Advocacy

Advocacy Opportunities

2021-12-17T21:31:45-05:00December 16th, 2021|Advocacy|

Pandemic Impact on Nonprofits in Maryland
MD Nonprofits’ final COVID-19 and Racial Equity Survey is now available. Nonprofit Montgomery partnered with MD Nonprofits to collect this data in 2020, and Montgomery County tied with Baltimore for the county with the highest number of respondents. The data highlights the impact of covid on the nonprofit sector and the disproportionate impact on smaller nonprofits and nonprofits led by people of color.

Sign on to Letter to Governor Hogan
MD Nonprofits is calling on the state to devote at least $1 billion of the $4 billion projected budget state surplus to services for families and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects. That sign-on letter is here. Nonprofit Montgomery has signed on, as have over 215 other organizations. We encourage all Maryland nonprofits to sign on to the letter.

Nonprofit ERTC Relief
The National Council of Nonprofits is leading the action to Restore the ERTC, which was eliminated for the fourth quarter of 2021, and is helping nonprofits that reduced their payments to the IRS in anticipation of these credits avoid having to pay back amounts owed due to the repeal. Click here for more information and  to learn how to get involved. If you were directly affected by the repeal, please reach out to Henry Bogdan, Maryland Nonprofits, who is collecting this information for an advocacy effort.

Nonprofit Montgomery: Candidate Conversations

2021-10-06T09:15:07-04:00October 7th, 2021|Advocacy, Events|

We’ll be organizing small groups of nonprofit leaders to talk to candidates about nonprofit concerns and more.

Our first candidate running for County Executive is David Blair. We’ll be scheduling more conversations with candidates soon. So stay tuned!

When: October 14, 11am to noon
Where: On Zoom. Once you register and are approved, we’ll send you an email with the details.
Who: Nonprofit Montgomery members only. We ask that only one person from your organization register since seats are limited. Click here here to save your spot.

Questions? Contact us at connect@nonprofitmoco.org.

FY23 Operating Budget Forums…Speak up for the nonprofit sector!

2021-10-06T09:12:16-04:00October 6th, 2021|Advocacy, Events, MoCo Government News|

County Executive Elrich and the County’s regional services centers will host five hybrid forums in this month to seek input on the Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget. Residents can attend the forums in person or view them online.

These forums are important to nonprofits. If you’re able to please comment/question on how needs are still high and that funds still need to be available to nonprofits on the front lines of the crisis.

  • Oct. 6, 7-8:30 p.m. Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring.
  • Oct. 13, 7-8:30 p.m. White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring.
  • Oct. 18, 7-8:30 p.m. BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown.
  • Oct. 19. 7-8:30 p.m. Mid-County Regional Services Center, 2424 Reedie Drive, Park and Planning Board Room, Wheaton.

Survey of Nonprofit Organizations’ COVID Response for County’s After Action Report

2021-07-28T14:07:24-04:00July 28th, 2021|Advocacy, MoCo Government News|

The County’s nonprofits were an essential part of the pandemic response. Please help Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security capture what nonprofits did, and your lessons learned in terms of resources, staffing, communication, etc.

The information will be used by the County to develop an After Action Report that assesses the important role that nonprofit organizations played in the COVID response. Your responses will help inform the County and improve future emergency responses.

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. Please take the time to document your essential role in the County’s pandemic response. The deadline is Monday, August 16.

FY22 Community Grants-FAQs

2021-04-07T19:16:07-04:00March 27th, 2021|Advocacy, Grants & Funding, MoCo Government News|

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

Join Nonprofit Montgomery Budget Advocacy

2021-03-25T11:38:06-04:00March 22nd, 2021|Advocacy|

The FY22 County budget process is underway and Nonprofit Montgomery is embarking on a new social media campaign and leading teams of nonprofit leaders in meetings with Councilmembers. The goal of these meetings is to educate Councilmembers about the vital programs offered by nonprofits on behalf of County Government and to advocate for the necessary funding to support the important work of nonprofits.

Our central message this year is that nonprofits are more essential than ever.  The social media campaign will highlight the accomplishments of our members during Covid.  You can join in by: 

  • Complete this form.
  • Engage Communications and Social Media managers in sharing digital content promoting the theme that nonprofits are more essential than ever. Find out more this Friday, March 19 at 9:30am for Social Media training.
  • Learn more about campaign messaging on Tuesday, March 23 at 4pm.
  • Sign up for County Council meetings. See below. Registration opens March 19 and spots will fill quickly. If you can, sign up for a time on April 7. Let’s make it Nonprofit Day!

Members only trainings to support advocacy:  

Social Media Training: Friday, March 19 from 9:30-10:30am: Click here to register.
Message Map Training: Tuesday, March 23 from 4-5pm: Click here to register.

Visit our Advocacy page to see the latest news and find out how to support ALL nonprofits.

Maryland United for Relief Now

2021-01-12T12:49:24-05:00January 12th, 2021|Advocacy|

The covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis have made it clear to everyone just how essential local government is in helping support and uplift families and communities in this difficult time. The latest Covid relief bill did not include Covid relief funds for state and local governments. As noted by Council President Hucker on our last Zoom call, this will make providing local relief for nonprofits and businesses even more difficult.

Please consider signing this petition to ask Governor Hogan to release funds from the extensive reserves set aside in the Maryland Rainy Day Fund to help meet immediate needs through local government. More information and the petition are here.

Please consider signing and share with your networks.

Nonprofit Montgomery Advocacy Update

2020-12-21T14:34:40-05:00December 21st, 2020|Advocacy|

Nonprofit Montgomery Advocacy Update
Community Grants and FY 22 Budget Outlook

According to presentations by Council President Hucker and Rafael Murphy (OMB), projections show that FY22 tax-supported revenues are $163.2 million less than the approved FY21-26 Fiscal Plan. The greatest decline is in income tax revenue.

Programs funded through FY21 Community Grants will not need to reapply for funding in FY22. The County will forgo an FY22 Community Grants application to reduce the administrative burden on nonprofits.

Read more here.

Montgomery County Council News and Updates

2020-03-09T12:59:26-04:00March 11th, 2020|Advocacy|

Represent our sector and learn more at County Council committee sessions. Click here for the current committee schedule.

March 9, 9:30am HHS 

Discussion: County Dental Service
Discussion: Care for Kids Healthcare Program
March 16, 9:30am, PHED 
Discussion: Economic Development Fund
Bill 37-19, Economic Development Fund – Use of Fund and Remedies for Noncompliance

March 30, 2pm E&C  
Capital Improvements Program – Montgomery County Public Schools

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