ezVOLTz, one of MML's Community Partners is excited to announce that ezVOLTz has won a contract to be one of the suppliers for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) ValuePoint EV Charging Solutions contract.

The selection process was led by the State of Maryland and affords local governments the opportunity to streamline the procurement process. As ezVOLTz traveled the State over the past year and visited many of the municipalities, the need for the creation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and the procurement process was one of the top concerns raised by many local governments and this contract vehicle helps address that process. 

On behalf of the Department of Budget and Management, the MTAP program will be hosting a webinar on Strategies for Capacity Building and Partnership Development for Federal Funding Success on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST.

This webinar will provide comprehensive guidance on internal capacity building and partnership development for local governments seeking to optimize grant opportunities.

The Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management (AACo OEM) is hosting the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM) HERricane summer camp! Young ladies ages 14-18 are encouraged to participate in this free week-long program designed to encourage more young women to explore careers in emergency management, public safety, and related fields.

The program will run from July 15-19 at the Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, with field trips to local Emergency Operations Centers. The deadline to apply is Friday, June 21, 2024, and up to 30 students will be accepted to participate in this year’s program. For any questions email [email protected].

Participants do not have to be Anne Arundel County residents. It is open to all young ladies, aged 14-18, and it is FREE!

Do you have a newly elected town council trying to get off on the right foot? Would you benefit from having a professional facilitator assist with teambuilding, goal setting, or an introduction to municipal roles and responsibilities based on your municipal charter?

Sustainable Maryland, in partnership with Pepco, will offer Sustainable Communities Grant awards to eligible organizations. This program will provide $75,000 support to fund environmental stewardship projects and $50,000 for community resilience projects across the Pepco service area in Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Washington, DC. Application deadline: July 12.

Environmental Stewardship Grants (awards up to $10,000 – up to 8 awards expected)

The Maryland Certified Public Manager® Program has a limited number of funded spaces available for managers and executives from state, local, municipal government, and non-profit organizations in Maryland for 2025. Eligible applicants can attend the program at no charge to them or their agency.

The MML 2024 Final Legislative Report is now available! Each year MML staff compiles the legislation that passed through the General Assembly and has impact on municipal governments into this one document. The Final Report includes a short summary of each passed bill plus a link to the General Assembly for more detail.

The application for FY22 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) funding is now open.

The application can be accessed on the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) website. If you are interested in either the Information Security Officer (ISO) program or submitting for a subgrant award, please find the relevant section and follow the step-by-step instructions.

As we prepare for our summer conference, we also reflect back on the memory of those whom we have lost.  The League will recognize municipal officials who have passed away since June of 2023 at the conference as we have done in the past.  We are calling upon you, our members, to make sure that all are remembered. 

The Maryland Municipal League is proud to be one of the 130 partners to support the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong coalition. If you know someone impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, please see the resources available below.

To date, more than 130 partners have joined the alliance, committing more than $15 million and providing other non-monetary support for port workers and to the broader recovery. 

The Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund, established by the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) has been the primary resource for alliance members to support port workers, first responders and their families, and impacted Key Bridge communities.   The fund has received support from over 300 contributors. The consistent needs identified by each community include immediate support for basic human needs. This includes the ask for private financial support for workers affected by the port closure, with assistance to cover basic essentials.  

Applications are now being accepted for the African American Heritage Preservation Program FY2025 grant round. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the grant guidelines, view a recorded webinar and contact program staff with any questions, including whether your project is eligible. All applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 pm on July 1, 2024.

The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) provides grants to assist in the preservation of buildings, sites, or communities of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland.

The AAHPP is administered as a partnership between the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC). The program typically receives an annual appropriation of $5,000,000 for grants per year.

NLC routinely pulls together great resources for cities and towns following Supreme Court decisions. Below are some recent offerings:

In case you missed our webinar last month on the Lindke v. Freed decision in which the Supreme Court set forth the test for when local government officials are considered "state actors" for the purposes of the First Amendment when they post on social media. Please find a recording of the webinar, as well as an FAQ on the court decision, here. 

Join us for a Lunch and Learn webinar on May 14, noon to 1 p.m., to learn how to use the MML Digital Library, a new tool designed to  provide access to a myriad of documents and data that may help your municipal operations. 

The EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit is a one-day virtual event geared towards addressing environmental health topics relevant to the Mid-Atlantic Region. The summit is held annually and features an opening plenary with state environmental secretaries and concurrent sessions focused on various topics, including equity, environmental justice, sustainability, grant opportunities, and more. This year's Summit will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Summit is free and open to the public.  Additional information, including how to registration is available here. The Summit will convene representatives from communities; non-profit organizations; Tribes; professional associations and advocacy groups; businesses; academia; and federal, state, and local government in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Read about transformative proposals for improving community governance, public health outcomes, local elections, city management, and local decision-making in the Spring 2024 National Civic Review. Also, the importance of hope in efforts to bring about positive community change.

The Review's online edition is now open access. You can read it here.

All formal requests for an amendment to the MML Bylaws for the upcoming 2024 Annual Business Meeting must be submitted in writing no later than April 12^th to MML CEO Theresa Kuhns. A formal letter with direct wording, background of the request, and member municipality is required. If the amendment request is on behalf of an MML-sponsored group, please include a cover letter, approved meeting minutes, action item and vote.

The Chesapeake Bay Program is conducting a survey of local elected and appointed officials involved in policy making. Results will be used to improve and enhance training and information for local leaders. Please take 10 minutes to share your opinion. The survey is being conducted by an independent contractor (Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG)). Your feedback is confidential. If you have any questions, please contact the survey helpdesk at [email protected].

Survey Here

On behalf of the Maryland Municipal League, it is my distinct honor to announce the call for leadership. In addition to being the professional trade association for Maryland’s local governments, MML has 30 various groups under its umbrella offering our 160 members, its elected officials, and municipal staff opportunities to engage, volunteer and support the mission. Our amazing volunteer leaders continue to inspire, lead and connect Marylanders- and we are grateful to you for your time and dedication to supporting the Maryland Municipal League and our mission.

Elected officials who have served 20 years or more are encouraged to submit a nomination for induction into the Maryland Municipal League's Hall of Fame.

This longevity honor is bestowed upon those (living or deceased) who have dedicated multiple decades to the service of a Maryland city or town. 2024 Hall of Fame candidates will join 272 Hall of Famers and will be inducted during Opening General Session, the official kickoff to our summer conference.