Program Description

  Community Grants

This NDA targets needs not directly addressed by other departmental efforts, provides a space for innovative and experimental programs, addresses critical gaps in specific communities or sectors, and provides resources to support non-profit partners that cut across County government. Community needs do not always fit neatly into a single department's mission, often have complex multifaceted root causes, and require innovative and flexible solutions. Non-profit community organizations are critical to an effective network of services and are often able to provide these services in a more cost-effective, culturally appropriate, and flexible way than County government. Community partners are also able to leverage community resources that may be unavailable to the County government.

Prior to FY21, County Executive and County Council community grants were listed in separate NDAs. During the pandemic, the County froze community grants funding as a way to provide continuity of funding to community grants recipients. During FY24, the Office of Grants Management facilitated a re-competition of all funding remaining within the Community Grants NDA with winners receiving multi-year awards. These reforms are the culmination of years of engagement between the non-profit community and County government. Re-competing programs within the Community Grants budget was an important step in reforming the grants process to be fairer, more equitable, and to address new and evolving community needs.

The $13,680,967 within the Community Grants NDA will support:

• Continuing funding for Multi-Year Community Grants NDA Awards: $5,473,391 will maintain current funding levels for all Community Grants through FY27.
• Legacy Renewals: $4,410,479 will continue all FY26 Legacy Renewals grants through FY27.
• Nonprofit Strategic Plan Implementation Grants (formerly Nonprofit Technical Assistance and Management Support Grants): $1 million will be available to strengthen County non-profit organizations to implement their strategic plans in response to adverse Federal actions.
• Nonprofit Resiliency Centers (formerly Nonprofit Incubators): $1 million will continue to build the resiliency of beneficiary nonprofits so that they remain solvent and continue to provide programs and services in Montgomery County by providing sustained, innovative, accessible, and community-based developmental and shared services support for non-profit organizations with the potential to serve the County's most hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
• Nonprofit Federal Resiliency Grants: $1.5 million will continue to be available to offset cancelled or delayed Federal funds due to the recent Federal Government shutdown or other adverse administration actions.
• Two and a Half Percent Inflationary Increase for Non-Profit Partners: $297,096 provides a two and a half percent increase to all continuing grants to non-profit partners funded through the Community Grants NDA.
• The Capital Budget Cost Sharing: MCG Project (CIP#720601) also includes $1,000,000 for Arts Facility Capital Grants and $2,000,000 for non-Arts Facility Capital Grants to match non-profit State capital awards.