Maryland’s Greenspace Equity Program is set to receive $7 million under Governor Wes Moore’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, with the funds earmarked for 15 projects spread across nine counties and Baltimore City. The program is designed to create, preserve, and improve public green spaces in communities that face disproportionate environmental burdens or have limited resources.
Under the program’s guidelines, a community qualifies as “overburdened” when pollution levels are measurably higher than in surrounding areas, while “underserved” status is determined by income levels and other key indicators. The selected projects include two land purchases for future parks, along with the development of trails, community gardens, playgrounds, and other public outdoor spaces. The Greenspace Equity Advisory Board was consulted in the administration of the program.
The proposed grants will be submitted to the Board of Public Works for final approval. Any budgeted money that is not assigned to a specific project will be made available in future grant rounds.
The following projects have been selected for FY 2027 funding, pending Board of Public Works approval:
Baltimore City
BLISS Meadows — Backyard Basecamp Inc. will build a fully accessible trail system, inclusive and interactive play spaces, a yurt, benches, and related amenities. Grant amount: $161,916.
Greenmount Park — ReBuild Metro Inc. will install a playground, plantings, and stormwater management on vacant land in East Baltimore’s Johnston Square Neighborhood. Grant amount: $750,000.
Gwynns Falls Leakin Park Trail at Hutton Avenue Improvements — The Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks will create trail connections for pedestrians between two major parking lots, the Carrie Murray Nature Center, and the Gwynns Falls Trail off Hutton Avenue. Grant amount: $2 million.
Baltimore County
Powhatan Community Garden — NeighborSpace of Baltimore County will install a community garden at Powhatan Park. Grant amount: $64,890.
Caroline County
Sharp Road Community Park Dog Park — The Town of Denton will build a new dog park at Sharp Road Community Park. Grant amount: $62,700.
Goldsboro Train Station Park — The Town of Goldsboro will convert the area around the local train station into a park featuring site development, an inclusive playground, native landscaping, and outdoor interpretive panels. Grant amount: $250,000.
Garrett County
Grantsville Inclusive Playground Renewal — The Town of Grantsville will replace an outdated playground with a new ADA-accessible, inclusive play area. Grant amount: $320,000.
Montgomery County
Circle Woods Acquisition — The City of Takoma Park will purchase three parcels totaling 0.59 acres to create a public open green space. Grant amount: $69,250.
Poolesville Regional Park Acquisition — The Town of Poolesville will acquire 30 acres of land in the heart of town to establish a public park. Grant amount: $1 million.
Prince George’s County
Seat Pleasant Giving Garden — The City of Seat Pleasant will convert two neighboring lots into a giving garden. Grant amount: $111,940.
Queensbury Road Rain Garden Restoration and Greenspace Enhancement — The Town of Riverdale Park will restore and improve an existing rain garden within the town-owned public right-of-way along Queensbury Road. Grant amount: $120,000.
Talbot County
Easton Crossing — Easton Crossing LLC will develop a publicly accessible green space featuring walkways, paths, a bridge, a rail-to-trail connection, landscaping, and irrigation. Grant amount: $750,000.
BAAM Campus Annex Community Garden and ‘Safety Town’ — Building African American Minds (BAAM) will construct a community garden with raised beds, pollinator gardens, benches, landscaping, and outdoor educational areas. The project will also include a feature called Safety Town — a to-scale paved area designed to look like neighborhood streets and intersections, giving residents a place to practice walking and biking safety skills. Grant amount: $274,140.
Washington County
Marty Snook Park Multimodal Trail and Parking — Washington County will construct a looped, paved multimodal trail at Marty Snook Park, creating a dedicated pathway running parallel to the main park access road. Grant amount: $700,000.
Worcester County
Newton Park Perimeter Trail — Worcester County will develop an approximately one-mile passive walking trail at Newton Park. Grant amount: $200,000.
