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Governor's Grants Office News
Martin O'Malley Anthony Brown
Governor Lt. Governor Winter 2011-12
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Greetings!
During this holiday season, let's hope that the thoughts of your young children are NOT on the failure of the Congressional Joint Select Committee to approve (or even offer) a budget compromise that would reduce the federal deficit by at least $1.2 trillion over 10 years. If the Congress does not act by the December 23 deadline, sequestration (automatic cuts) is expected to be triggered starting in January, 2013. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as we get ready for a very uncertain New Year: While sequestration kicks-in officially on January 15, 2012, the actual budget cut impacts would not be felt until January 2013. This, of course, leaves plenty of time for Congress to revisit their actions (or lack thereof), and of course there will be a Presidential election in November 2012. If sequestration kicks-in, and the $100 billion in required annual cuts takes place, that amount will be split evenly between defense and non-defense spending. About 150 programs would be exempt from these cuts.
Since the exempt programs also include the single largest grant program, Medicaid, the impact would be disproportionately higher on many of the smaller grant programs. However, the cuts would not be limited to grant programs which in a state like Maryland, where grants are actually the smallest of the five sources of federal funds, raises other concerns. (See the Governor's Grants Office Annual Report to see Maryland's Federal Funds sources.) In the event of a full sequestration the early estimate of the direct impact for Maryland state government is between $100 and $200 million per year in grant programs, but this does not include grants to entities other than state government, and it certainly does not include the impact on federal employees and federal contractors who live, shop, pay taxes, and host conferences in Maryland. And to all, a good night! Eric Brenner Director Governor's Grants Office
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Private - Public Partnership Yields big benefits in Frederick County $2.7 Million in Recovery Funds and $2.5 in
Donations Restored the Catoctin Aqueduct
This fall, several federal, state and local dignitaries and about 300 others attended a ceremony to reopen the 139 year old Catoctin Aqueduct just outside Frederick, near Point of Rocks. The Aqueduct serves as an example of a successful Public-Private partnership under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This landmark structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was first erected in the early 1800s by the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Company to carry the canal over a major tributary of the Potomac River and was known as one of the most beautiful aqueducts on the C&O Canal.
The Cactoctin Aquaduct restoration project was strongly supported by federal and state leaders in a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), the Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, Inc., and the Community Foundation of Frederick County. It received $2.7 million of federal funds under ARRA and created more than 40 jobs. George E. Lewis Jr., a Frederick area veterinarian was president of the Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund Inc. He said the restoration is projected to attract approximately 520,000 additional visitors a year, providing more than $350,000 in economic benefit to the area. Lewis' group and the Community Foundation of Frederick County raised $2.5 million for the restoration project via a grass roots campaign, including an Adopt-A-Stone program. He said "I can think of no other public project in this area where well over 1,000 citizens donors and government officials have come together to restore a historic structure. This is a project of local, state, and national significance."
Governor O'Malley said, "The restoration of the Catoctin Aqueduct reminds us of our history as Marylanders and Americans. Thanks to our federal and private partners, we are able to create much-needed jobs for our families."
Senator Cardin said, "This restoration also will help stimulate tourism and development as more people come to view the site at which the C&O Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad first competed to cross Catoctin Creek, a major tributary of the Potomac."
The Aqueduct was a three-arch structure with a center elliptical arch. It is one of 11 stone aqueducts along the 184-mile C&O Canal, and the only one that lay in ruin. The structure deteriorated after closure of the canal operations in 1924. It had a major failure in 1973 when the weakened structure partially collapsed into Catoctin Creek.
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 Chesapeake Bay Trust Ends the Year Announcing More Than $600,000 in New Grants The Chesapeake Bay Trust just awarded $616,000 in grants to 48 organizations and schools throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The awards will be made through the Trust's Living Shorelines, Watershed Assistance, and Mini Grants programs and will fund projects that create wetland habitat, improve water quality, and engage students and communities in restoration and environmental education projects. "It's great to see the number of new grantees who have received awards this cycle. A major goal of the Trust has been to expand the reach of our grant programs and engage new and more diverse communities in this critical work," said Tara Potter, the Trust's board chair. This year the Trust will award approximately $5 million in grants to organizations and schools in every Maryland county and Baltimore City, engaging more than 110,000 students, teachers and volunteers. In this round, 19 of the 48 grants awarded were to organizations, schools or municipalities that were new applicants to these grant programs. For more information about these grant programs, the winning proposals, and what the Trust funds, visit www.cbtrust.org. The trust posts their available grants to the State Grants website at www.grants.maryland.gov where you can subscribe to receive email alerts of newly posted grants. |
 Guides Can Help You Find Reliable Census Data For Grant Applications
The U.S. Census Bureau website at www.census.gov has a wealth of data that can be used to help non-profits and local governments strengthen their grant applications.
