The National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Maryland State Chapter President Dylan O. Galloway, invites you to join him at the NFBPA Forum, being held in Baltimore, April 3 - 7, 2024. The event promises to be an invaluable opportunity for professional growth, networking, and collaboration. A special regional rate for Maryland residents has been made available. Visit the NFBPA webpage for more information and to register.

FORUM 2024 is a unique conference experience where public administrators professionals gather from across the country gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, and solutions. Over 4 days of learning, growing, and finding inspiration, attendees are provided with support in their daily responsibilities as leaders in their workforce and communities. Whether you’re looking to learn about how other public administrators are responding to the public health crisis or the newest best practices for managing teams, FORUM 2024 has something for every public service professional.

The State of Maryland has significant connections to the founding of our Nation, and chances are that your city or town has physical structures that mark “What Happened Here on This Date.” As we countdown to 2026 and the Country’s 250^th Anniversary, the National Park Service under the U.S. Department of the Interior has announced the Semi-quincentennial Grant Program.

Open to local governments, this opportunity provides funds for physical preservation of a historic site, to include:

In-Person Workshops - Bike and Pedestrian Accessibility and Safety

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration is hosting five in-person workshops to provide information on grant opportunities focused on improving bicycle and pedestrian accessibility and safety throughout the state.

Build Connections at NLC's Congressional City Conference.

Be part of the coalition of 2000+ local leaders at NLC’s Congressional
City Conference advocating for local priorities. Meet and hear directly
from federal officials about current and upcoming funding opportunities
available to your city, town, or village.

Mark your calendars, registration for the 2024 Summer Conference is just around the corner. Join us in Ocean City for a transformative experience, connecting with Maryland's local government leaders and staff. Get ready for insightful sessions, workshops, and panels led by industry experts and state officials. Let's innovate together for the future of our communities. See you there!

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) is starting to roll out FY22 and FY23 funding.

Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Congress established the State and
Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) to “award grants to eligible entities to address
cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to information systems owned or operated by, or
on behalf of, state, local, or tribal governments.”

View announcement for more details.

As of July 1, 2024, the Maryland Department of the Environment will require all facilities conducting monitoring regulated under Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.04.07.09, 26.04.07.17, 26.04.07.20 and/or 40 CFR Part 258 to analyze for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and HFPO-DA (commonly referred to as a GenX Chemical). The risk posed by exposure to PFAS is an emerging and evolving national concern. MDE is focused on:

• Understanding the risk through sampling, science, and assessment
• Communicating the risk through public information, and outreach
• Reducing unacceptable risks through appropriate funding, regulation, partnerships, and agency coordination.

MDE is focused first on determining if any locations in Maryland pose unacceptable risks to human health associated with exposures to PFAS, and whether there are locations of continuing releases of PFAS compounds.

Join Sustainable Maryland staff and energy finance experts on Monday, February 26 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for a hybrid (in person and Zoom) leadership training on Accessing Funding for Climate and Energy-related Projects. Participants will learn about the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA); existing and upcoming funding opportunities related to building electrification, electric vehicle transition, adopting renewable energy, and best practices for securing funding. Details, including how to register, are available on Sustainable Maryland's Leadership Training events page.

Marketplace.city is partnering with Leading Cities, a nonprofit to advance government sustainability and resiliency, to help find communities for pre-paid pilots through their AcceliGOV program. Winners of the accelerator program, AcceliCITY, will receive money for a funded pilot (no financial commitment from the government), and Marketplace.city is helping with the outreach to potential partner communities. The pilot areas are:

• Solid Waste Solution
• Weather Data Solution
• EV Charging Solution
• Sustainability and Resilience Solution
• Clean Water Solution
• Emergency Response Solution

A full overview of the proposed pilot parameters and the companies involved can be found on AcceliGOV’s website.

Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response (MOOR) is pleased to announce our Competitive Grant Program for fiscal year 2025! The purpose of our Competitive Grant Program is to distribute funding to the highest-scoring proposals received from state and local governments, as well as from private and not-for-profit community-based partners, that align with Maryland’s strategic priorities and serve to meet some of the greatest needs around the State. The funding available for our Competitive Grant Program is approximately $6 million. For information on eligibility and requirements, as well as key dates and how to apply, visit the MOOR website.

Missed out on the opportunity to attend the recent Lunch and Learn Webinar on the NLC Affiliate Program? Watch and learn about the benefits associated with using the MML Affiliate status of the National League of Cities.

The recording can be found on our YouTube channel.

Registration is open for the 2024 Maryland Mayors Association Winter Conference and our spots are filling up! This two-day event is only available to current Mayors and takes place February 29th - March 1st in Annapolis. The event is packed with educational sessions, networking opportunities, and policy discussions with Maryland General Assembly leaders.

Registration closes on Sunday, February 4, please confirm your place and book accommodations today: visit us online.

The Maryland Municipal League and the City of Annapolis are excited to bring together stakeholders for the 2024 Opening Day Legislative Reception taking place Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the Governor Calvert House in downtown Annapolis.

We had a 1,500+ crowd in 2023, so please save the date on your calendar. Sponsorship opportunities are available, both for member cities and organizations. For more information, please contact Felicia Banuelos at [email protected] or Jane Bachman at [email protected].

Missed the chance to sit in during the recent Ethics Webinar? You can now watch the recording of the Ethics: Solicitation and Acceptance of Gifts Webinar featuring guest speaker Todd Turner, Executive Director of Prince George's County Office of Ethics and Accountability on the MML YouTube channel.

Please be sure to check our Year-At-A-Glance to stay up to date on the League's upcoming webinars, conferences, and events.

The League's longest running ambassador program, "If I were Mayor...I Would" is back. The program is designed to help Maryland's fourth graders grasp an understanding of municipal government and the role of a mayor. Each year, nearly 3,000 essays are submitted by students, describing how they would make their town/city/community a better place to live.

Join the Engagement and Outreach Committee during our virtual reading session on March 19. The essays are short, fun and insightful. Witness the great minds of Maryland's future community leaders during the virtual reading session by volunteering.

2024 “If I Were Mayor, I Would…" Essay Contest Materials Now Available

MML’s annual “If I Were Mayor, I Would…" essay contest is the League's oldest ambassador program. The 24-year-old contest educates fourth graders (and teachers) about municipal government and the role of the mayor.  The 2024 essay contest information has been mailed to all municipalities and is available on MML’s website. Contest information will be mailed to schools in early January.

MML’s priority legislation, SB 14, to allow municipalities to self-designate Tourism Zones will be heard in the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee on Thursday, January 18.

Modeled off a successful program in Virginia, this MML priority bill would authorize local governments to provide an array of local tax credits or waivers to businesses that aid in expanding tourism. This program would not only bolster the ability of jurisdictions to attract and retain community-oriented businesses, especially for those that lack access to other incentive programs, but to directly expand the State’s general revenue fund and attract new visitors to Maryland.

Mark your calendars with insightful and impactful events that will ensure you're maximizing your MML membership.

Tailored with your busy schedule in mind, our Year at a Glance is a helpful tool that gives you a heads up to key League events such as: 

Your municipal league is always at work.  We and the National League of Cities (NLC) are glad to announce that through a special affiliate membership agreement, all MML members under 20,000 in population are now eligible to be NLC affiliate members with no additional cost to your municipality. 

Municipalities with affiliate status are joining NLC as the organization celebrates 100 years of accomplishments on behalf of local governments. Learn all about affiliate status and how this new benefit will extend MML's resources and your municipality's reach on Wednesday, January 24 at noon during a joint MML/NLC webinar.