Community Service Partnership Grants Program

Redesigned, High-Impact, Community Services Partnership Grant Program

Responding to Changing and Emerging Needs in Howard County

To ensure all Howard County communities are connected, resilient, and thriving, we need to work together to equitably meet basic needs and foster safety, security, and wellbeing for all residents.

In early 2020, the Office of Community Partnership engaged over 260 diverse constituents to create a nimble, high-impact Community Services Grant Program that responds to the changing needs, challenges, and opportunities facing Howard County.  Rooted in measurable outcomes and collective impact, the redesigned grant program targets investments in nonprofits that equitably and effectively deliver programs and support to individuals and families in Howard County who lack adequate resources or are facing financial hardships. 

After months of data analysis, input gathering and discussions with local community leaders, the Office of Community Partnerships has determined that it will distribute all its CSP grant dollars to the following areas of focus:

• Basic Human Needs: Equitably and collaboratively addressing the basic needs of Howard County residents to eliminate barriers to longer-term wellbeing, safety and security
• Safety and Security: Building the foundation for all residents to equitably access opportunities, grow and thrive, by investing in resources individuals need

To measure impact, each area of focus has a series of Progress Indicators to help guide the assessment of our collective progress and inform program and agency-level performance. You can see the full list of indicators in our Community Services Partnership Redesign Report.

In alignment with the two funding areas of focus, CSP grants will be awarded through the following grant types:

• Core Support Grants: Supporting day-to-day operations and long-term organizational sustainability. For the first time, multi-year funding may be requested for up to 3 years.
   
• Program Support Grants: CSP provides three types of Program Support Grants:
   
  • Safety, Security and Wellbeing Grants: To support a specific program within an organization to address Basic Human Needs and/or Safety and Security.
  • Service Transportation Grants: To fund transportation services for adults with disabilities to access employment, health care and social services.
  • Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Grants: To support priority services under the Howard County Plan to End Homelessness.
     
• Emerging Needs and Opportunity Grants: One-time grants to respond to the needs and opportunities that emerge unexpectedly and impact the delivery of critical human services to individuals and families in Howard County. Can be used to support the following:
   
  • Emergency Needs: To provide financial resources to maintain service delivery in the event of an emergency, crisis or natural disaster.
  • Capacity-building: To improve an organization’s effectiveness for measurable impact by strengthening management and governance, planning, processes and infrastructure.
  • Collective Impact: To design, build and manage collaborations between and among relevant sectors and organizations/entities to equitably address complex community challenges.  

We do recognize that elements of the redesigned CSP Grant Program will require our grantees to obtain new or additional skills, tools and competencies. With assistance from partners inside and outside of the County government, we will aim to provide training and support to nonprofits to build internal capacity. In December of 2021, marking the launch of the FY2023 grant process, we will begin phasing in the roll out of our redesigned, high-impact, Community Services Partnership Grant Program.

CSP Redesign Report

CSP Redesign Report One-Page Overview

If you would like to learn more, please reach out to Megan Godfrey Jackson, CSP Program Manager, at mgodfrey@howardcountymd.gov.

Data Summary

To inform the CSP Redesign process, a Data Summary was developed in early 2020 based on the analysis of quantitative data from 20+ sources and qualitative input gathered from surveys. Please click here to access the Data Summary.

FY23 CSP Grants Opportunities 

FY23 is accepting applications for FY23 grants beginning on November 23, 2021. All applications are due January 24, 2022. This year’s grant cycle will be a soft launch of the newly redesigned CSP Grant Program. Please click here to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity which includes greater detail about this year’s grant application process.

Applications should be completed and submitted online via the Howard County SurveyMonkey Apply (SMA) Portal.

Office of Community Partnerships hosted two Application Information Sessions to provide additional information and guidance on the application process. Please use the link below to access the recordings of the Grant Information Sessions.

Grant Information Session

CSP Grant Information Session – Emerging Needs & Opportunities Application

If you would like to receive email notifications, please email cbaumgartner@howardcountymd.gov to be added to the CSP mailing list.

FY21 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating, One-Time, and PEH Grants

FY20 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating, One-Time, and PEH Grants

FY19 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating and One-Time Grants

FY18 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating Grants
• One-Time Grants
• Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Grants
• Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Flexible Financial Assistance (FFA) Grants

FY17 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating Grant 
• One-Time Grants
• Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Grants
• Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Flexible Financial Assistance (FFA) Grants

 FY16 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

• Operating Grant 
• Pathways Initiative Grants
• Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Initiative Grants

FY15 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients

FY14 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients

CSP Funding History (1983 - 2017)
This document is intended as a broad overview - historical data may be inconsistent with actual awards.  If you are aware of any discrepancies in the figures provided, please call 410-313-5996.

Current CSP Grant Recipients

Signing Your Grant Agreement

DocuSign – All CSP grant agreements will be signed electronically using DocuSign. Awarded agencies will receive their grant agreement directly from DocuSign. The email from DocuSign will be sent to the individual identified as the contract signatory on the Point of Contact form submitted with the respective grant application—please make us aware of any changes in this point of contact immediately. Linked below are directions on how to sign and return grant agreements. No witness is required as DocuSign serves as the witness.  Any questions regarding grant agreements or If there is an issue with the agreement received by your agency, please reach out directly to Megan Godfrey Jackson mgodfrey@howardcountymd.gov, do not reply through the DocuSign system. 

How do I sign? Click Here

How do I assign someone else? Click Here

Important Information 

• Record Retention for CSP Grants is 3 years from the end of the grant year.
• Grantee must maintain status as a nonprofit entity.
• Grantees must remain in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).
• Grantees are required to obtain and maintain general liability insurance during the life of their CSP Grant.

Grant Reporting

Operating Grant

Reporting Schedule: Operating Grant reporting is due either semi-annually or quarterly (see Section V. of your Grant Agreement to determine the reporting schedule for your organization's grant). Reports are due 15 days after the close of the reporting period following the schedule outlined in Section V of your grant agreement.

Instructions: All CSP Operating Grant recipients must submit a Narrative Report, Performance Measures Report, Expenditure Report, and Financial Report. All reports should be completed using the forms below (also available on SurveyMonkey Apply) and should be submitted via the SurveyMonkey Apply portal.

Report Forms:

• CSP Operating Grant – Narrative Report Form (Quarterly & Semi-Annual)
• CSP Operating Grant – Performance Measures Report Form (Quarterly)
• CSP Operating Grant – Performance Measures Report Form (Semi-Annual)
• CSP Operating Grant – Expenditure Report Form (Quarterly)
• CSP Operating Grant – Expenditure Report Form (Semi-Annual)

Important Forms:

• CSP Point of Contact Form - if the information on the Point of Contact form submitted with your application changes, please submit an updated form to the Grant Manager
• Budget Modification Request Form - please complete all 3 sections (2 tabs) and sign the form prior to submission.  Approval from the Grant Manager must be acquired prior to initiating any budget changes resulting in a modification of 10% or more of any line item
• Request for Grant Funds Form - form can be signed digitally. Please do not select option "lock document after signing". DCRS will need to complete the "DCRS staff use only" section to process payment.