Martin O'Malley
Governor
Anthony G. Brown
Lt.
Governor
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Governor's Grants Office News
January
2008
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When Maryland citizens decide to go
into fire-fighting, most don't expect to spend some of their time
writing grants and filing those grant applications online. Each
year, we at the Governor's Grants Office, together with Senator
Mikulski, and the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI), work
to help individual fire departments write and win grants
through the competitive Assistance to Fire Fighter Grant Program.
Our track record has been a good one, setting the bar even
higher for this year's applications. We are pleased to announce
the schedule for the seven training sessions that Merril Oliver
will assist Dave Lewis (MFRI) in leading at different locations
throughout the state. In addition, Merril will offer pre-submission
review and advice at no cost for
applicants.
Eric Brenner,
Director
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 Grants Office and
Partners Respond to Notice of New Federal Financial Report
(FFR)
The Governor's Grants Office partnered
with our counterparts in Texas and the District of Columbia, as well
as the National Grants Management Association and OMB Watch to
respond to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) official
request for final public comment on the new federal financial report
(FFR).
To further reach the Federal government's goal of
increased accountability, transparency, paperwork reduction and
streamlining, we recommend the following enhancements to the
proposed FFR form:
Re: Federal Register/Vol. 72, No.
235/Friday, December 7, 2007/Notices FFR (Federal Financial Report)
Request For Final Public Comment
1. Provide an
electronic version of the FFR and publish data submission standards
(e.g. XML standards) so that the FFR can be submitted electronically
and automatically feed subrecipient/contract data directly to
USASpending.gov to meet Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting requirements. (Ref. Instruction
Box 10b)
2. For each instruction box, where
appropriate, cite the specific OMB Circular requirement (e.g. A-102
§_.25 Program Income [Ref. Instruction Box 10n-q], etc.).
The above comment addresses section 10 of the FFR as it
pertains to a data collections solution requirement for FFATA.
By opening up this data element with electronic drill-down capacity,
administrative burden on grantee reporting for FFATA could be
significantly reduced, not to mention a reduction in burden for the
Feds.
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Governor O'Malley
Announces New Legislation to Aid Maryland Homeowners
 On January 14, Governor Martin O'Malley
announced new legislation and emergency regulations and initiatives
to help thousands of Maryland homeowners at risk of losing their
homes and to prevent future generations of homeowners from losing
their homes due to foreclosure following the sub-prime mortgage
crisis facing our entire nation.
Last year, Governor O'Malley
created the Homeownership Preservation Task Force to develop
recommendations on how to help Maryland homeowners, reform lending
practices, lengthen the foreclosure process to make it fairer, and
crack down on fraud and unscrupulous practices in the mortgage
industry.
Foreclosure rates have risen
dramatically across the nation, and Maryland has not escaped the
trend. From the 3rd Quarter of 2006 to the 3rd Quarter of 2007,
foreclosure events in Maryland increased by 639 percent. The climb
is expected to continue this year as many of the adjustable rate
mortgages issued in recent years reset to higher interest
rates. It is estimated that 33,000 Maryland homeowners are
expected to face interest rate resets this year.
The
Governor's initiatives includes the "Bridge to HOPE" Loan
Program,
which will provide small gap loans at zero percent interest to
homeowners facing difficulty, giving them time to get back on their
feet or find a solution. The statewide program will be administered
by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's
Community Development Administration (CDA).
Governor
O'Malley also announced an emergency regulation that will make
Maryland the second state in the country to require loan servicers
to file detailed monthly disclosure reports about their loss
mitigation and loan modification efforts. The reports will outline
the precise nature and extent of the actions being taken to assist
homeowners who have defaulted on loans. For more information, read
the press release.
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U.S. Census
Reveals Maryland Ranks #3 in Per Capita Total Federal Spending
 Each year, in the Governor's Grants Office Annual
Report, we try to include comparative information on federal
funds received by all 50 states. The U.S. Census Bureau is the
source of core data for these reports, but in recent years they have
slowed the release of this information, to the point that our last
two reports have had to include Federal Fiscal Year 2004 as the
latest data. The U.S. Census Bureau released FFY
05 data well after the publication of our last report, and the
Northeast-Midwest Institute has just prepared a few charts that show
how Maryland fares in distribution of FFY 05 federal funds.
