So if my program is listed the FY22 Recommended budget we are now guaranteed that we will get funding in FY22?

No, the County Council has the final say on the County budget, including Community Grants. They can make changes to this list and did last year.

Will there be other opportunities to apply for County grants?

For Community Grants in FY22, no.  However, during FY21 the County Executive and County Council launched numerous other grant programs targeting specific sectors and community needs.  Additional County grant programs may be launched in FY22 as well.

On the County Website there are Community Grants and Community Services Grants. What is the difference?

Both grants are exclusively for nonprofits and sit in the Community Grants NDA. Community Services Grants, administered by HHS, are one-time grants for training or infrastructure with a $10,000 limit. Community Grants fund any program or operating cost, have no funding limit, and can be multi-year.

My nonprofit received several County contracts last year but they do not appear on the FY22 list. Why did these get cut?

They probably weren’t cut. If your programs was funded directly by a department last year it would not appear in the list of Community Grants this year. Reach out to your department Contract Monitor to see your funding level in the FY22 Recommended budget since department programs are not detailed.

Do we need to submit paperwork to ensure we receive our FY22 Community Grant if we are on the list?

Not right now.  Once the County Council passes their FY22 Approved budget you will need to work quickly with your department Contract Monitor to submit updated documentation and renew your contract.

What if we applied for a New Program in FY20, can we get funding?

The FY22 Recommended budget did not include funding for any FY20 New Programs.  There may be additional grant programs in the future.

What does it mean to be moved into a department’s base budget?

For this program, you will in the future deal directly with the department for yearly funding and will not have to apply for Community Grants each year.  This allows the department to better align programs that are focused on the same goals and achieve better overall outcomes for the County.

If my program was not moved into a department’s base budget does it mean it is not important?

Your program is absolutely important.  The County relies on the NDA funded programs to meet unique community needs that are not covered by other County programs or efforts.  The Community Grant NDA provides more flexibility that allows your programs to serve these unique needs and achieve important outcomes.

Source: Rafael Murphy, OMB March 24, 2021