SM 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

2023 was another big year for the Sustainable Maryland program. We hired a new Program Assistant, Liv Pierce; administered a 2nd year of Pepco Sustainable Communities grants; certified 16 municipalities; and continued our collaboration with the Sustainable States Network.

Check out the Sustainable Maryland 2023 Annual Report, a wrap-up of our annual certifications, events, trainings and more.

2023 by the numbers: 

• 88 SM-registered municipalities (56% of Maryland's towns and cities) 
• 46 SM-certified municipalities (including 2 new communities)
• 12th annual SM certification awards
• 4 Virtual Connections/Happy Hours
• 2 Sustainability Tours (pervious pavers and Riverdale Park Station)
• 2 Sustainability Summits for Homeowners Associations (City of Gaithersburg & Prince George's County)
• 2,000 black-eyed Susan seed packets distributed

SM CLIMATE WEBINARS - REGISTER NOW

Mark your calendars! SM will be hosting a virtual climate-related webinar every 4th Wednesday this spring and summer.

Join us to talk to industry experts about the intersection of climate work and alternative energy.

Dates and registration:



• May 22: Community Solar – Register
• June 26: Topic TBD – Register
• July 24: Electric Vehicles – Register
• August 28: Topic TBD - Register

PEPCO SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANTS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR AND NONPROFITS

Sustainable Maryland, in partnership with Pepco, will offer Sustainable Communities Grant awards to eligible organizations.

Eligible organizations include local governments and nonprofits within the service area. The program will provide $75,000 support to fund environmental stewardship projects and $50,000 for community resilience projects across the Pepco service area in Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, and Washington, DC.

Requests for 2024 Sustainable Communities Grant awards will be accepted from May 1 – July 12.

Environmental Stewardship Grants

Awards up to $10,000 – up to 8 awards expected

Resiliency Grants

Awards up to $25,000 – up to 2 awards expected

For more information click here, including grant application and May 14 informational webinar registration.

URBAN FORESTRY CAREERS CAMP

UMD-COLLEGE PARK, JULY 7-13

A GREAT "GREEN" OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!

The Maryland Forestry Foundation is working with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to launch an exciting new venture for high school students in the summer of 2024.

The Urban Forestry Careers Camp (UFCC) will emphasize urban forestry programs within Maryland's municipal and county governments. The goal of the camp is to expose students to the promising new sector of future "green career" opportunities within urban environments.

This one-week, overnight camp will be held at the University of Maryland at College Park from July 7 - July 13, 2024.

Click here for more information and application form

Click here for the draft agenda

Green Teams and Town Clerks:

• Please share this opportunity widely in your newsletters, social media and old-fashioned word of mouth. 
• Please also share this with parents, students, local schools and PTAs.

This is an excellent opportunity for young people to explore a growing "green" career!

SM VISITS WITH BOONSBORO GREEN TEAM

SM staff visited with the Boonsboro Green Team earlier this month. Before our meeting, we were given a tour by longtime Green Team member Kathy Vesely of some new local projects, including their soon-to-be growing community garden, which features raised beds and a greenhouse, and their new food scraps composting drop off site.

Our meeting included not only members of the Green Team and Environmental Commission, but also Mayor Howard Long and Assistant Mayor Anthony Nally; a master gardener; two Boonsboro High School students who just formed an environmental club; and other interested residents. The meeting helped attendees understand where and how they could plug into Boonsboro's sustainability efforts, and how they could collaborate with one another in the future. Keep up the great work Boonsboro!