Hopefully, we will have FFY 06 data in time to include in our next
Annual Report; meanwhile, some of you may want to see the FFY 05
numbers, where Maryland ranks #3 in per capita
total federal spending ($11,972) and Maryland residents receive
$1.30 in federal spending for every $1.00 paid in federal
taxes. |
State Helps
Maryland Companies Enter the Global Marketplace and Win Federal
Contracts
The Maryland Department of Business
and Economic Development recently announced that it has awarded
$60,000 in matching grants to a dozen Maryland companies, helping
them market their products and services in overseas markets. The
grants, through DBED's Export MD program, are awarded to small and
medium- sized companies to help defray the cost of international
marketing initiatives, including trade show fees, travel expenses,
brochures and website development. The grants are capped at $5,000,
but companies can also take advantage of up to 80 hours of marketing
consulting from DBED's Office of International Trade and
Investment.
The grantees for FY 2008's first and
second quarter include: Ariadne Genomics (Montgomery County); Axiom
Decision Systems (Howard County): Enertech International (Queen
Anne's County); Sleep Solutions (Anne Arundel County); 3 Point
Products (Queen Anne's County); Arcon Welding (Wicomico County);
Bith Group (Baltimore County); Chesapeake Specialty Products
(Baltimore County); Envisionier Med Tech (Montgomery County); LKC
Technologies (Montgomery County); Maxim Biomedical Inc. (Montgomery
County); and The Seasoned Palate (Baltimore City).
"In
today's global economy, Maryland companies need to be looking
closely at foreign
markets," said DBED Secretary David Edgerley.
"By helping small and mid-sized companies identify export-friendly
markets and minimizing the cost and risk of market entry, this
program is a powerful tool for Maryland's small
businesses."
Established in 1999, the Export MD program provides
matching grants on a quarterly basis. Applications for the fourth quarter of
fiscal year 2008 Export MD grants must be submitted by March 1,
2008. Contact Linda Goray, DBED International
Operations, for more information: 410-767-0685.
Maryland's technology-based economy, coupled with the
preponderance of federal research and development facilities in the
state, offers a range of opportunities for businesses. The biggest
challenge for a small business is that they often do not have the
human or financial resources to aggressively pursue such
opportunities.
Therefore, DBED has produced a manual to provide guidance,
information and encouragement on accessing these unique
opportunities and overcoming what may seem to be a bureaucratic and
regulatory complex of barriers. The small business guide will help
you:
· define and present your capabilities
· find the
right contact at an installation, laboratory or agency
·
determine a "fit" with an agency's needs
· decide what not to bid
on
· find an appropriate opportunity
· prepare a proposal
·
price a response
· use Maryland's resources to your
advantage
· find where to get help
· use the Internet to get
help. |
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FIREFIGHTERS
GRANT PROGRAM WORKSHOPS
 GGO, the
Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, and the office of U.S. Senator
Barbara Mikulski, are pleased to present grant application writing
workshops for the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program at the
following dates and locations.
All Workshops are conducted From 7 PM - 9 PM.
Pre-registration is not required.
Feb
19th Tuesday MFRI Headquarters, University
of Maryland at College Park
Feb 26th
Tuesday Mt. Airy Volunteer Fire
Company; Carnival Activities Bldg
Feb 27th
Wednesday Northeast Regional Training
Center (NERTC)
Feb 29th
Friday Lower Eastern Shore Regional
Training Center (LESRTC)
March 4th
Tuesday Upper Eastern Shore Regional
Training Center (UESRTC)
March 5th Wednesday Western Maryland Regional
Training Center (WMRTC)
March 14th
Friday Southern MD Regional Training
Center (SMRTC)
For more information, contact Merril
Oliver at moliver@gov.state.md.us or
410-974-5090. |
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Now Scheduled!!!
Full Lifecycle Grants Management: A Technical
Workshop
Description: This 1-day technical
workshop is for State and University
employees only. We will target the full life cycle of grants
management showcasing the use of the Governor's Office on Crime
Control and Prevention (GOCCP) GMS (e-grants system) from State
receipt of Federal award, State NOFA (notice of funding
availability), subrecipient management and monitoring, to
closeout.
Learning Objectives:
1. Learn about each
phase of the grants management lifecycle.
2. Learn how an
electronic grants management system streamlines the business process
of grants management
3. Learn each of the roles of Grant
Management, Program/Project Management, Financial Management,
Procurement, IT, and Legal, and how they work together in an
integrated environment.
