gardens
- Neighborhood Gateway and Wayfinding signage (including design, fabrication, and installation)
- Improvements to community-owned property and buildings including for use as community meeting space, performance venues, or to promote small business incubation
- Improvements to a building occupied by a non-profit that will be open for use by the community and/or where services will be provided to the community.
- Commercial District directory kiosks, building improvements, benches, security cameras, bike racks, signage, or planter
- Murals, sculptures, and other public art
- Pedestrian or bicycle trail creation or enhancements
- Playground, pocket-park or park enhancements that are not County-owned parks
Eligibility Criteria
Community organizations, non-profit organizations, and local Chambers of Commerce are eligible to apply. Applicants may serve as a fiscal agent for another community-based organization as long as there is a letter signed by both organizations that explains how the grant will be managed.
All applicants must:
- have a 501(c)(3), (c)(4), or (c)(6) designation from the Internal Revenue Service
- be in Good Standing with the State of Maryland – A screenshot showing the applicant is in Good Standing with the State of Maryland at time of application is sufficient – screenshot of organization status can be obtained
- have a bank account in the Applicant organization’s name
For more information, visit Baltimore County Department of Planning.
