Pepco: Investing in Our Communities Through Environmental Sustainability Grants
By Chuck McDade
We are powering local communities in ways that go beyond reliable energy service. Through our Sustainable Communities Grant program, facilitated by Sustainable Maryland, we provide local communities with environmental stewardship and resiliency grants each year.
Since the program launch in 2020, we have provided $350,000 in grants to municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits in the District of Columbia and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. Recipients of the 2023 grants are already putting the funds to use!
Residents who live in the City of Mount Rainier in Prince George’s County, Md., are already benefiting from sustainable grant funding. In November 2023, the city constructed an accessibility ramp at the local community garden. The ramp was made possible by the $10,000 grant awarded to Mount Rainier that supports open space and resiliency projects.
“The Mount Rainier community garden is more than just a plot of land in our city – it’s a space where neighbors can come together to plant and grow plants and vegetables in an urban environment,” said Mount Rainier Mayor Celina R. Benitez. “With better access and upgraded tools in the garden funded through Pepco and Sustainable Maryland’s Sustainable Communities Grant Program, we have empowered our community to cultivate connections and sustainability in Mount Rainier.”
The garden is a community-led initiative that promotes and educates residents of Mount Rainier on the benefits of gardening, planting and sustainability.
Learn more about other previous grant recipients here.
The 2024 grant application process is now open through July 1. Municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits in the District and Maryland service areas can apply for a Sustainable Communities grant each year
This year’s program provides:
$75,000 in environmental stewardship grants, up to $10,000 each, for projects focusing on open space preservation, improvements to parks and recreation resources and environmental conservation.
$50,000 in resiliency grants, up to $25,000 each, to support innovative approaches to providing a safe and reliable resource for a community during a time of emergency, such as severe weather.
Interested organizations can learn more about the Sustainable Communities Grant Program and how to submit a grant request by visiting our Sustainable Communities page on our website.
