Last verified October 21, 2026 · How we verify
Grants for nonprofits in Maryland
As of October 2026, a Maryland nonprofit can be matched against 8 Maryland programs your nonprofit can apply for (4 of them set aside for nonprofits only), plus national and federal grants open to nonprofits, scored in your report.
Most of these grants never run an ad. The money is real, and much of it is open to Maryland nonprofits alongside other organizations. The hard part was never qualifying. It was finding out the grant existed before the window closed. That is the part we fixed.
Maryland nonprofit grants by the numbers
- Who funds them
- 7 funders: Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) (2), Baltimore Ravens Foundation (1), Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) (1), Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) (1), and 3 more.
- Award size
- Most awards $5K to $950K.
- Timing
- 3 open now, 1 of them rolling. Soonest deadline: NourishMD Grant Program (DHCD), Nov 2, 2026. 5 between cycles; Grants for Organizations (GFO) lists its next window as “New applicants file an Intent to Apply each September 15 (the 2026 date has passed); next is September 15, 2027”.
- What they fund
- Arts & Creative (3), Food & Restaurant (1), Retail (1), Technology (1), Youth Sports (1); 2 open to any industry.
8 Maryland grants your nonprofit can apply for, worth knowing by name
Every program here is available to nonprofits in Maryland. Each lists nonprofits among its eligible applicants. The “Built for” column says whether a program is set aside for nonprofits only or open to nonprofits and other organizations. Each names its funder and links to the official page.
| Program | Amount | Status | Built for | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Build Our Future Grant Program Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) Verified Oct 16, 2026 | Up to $2,000,000 per entity per fiscal year (matching funds of 200%-400% of the grant required) | Rolling, apply anytime | Nonprofits and any organization type | Official page ↗ |
NourishMD Grant Program (DHCD) Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Verified Oct 17, 2026 | $25,000 – $150,000 | Closes Nov 2, 2026 | Nonprofits and small businesses | Official page ↗ |
Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grants for Projects (Organizations) Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Verified Oct 17, 2026 | Up to $4,000 per project | Closes Mar 31, 2027 | Nonprofit organizations only | Official page ↗ |
African American Heritage Preservation Program Capital Grants (Maryland) Maryland Historical Trust and Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture Verified Oct 18, 2026 | Up to $250,000 (no match required) | Between cycles Usually opens around April 2027, based on past rounds | Nonprofits and small businesses | Official page ↗ |
Maryland Historical Trust Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program Maryland Historical Trust Verified Oct 18, 2026 | Up to $100,000 | Between cycles Usually opens around February 2027, based on past rounds | Nonprofits and small businesses | Official page ↗ |
Ravens PLAY 60 Grant Baltimore Ravens Foundation Verified Oct 21, 2026 | Up to $10,000 (the 2021 cap; the 2026 cap is not printed) | Between cycles Usually opens around April 2027, based on past rounds | Nonprofit organizations only | Official page ↗ |
Marilyn Hatza Memorial SHINE Grant Program Maryland Humanities Verified Oct 21, 2026 | $5,000 general operating support (80 grants per round) | Between cycles Usually opens around May 2027, based on past rounds | Nonprofit organizations only | Official page ↗ |
Grants for Organizations (GFO) Maryland State Arts Council Verified Oct 21, 2026 | General operating support by formula | Reopens, date not announced yet New applicants file an Intent to Apply each September 15 (the 2026 date has passed); next is September 15, 2027 | Nonprofit organizations only | Official page ↗ |
Multi-state programs that include Maryland
Each of these covers more than three states, so we list them here instead of counting them as Maryland programs.
