The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Grants Management (OGM) is soliciting grant applications for the County’s 2026 Lighthouse Grant Program from qualified organizations.
Donor Name: Montgomery County Office of Grants Management
State: Maryland
County: Montgomery County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/10/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The 2026 Lighthouse Grant Program will provide one umbrella (lead) organization a total of $3,504,636.00 in county funds to design, implement and manage a countywide collaborative initiative to deliver comprehensive services to support socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals and families navigating challenges related to immigration status within the County. As these individuals and families acclimate and thrive in their new community, they may encounter various vulnerabilities and systemic barriers, including challenges in immigration status and accessing critical basic needs such as housing, education, immigration legal services, and healthcare. Addressing these needs effectively in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner is essential for individual and family stabilization, integration, and self-sufficiency. Applicants must establish formal partnerships with local community organizations to ensure a diverse, coordinated, and community-driven approach that is responsive to changing political landscapes and community needs. Through effective collaboration, applicants are expected to maximize resources, expand service provision, and enhance the effectiveness of long-term integration and self-sufficiency for all priority populations.
The goal of the Lighthouse Grant program is to support stabilization, integration and selfsufficiency while strengthening the network of local community-based organizations serving the priority populations. Priority in awarding funding will be given to proposals that demonstrate that the organization can provide effective grants management oversight; and partner with other community organizations to deliver high quality services that lead to the stabilization, integration and self-sufficiency of the priority populations. Additionally, the proposal should address the complex and changing needs of diverse priority populations through effective formalized partnerships. The umbrella organization is required to offer technical assistance to support its formalized partners in meeting administrative, fiscal, and programmatic expectations to ensure the services offered by this grant program are delivered effectively in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
Grant Period
The project period is from October 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with a potential one time no-cost extension until October 1, 2026.
Priority Population
The priority populations for this grant are socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals and families navigating challenges related to immigration status within the County. As these individuals and families acclimate and thrive in their new community, they may encounter various vulnerabilities and systemic barriers, including challenges in immigration status and accessing critical basic needs such as housing, education, legal services, and healthcare. Addressing these needs effectively in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner is essential for individual and family stabilization, integration, and self-sufficiency.
Eligibility Criteria
- Have Experience Serving the Priority Populations – Organizations must demonstrate prior experience working with the priority populations.
- Show Capacity for Program Implementation – Applicants must have the necessary staff, infrastructure, and partnerships to successfully stand up, implement, and evaluate the proposed initiative in a timely manner. Including a minimum of three (3) years of experience managing multisector collaborations, and/or coordinating community-based programs serving the priority populations with cultural competency. Applicants must demonstrate their plan for monitoring compliance, data reporting and fiscal accountability among its community partners with formalized partnerships, as well as a plan to deliver technical assistance to build formalized partners’ capacity to meet the expectations of the grant program. Applicants must demonstrate effort to proactively and regularly seek input from stakeholders, including community members and representatives with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the project. The stakeholders should reflect the diversity of the priority populations and are meaningfully engaged in providing input and feedback on policies, practice and service within the scope of the Lighthouse grant program.
- Be Located in or Primarily Serve the Priority Community – Organizations should either be physically based in areas where priority populations reside, or have a well-established track record of effectively serving and engaging the specific populations they intend to support
- Comply with Financial and Reporting Requirements – Awardees, including its formalized partners must adhere to all grant reporting, evaluation, and accountability measures.
For more information, visit OGM.
