County announces more than $1.3 million in grants for nonprofits
Apr. 18—Almost 40 community nonprofit organizations will receive a piece of more than $1.3 million as part of Frederick County's annual Community Partnership Grant program, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater announced on Tuesday.
The program is entering its ninth year of funding. Fitzwater said her administration expanded both the total award amount and the number of recipients compared to the previous year.
The latest grant recipients are receiving 37% more than the previous year's recipients, and there are almost 10 more recipients in total.
"The Community Partnership Grants Program allows us to serve people more effectively by leveraging our resources and saving tax dollars through early prevention and early intervention," Fitzwater said. "For example, it costs less to prevent homelessness with rental assistance than it costs to transition a family from homelessness to permanent housing."
Fitzwater, D, was joined by County Council President Brad Young, D, and Council Vice President Kavonté Duckett, D, during the announcement. All three read off the recipients.
Both Fitzwater and Young said the value of providing these grants to community organizations is reflected by the expertise they have in their fields.
They said local nonprofits have firsthand understanding of which services are needed by which community members and can provide them efficiently.
"It's a much more cost effective way of us providing those services to allow somebody that knows the need, knows the resources to do that with our assistance," Young said.
Community Partnership Grants will be funded through the county's operating budget, if the County Council votes to approve them as part of its review of Fitzwater's proposed $894 million budget.
A total of 43 grants were approved for 39 applicants, trimmed down from a pool of 51 applications.
The largest grant was $175,000 to the Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs in Frederick County for the operation of its emergency services program for people experiencing homelessness and low-income community members.
The organization was also approved for a one-time award of $25,000 to purchase a generator for its emergency family shelter.
Heartly House was approved for funding for its emergency shelter — $105,000 for operating costs — and a one-time $25,000 award for mold remediation in the nonprofit's office space.
Below is a list of all organizations approved for funding:
— Advocates for Homeless Families — $59,772
— African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH) — $25,000
— American Red Cross serving Montgomery, Howard and Frederick counties — $10,000
— Asian American Center of Frederick — $40,000
— Association of Nigerians in Frederick — $50,000
— Blessings in a Backpack, Frederick — $25,000
— Centro Hispano de Frederick — $25,000
— Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership — $10,000
— City Youth Matrix — $10,000
— CrossedBRIDGES — $10,000
— Daybreak Adult Day Services — $70,000
— Endangered Species theatre Project — $20,000
— Frederick Health Hospice — $50,000
— Golden Care of Frederick — $15,000
— Heartly House — $130,000
— Housing Authority of the City of Frederick — $35,000
— I Believe in Me — $20,000
— Interfaith Housing Alliance — $10,000
— Lead4Life — $50,000
— Literacy Council of Frederick County — $30,000
— Maryland Legal Aid — $50,000
— Mental Health Association — $105,000
— Mission of Mercy — $25,000
— Mobilize Frederick — $25,000
— Partners In Care Maryland — $1,500
— Phoenix Foundation of Maryland — $15,000
— Safe Ride Foundation — $15,000
— Seton Center — $25,000
— Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland — $25,000
— Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership of Frederick County — $42,000
— The Arc of Frederick County — $8,500
— The Delaplaine Arts Center — $42,000
— The Frederick Center — $30,000
— The Frederick Children's Chorus — $25,000
— The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs in Frederick County — $200,000
— Transformative Arts Project — $15,000
— Way Station — $45,000
— Woman to Woman Mentoring — $5,000
— YMCA of Frederick County — $20,000