Date: Friday, March 28,
2008
Time: 8 a.m. -
4 p.m. Class begins promptly at 8 a.m.
Location: Public Safety Training
Academy - Sykesville
You can register now by
email to MDGrantsOffice@gov.state.md.us.
Put "Life Cycle of A Grant" in the header, and provide your name,
affiliation, telephone and email address in the body of the
email. Directions will be emailed to registrants about a week
before class. |
It's Not Too Late to
Sign Up For This Year's Polar Bear Plunge!
Join in on the state's most
successful single-day fundraiser - The MSP Polar Bear Plunge on
January 26, 2008 at Sandy Point State Park. Registration begins at 9
a.m., first plunge at noon, and second plunge at 3 p.m. This
Maryland State Police-sponsored plunge is much more than a one-day
event; it is an experience that has inspired thousands to give of
themselves in support of the mission of Special Olympics Maryland
(SOMD). Register as an individual, or join a team, and be a
part of the coolest event of the year.
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Department of Natural
Resources Needs Volunteer Stream Waders
Maryland Department of Natural
Resources' (DNR) Stream Waders Volunteer Stream
Sampling Program is gearing
up for another exciting year.
DNR is
recruiting volunteers from across Maryland to help with the program.
Learn how you can continue to help Stream Waders contribute to
Maryland's statewide water quality monitoring.
View the map of sampling watersheds
and other important information regarding training. The green
watersheds are priority areas for DNR and the orange ones are
requested for sampling by the Maryland Department of the
Environment.
They will be holding three Stream Waders
training sessions, each beginning at 8:30 a.m. - 3:30
p.m. (continental breakfast provided). You are asked to bring
a brown bag lunch and pack plenty of warm clothing that you don't
mind getting wet.
Patuxent River 4-H Center in Upper
Marlboro
Sat., February 16th, 2008 (Register by February
8th)
Fairview Outdoor Center in Clearspring (Washington
County)
Sat., February 23rd, 2008 (Register by February
15th)
West Nottingham Academy in Colora, MD (Cecil
County)
Sat., March 1st, 2008 (Register by February
22nd)
To register for a FREE training session or to
receive more information, email streamwaders@dnr.state.md.us or call
the Stream Waders hotline at 1-877-620-8DNR (x8623). Provide your
name, contact information, and expected training location.
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Useful Resources For
Grant Seekers
Free Webinar
Training Courses
In addition to Online Training and
Classroom training, the Foundation Center offers free
webinars to grant seekers. Learn about foundations and
fundraising, proposal writing, non-profit management, and
more. Here's their most recent offering:
Grantseeking
Basics
A one-hour overview of the funding research process for
non-profit organizations seeking grants from foundations,
corporations, and grantmaking public charities.
60 minutes ·
Free
Introduction to Finding Funders
This session provides
an introduction to one of the key online tools for finding funders,
Foundation Directory Online Professional.
60 minutes ·
Free
Special Webinar Series for Nonprofit Startup
Organizations
A special five-part webinar series for those
considering starting a non-profit organization or working for a
non-profit startup.
60 minutes · Free. Please note: The
registration for this series currently is full, but it will repeat
in the near future. You might want to bookmark the Foundation
Center's webinar calendar.
After they air, all
webinars are posted to the Foundation Center's website.
excerpted from
©2008 Foundation
Center
The Chronicle of
Philanthropy, which still publishes its traditional hard-copy
newspaper, increasingly has useful information available on its
website that may be of interest to non-profits and local
governments.
Much of the information that
they post may be viewed at no-charge, while other services, like the
"Guide to Grants" comes with a
fee.
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Notice of Available State
Grants:
The Maryland Higher
Education Commission is accepting proposals for Maryland's College
Preparation Intervention Program (CPIP); grants will be
awarded to institutions of higher education to support eligible
Maryland "GEAR UP - Focus on Math" sites. Approximately
$750,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible
applicants. Proposals are due February 13, 2008.
The Maryland Department of Housing and
Community Development offers the Shelter and Transitional
Housing Facilities Grant. Certain non-profit
organizations or local government entities can apply anytime of the
year; applications are processed on a first-come, first-served
basis, pursuant to program funding availability and the project's
readiness to proceed. To contact the Housing Grant Program
Coordinator at DHCD, call 410-514-7590 or 1-800-543-4505 or
email webb@dhcd.state.md.us. The Maryland Arts Council offers
many grant programs for
organizations and individual artists. Applications must be
submitted via the Arts Council's egrant system online.