One of the Governor's Grants Office constituents searching for some very specific county data recently illustrated that sometimes a guide can be useful to help navigate the rather complicated Census website. Fortunately, Maryland has two of the best guides - Jane Traynham, Maryland State Data Center, housed in the Maryland Department of Planning and Jeff Korman, Maryland State Library Resource Center at the Enoch Pratt Library. You can check out their sites then contact either Jane or Jeff if you need assistance with finding the data you need. Otherwise, for census "Quick Facts" for Maryland, or for a particular county and/or city, visit this Census page: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24000.html. Jane Traynham
Director
Maryland State Data Center at Maryland Department of Planning
JTraynham@mdp.state.md.us
Jeff Korman
jkorman@prattlibrary.org
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 The Importance of DUNS Number and CCR Registration Management  for Federal Grantees The federal government requires that all applicants for federal grants obtain a DUNS number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). The purpose of the DUNS and CCR registration for grantees is to track the flow of federal funds to a congressional district and exact geographic location. For many small organization applicants, the process is relatively easy to manage and update. But, for larger applicant organizations the process of obtaining and managing DUNS numbers can be rather daunting, especially if the organization is decentralized, has multiple geographic locations, or even separate divisions housed in one location. This information needs to be updated annually by Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR's) each with their own unique numbers.
The State of Maryland is a decentralized entity consisting of 23 cabinet level agencies with unique organizational structures reflected in the state's DUNS family tree. The state's family tree consists of several hundred DUNS numbers. The Governor's Grants Office recently has coordinated the consolidation and storage of these numbers in one secure online location. While state agencies will maintain control over DUNS and CCR registrations, the benefit of co-locating on one secure site is immeasurable. If numbers and registrations are lost due to staff turnover etc., it will be easy for the state agency grant applicant to obtain the required identifying numbers and to smoothly continue with the federal grant application process.
If you work for a local government or large non profit, one that handles multiple federal grants each year, locating all of your DUNS and CCR information in one place is probably a good idea for the same reasons this made sense for Maryland state government.
For more information on DUNS and CCR registration, please refer to the recorded GGO webinar.
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Ma ryland Home and Community Care Foundation Announces Grants for Non Profits who Serve Older Marylanders in their Homes
Must file Letter of Intent by December 31, 2011.
Established in 1997 with funds from the sale of the Visiting Nurses Association of Maryland, the Maryland Home and Community Care Foundation has invested more than $2 million of these funds to the community through competitive grants to over one hundred organizations for a variety of services.
The Foundation has decided to award several organizations a total of $500,000 for eldercare services projects that will begin in July 2012 and conclude by December 30, 2014.
The Foundation invites non profit organizations with a track record of success in serving Maryland elders in their homes to apply for funds to support projects that will help older Marylanders remain in their homes as long as possible.
For more information, please visit the Foundation's website. These and other state and Foundation grants are found on the GGO website. You can subscribe to receive alerts of newly posted grants at www.grants.maryland.gov.
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 GGO's Upcoming Webinar: Mapping Maryland Nonprofits
The Urban Institute's Community Platform Project has built-out a map-based online resource to link nonprofits with funders to better match needs with resources. Integrated mapping tools allow organizations to track program-level outcomes, compare finances to peer groups, share services and facilities, manage community projects, find or add-on community resources or needs, and even customize their own sub-sites. The maps are now either operational or being piloted in 12 locations around the country.
Join the Governor's Grants Office for a free webinar on Tuesday, January 10 at 2 p.m. as we host Tom Pollak of the Urban Insitute. Tom will demonstrate what a non profit map would look like in Maryland. Also speaking will be Sandi Scannelli, of the Community Foundation for Brevard County, Florida. Sandi participated as a partner in the interactive mapping project for Brevard County. She will discuss practical applications that have been realized for her jurisdiction. We are grateful to the Verizon Foundation, the sponsor of the 2011-2012 Governor's Grants Office Webinar Series.
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Upcoming Events Around the State:
Workshop: Grant Seeking Basics, Annapolis Library. Wednesday, January 4 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. This class is for those who are new to the foundation grant seeking process. In this introductory class we will cover what you need to have in place before you seek a grant, the grantseeking process and available tools and resources. This includes the resources available online, in the library's materials collection and via the Foundation Center databases at the Annapolis Branch. FREE, but pre-registration is required either by email to ann.cooperation.collection@gmail.com or by phone 410-222-1750. Webinar: Learn about the AmeriCorps grant opportunities available through the Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism (GOSV) while sitting at your desk in this one-hour webinar. Wednesday, January 11 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. FREE, but pre-registration is required.
Seminar: Annual Nonprofit Resource Day at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. Wednesday, January 18, 2012 9:00 pm - 3:00 pm. ( There is a fee.) For more information, visit the CFES website.
Workshop: Intro to Philanthropy and Fundraising Resources, Pratt Library, Baltimore. Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Learn about the world of nonprofits and fundraising resources you can use. FREE, but pre-registration is required. Visit the Pratt Library Grants Collection training site.Workshop: Getting Started with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online, Annapolis library. Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Learn effective strategies for finding funders that support individuals with this Foundation Center's online funding database. This workshop is for individual grantseekers - students, artists and academic researchers - as well as librarians and financial aid officers. It will teach you how to search through detailed descriptions of thousands of foundation programs. FREE, but pre-registration is required either by email to ann.cooperating.collection@gmail.com or by phone: 410-222-1750.
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We wis h you a joyful holiday season and an
abundant new year!
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