The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has awarded competitive grants to nine communities across the state to help them plan and design solutions for managing flooding and other weather-related challenges.
The selected projects are aimed at reducing risk for vulnerable communities, accounting for shifting environmental conditions in local plans and policies, and developing nature-based approaches to address flooding and erosion.
Money for the grants comes from the state’s Resilience Through Restoration Initiative and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After operating as a pilot program for eight years, the Resilience Through Restoration Initiative was made permanent through 2026 legislation, securing its role in protecting communities from flooding, erosion, and storm damage.
The following local governments and community partners have been awarded Fiscal Year 2027 grant funding, pending final approval from federal partners:
The Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County will design a living shoreline in Crownsville to protect a nearby tidal marsh and flood-prone River Road while also preserving and improving bird habitat.
The Reverend Samuel Green Sr. Foundation will design a living shoreline in Annapolis along Martins Cove to protect existing and planned trails that reconnect two historically significant African American communities.
Cecil County will launch a public outreach effort focused on flooding, which includes educating property owners, boosting flood reporting through MyCoast Maryland, and collecting data needed to earn credits under the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System.
Dorchester County will design a living shoreline to protect nearby wetlands and maintain access to a county marina and public boat ramp on Elliott Island.
The City of Havre de Grace will design a submerged gravel wetland and an offline wetland along Lilly Run to reduce nuisance stormwater overflow and flooding in the area.
Howard County will design a stormwater detention pond retrofit featuring bioswales and the removal of a concrete channel at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Old Ellicott City, reducing flood risk from storm system overflows.
The City of Hyattsville will design innovative green infrastructure stormwater practices along Kennedy Street to cut down on neighborhood flooding and test hybrid approaches to localized flood mitigation.
The Town of Berwyn Heights will develop a flood preparedness and mitigation plan addressing vulnerable properties, critical assets, and infrastructure, while recommending green infrastructure solutions and laying out a framework for future investments.
The City of Crisfield will design a tidal wetland restoration project in southern Crisfield to reduce tidal and stormwater flooding along South Somerset Avenue and Woodson School Road.
Starting in mid-July, the Department of Natural Resources will begin accepting applications for the next fiscal year through its online Grants Gateway.