The Department of
Business and Economic Development (DBED) offers a variety of
business services and financing programs to assist the state's
business community, including capital investment, credit
enhancement, direct loans and guarantees, economic development
incentives, women in technology programs, and other financing
programs. View the full list of
programs.Partnership for Workforce
Quality (PWQ) Program
is an ongoing DBED grant program that provides
matching skill upgrade training grants and support services targeted
to improve the competitive position of small and mid-sized
manufacturing and technology companies. PWQ matching grants are made
directly to companies as well as through a variety of manufacturing,
software industry and ISO 9000 consortia programs working in
cooperation with DBED. The Maryland Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) coordinates more than 40 technical or
financial assistance programs which directly serve local
governments, non-profit groups, and individual property
owners. Visit their brand new online grants and loan
center.The Maryland
Energy Administration also has several grants programs
available to residents and businesses. View the full list.
Governor's Office of
Crime Control and Prevention offers Project Safe
Neighborhoods - an Anti Gang Initiative; applications
for the grant are due February 12, 2008. View the notice.
The Maryland State
Department of Education (MSDE), Office of Child Care (OCC)
presents the Family Day Care Provider Grant
Program. This grant program exists to help registered child care
providers offset some of the costs of operating their child care
programs. MSDE also offers the Child Care Quality Incentive
Grants Program to support project related to
training offered through the Credentialing Branch and improving
children's school performance. Grants are awarded based on merit to
eligible child care facilities, on a quarterly basis, at the end of
April, July, October, and January under regulations of State COMAR
13A.14.11. For more information, call 410-767-7831. The Maryland Department of the
Environment's (MDE) Annual Capital Project
Solicitation for State FY2010 and federal FY2008 is underway.
MDE mailed 468 postcards to stakeholders throughout the state
announcing the start of the annual solicitation for projects
seeking grant and/or loan financial assistance. The deadline for
submitting pre-applications is February 29,
2008. |
Job Opps
Director of Development
Alice Ferguson
Foundation
Accokeek, Maryland
The Alice Ferguson Foundation
(AFF) is an environmental education organization on the Potomac
River, focused on providing experiences that encourage connections
between people, the natural environment, farming and the cultural
heritage of the Potomac River Watershed that lead to personal
environmental responsibility. As a leader of watershed stewardship,
it models innovative practices, outreach, partnerships, programs and
events that are replicated nationally. Three of the Foundation's
flagship programs are Hard Bargain Farm Environmental Center,
Bridging the Watershed, and the Trash Free Potomac Watershed
Initiative.
Contact Julia Washburn
Development Director
Search Committee
Alice Ferguson Foundation
2001 Bryan Point
Road
Accokeek, MD 20607
Phone: 301-292-5665
Fax:
301-292-1070
E-mail: officemanager@fergusonfoundation.org
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Development
Officer
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
Baltimore, Maryland
The Mid Atlantic Arts
Foundation was created in 1979 by collaborating state
arts
agencies to assist in the development and coordination of
interstate arts programming.
The Foundation is a private,
non-profit organization that is closely aligned with the
region's state arts agencies and the National Endowment for the
Arts. Mid Atlantic
Arts Foundation supports the richness and
diversity of the region's arts resources and promotes wider access
to the art and artists of the region, nation and world. In
FY2007, the Foundation provided more than $3.7 million in grant
awards and program services.
To Apply: Send (Word or PDF
documents for e-mails submissions) letter of application
which
includes salary requirements, resume, writing samples, and names and
addresses of three references to:
Development Officer
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
201 N. Charles St., Suite 401
Baltimore, MD 21201
E-mail: hr@midatlanticarts.org
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Three
positions are available at the 3,000 member organization, Association of Small
Foundations, headquartered in Washington, D.C., of which there
are many Maryland
member foundations.
Educational
Programs Associate
Educational Programs Director
Publications
Manager
Send cover letter and resume via e-mail if at
all possible to hr@smallfoundations.org
(Attn: Office Manager -
EPA). Regular mail applications may be sent to: Association
of
Small Foundations, Attn: Office Manager - EPA, 1720 N Street
NW, Washington, DC
20036. Sorry, no telephone calls. Applications
must be received by January 29, 2008.
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