The Community Engagement Cluster and the Office of Grants Management are soliciting grant applications under the County’s FY 2024 Place-Based Management Grants Program from qualified organizations that support economic growth and revitalization initiatives across the County’s commercial corridors, both nascent and established.
Donor Name: Montgomery County Office of Grants Management
State: Maryland
County: Montgomery County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/08/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The focus of the grants program is to enhance bottom-up economic development efforts serving residents and businesses by using Place-Based Management strategies aligned with the Main Street Approach. Generally, activities are envisioned to fall into the following two categories:

Provision of assistance to commercial areas to retain, expand, and attract neighborhood-serving retail and other small businesses; and
Unification and strengthening of commercial corridors through events, promotion, marketing, maintenance, and diverse stakeholder engagements.

All activities are required to actively engage with stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and the Montgomery County Government.
Funding Priorities
Priority in awarding funding will be given to projects which provide services or meet needs that fall under at least three of the four points of the Main Street Approach:

Economic Vitality focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies.
Design supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.
Promotion positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.
Organization involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.

Funding Information
Montgomery County Government anticipates awarding $400,000 through approximately two to five awards. It is anticipated that each grant award may range between $25,000 and $200,000. The final amount will be dependent upon grant activities and final negotiation and may be lower or higher than the range. 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
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
Implementation of neighborhood economic development activities
Neighborhood place making and place management.

Target Populations
The target populations for this grant are businesses and residents of the identified commercial corridor.
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.