- Closes in 4 daysNortheast SARE Farming Community Grant ProgramNortheast SARECovers 12 states (plus DC), including MDNonprofits and small businesses · Typically $250,000 to $500,000 per project; approximately $1,500,000 allocated this cycle · Closes Oct 26, 2026 · Official page ↗
- Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay WatershedNational Park ServiceCovers 6 states (plus DC), including MDNonprofits and any organization type · $10,000–$50,000 · Closes Nov 4, 2026 · Official page ↗
- Nuestra Herencia Grant ProgramLatinos in Heritage ConservationCovers 48 states (plus DC), including MDNonprofit organizations only · $5,000 to $100,000 per project · Opens Nov 4, 2026 · Official page ↗
- Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects GrantsMid Atlantic ArtsCovers 7 states (plus DC), including MDNonprofit organizations only · $1,000 to $5,000 (1:1 cash match) · Reopens, date not announced yet (Opens each January; the 2026 deadline was April 30, 2026) · Official page ↗
- Northeast Dairy Farm Improvement and Modernization GrantNortheast Dairy Business Innovation Center (Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets)Open in 11 states, including MDNonprofits and small businesses · Amount not stated · Reopens, date not announced yet · Official page ↗
Looking beyond Maryland? See grants for nonprofits nationwide. New to this? Read the guide: How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Application: A 2026 Guide.
Nonprofit grants open right now in Maryland
- Build Our Future Grant Program: Up to $2,000,000 per entity per fiscal year (matching funds of 200%-400% of the grant required), rolling, apply anytime
- NourishMD Grant Program (DHCD): $25,000 – $150,000, closes Nov 2, 2026
- Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grants for Projects (Organizations): Up to $4,000 per project, closes Mar 31, 2027
Maryland nonprofit grants, program by program
Build Our Future Grant Program: Up to $2,000,000 per entity per fiscal year (matching funds of 200%-400% of the grant required)
Run by Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO). Nonprofits and any organization type. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 16, 2026. Official page ↗
NourishMD Grant Program (DHCD): $25,000 – $150,000, closes Nov 2, 2026
Run by Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Nonprofits and small businesses. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 17, 2026. Official page ↗
Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grants for Projects (Organizations): Up to $4,000 per project, closes Mar 31, 2027
Run by Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). Nonprofit organizations only. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 17, 2026. Official page ↗
African American Heritage Preservation Program Capital Grants (Maryland) (Maryland Historical Trust and Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture): Up to $250,000 (no match required), usually opens around April 2027, based on past rounds
Nonprofits and small businesses. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 18, 2026. Official page ↗
Maryland Historical Trust Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program: Up to $100,000, usually opens around February 2027, based on past rounds
Nonprofits and small businesses. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 18, 2026. Official page ↗
Ravens PLAY 60 Grant (Baltimore Ravens Foundation): Up to $10,000 (the 2021 cap; the 2026 cap is not printed), usually opens around April 2027, based on past rounds
Nonprofit organizations only. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 21, 2026. Official page ↗
Marilyn Hatza Memorial SHINE Grant Program (Maryland Humanities): $5,000 general operating support (80 grants per round), usually opens around May 2027, based on past rounds
Nonprofit organizations only. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 21, 2026. Official page ↗
Grants for Organizations (GFO) (Maryland State Arts Council): General operating support by formula, next window New applicants file an Intent to Apply each September 15
Nonprofit organizations only. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 21, 2026. Official page ↗
More small business grant lists
- Grants for fire departments and EMS
- Grants for churches and faith-based nonprofits
- Youth Sports grants for nonprofits
- Grants for women-owned businesses
- Grants for veteran-owned businesses
- Grants for minority-owned businesses
- Agriculture grants
- Technology grants
- Healthcare grants
- Virginia grants
- New Mexico grants
- Rhode Island grants
Straight answers
Do I pay these back? How current is this list?
No. Grants are not loans. Each row shows the date we last checked it against the funder's own page. How we verify.
Are these grants only for Maryland nonprofits?
The programs above are available to nonprofits in Maryland. Some are open only to nonprofits. Others are open to nonprofits and small businesses alike. The “Built for” column on each row tells you which is which, so you are never applying for something you are not eligible for.
Some of these say "between cycles." What do I do right now?
Get ready before the window opens. Grants for Organizations (GFO) lists its next window as “New applicants file an Intent to Apply each September 15 (the 2026 date has passed); next is September 15, 2027”. The organizations who win are the ones whose applications are ready the week a window opens, not the ones who find out it existed the week it closed.
Somewhere in Maryland, a nonprofit qualifies for one of these right now and doesn't know it.
This page can't read your organization. The 3-minute quiz can. It matches your mission, state, and structure against every grant your nonprofit can apply for and shows you where you stand.