2012 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants

The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is now accepting applications for grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program, an initiative dedicated to helping volunteer-based, non-profit groups and communities solve natural resource issues. The grants are funded in part by the State Highway Administration, a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation. MET must receive applications by March 31, 2012.

MET is offering two types of grants through the program:

The Margaret Rosch Jones Award of up to $2,000 is awarded to voluntary nonprofit groups or communities that make continuing plans for a project that has already demonstrated a basic understanding and resolution of an environmental issue.

The Jones award is given in memory of Margaret Jones, the executive director and moving spirit of the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program for many years. MET hopes to remind citizens of Jones’ devotion, energy and ingenuity by presenting an award in her name to a group whose voluntary activities personified these attributes that she brought to her work.

Applicants must also meet one or both of the following criteria:

 - Groups that have been active in educating people in their community about at least one of the following concerns: litter prevention, community beautification, and local or statewide environmental issue(s).

 - Groups that have been successful in eliminating or reducing the causes of a local environmental problem rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

The Bill James Environmental Grants of up to $1,000 are awarded to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other nonprofit youth groups for proposed environmental education projects. The Bill James Environmental Grants are given in memory of William S. James, who drafted legislation to create the Trust, incorporating the activities of the Governor's Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

Applications may be obtained from the Maryland Environmental Trust, First Floor, 100 Community Pl., Crownsville, Md., 21032-2023 or dnr.maryland.gov/met/grant_programs.asp

source: MD DNR