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!

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.

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-decade opportunity to receive free cybersecurity support. Applications due 6/17.

Apply for the ISO Shared Services Program where jurisdictions can receive support for cybersecurity assessments, vulnerability management, and receive consultations on how to reduce risk, improve security, cyber readiness and resilience, and hardening networks from the Department of Information Technology’s Office of Security Management.

We are delighted to see so many of our Strategic Partners joining us for the MML Summer Conference this month! Many have booths in the expo hall and are a great resource for municipal leaders. As experts in their fields, please be sure to stop by and get to know each one. All Partners can easily be spotted, as they have a blue ribbon on their booth. Click here for a full listing of The Leagues 2024 Strategic Partners.

We need your help. To ensure a successful summer conference we need your help at registration and throughout the event. If you've got the time, we've the job for you.  Sign up by June 11 via SignUp.com to assist with registration or be a greeter. Greeters will introduce themselves to lost-looking first timers, assist with directions, the app, encourage visits to the expo, and be the friendly face in the crowd. This is an excellent way to meet new people. Plus, you'll get an MVP Volunteer Ribbon and our sincere appreciation.

We hope you'll consider donating an hour or two to help.

The Expo is back and better than ever. The recipient of four national conference awards, our summer conference expo will connect you with hundreds of industry leaders.

The MML Summer Conference Expo Hall serves as a hub for forging meaningful business partnerships to help enhance your city or town operations. Learn the latest techniques, products, and services available from the experts.

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.

How many times have you been spotted in a grocery store and a constituent has made a passionate plea for you to meet a community need? City and town officials and staff are the pulse of the community, and your residents understand the importance of your support. The Maryland Municipal League recognizes the impact of community and we’re asking our local government community to band together through community service. 

Maryland Municipal League is proud to partner with Diakonia, a comprehensive provider for homeless men, women, families, and veterans on the Lower Eastern Shore, for our first summer conference community service project. Diakonia offers an array of services: emergency shelter, rent/financial assistance, food assistance, veteran homeless assistance, and operates a local thrift store.  

If you’re looking for additional visibility for your city or town, join the cities of Cambridge, Frederick, Hagerstown, New Carrollton, Pocomoke City, The Port Towns, Westminster, Williamsport, and MML’s Police Executive Association (PEA) for Municipal Tuesday’s MML Main Street event, an exclusive member municipality showcase opportunity.

Registration for the MML Main Street event includes:

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.

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. 

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. 

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).

We are nearing the end of the 2024 Banner City/Town year. Based on 2023 summer conference and 2023 fall conference attendance, our records indicate that 87 municipalities remain in contention for a 2024 designation.  Now is the time to ensure that your city/town makes it to the finish line to receive recognition for your engagement in the League. 

We are excited to announce that all Banner Cities and Towns will be recognized in this year's Closing General Session at the summer conference. Our Closing Session will shine the light on our most engaged municipalities. Those obtaining the 2024 designation will be provided closing session details closer to the summer conference.

Municipal Staff-Focused Workshops 

• Showcase Solutions 
• Cabinet Secretaries Roundtables
  
• Population Forums 
• Additional Academy Core and Electives 
• A.M. Keynote session featuring Brandon P. Fleming, renowned speaker, nationally acclaimed educator, and author of MISEDUCATED

Staff lunches

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.