Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Over $15 Million in Direct Investments for Prince George’s, Montgomery Counties in Second FY24 Funding Package

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $15,006,569 in direct federal funding for local projects in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties within the fiscal year 2024 funding package passed by the Senate on March 23. These funds, included at the Senators’ request, support projects encompassing a wide array of local and regional priorities, ranging from supporting small businesses, to providing workforce training, to improving health care and other community services. The Senators included over $40 million in federal dollars directly for Maryland within the legislation, in addition to the over $160 million they secured in the initial package passed March 8. In total, the Senators secured over $200 million for local projects across the state for FY24. President Biden signed the second package into law on March 23, averting a partial government shutdown.

A full list of the funds included by Senator Van Hollen in both fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation is here. A full list of the funds included by Senator Cardin is here.

“Delivering these direct investments to our communities is a key way we’re working to expand opportunity and shared prosperity across our state. These resources will help strengthen Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties by helping local small businesses grow, improving health care services, equipping workers with the skills for good-paying jobs, and more. We’re excited to see our local partners put these funds to work to benefit our communities,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“This second FY24 spending package continues critical investments in locally driven projects and opportunities across the state. Through Congressionally Directed Spending, Team Maryland is supporting programs in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties that improve healthcare, support small businesses and deliver key services for workers, students and low-income communities,” said Senator Cardin. “We are responding directly to the needs of Marylanders and remain committed to bringing new federal resources to our state.”

The funding announced by the Senators includes:

• $6.1 million for health care, including for the expansion of Ora Glen Community Health Services and the growth of Mary’s Center in Prince George’s County; and school-based vision health services for underserved children in Prince George’s County
• $550,000 for small business development, including for support services for entrepreneurs from underserved communities as well as legacy businesses in neighborhoods undergoing change
• $3.2 million for education and workforce development, including for the Montgomery County KID Museum’s program to boost Latino engagement in STEM; Prince George’s Community College’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) training program; Prince George’s County’s Summer Youth Enrichment Program; and Sunflower Bakery’s workforce development training services for individuals with learning disabilities
• $3 million for infrastructure, including for two flood control projects in Prince George’s County
• $2.1 million for community services, including for A Wider Circle’s low-income household support program in Montgomery County; technology upgrades at the Rockville Emergency Operations Center; and CASA’s wraparound services for African and Latin American communities in Prince George’s County

HEALTH CARE

Project Name: CCI - Ora Glen Community Health Services Expansion Program
Applicant: CCI Health Services
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $940,000
Description: Funds will be used to renovate and equip a dental practice, including pediatric dentistry, at CCI – Ora Glen, a community health center in Prince George’s County. Patients will have a one-stop-shop for affordable primary care, dental services, a pharmacy, and a walk-in clinic in a community setting.

Project Name: Glasses4Scholars
Applicant: Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $200,000
Description: Funds will be used to expand free school-based vision health services for underserved children in Prince George’s County. At school, students will receive an eye exam from a licensed doctor, and any child in need of corrective lenses will select two no-cost pairs of prescription eyeglasses.

Project Name: Mary's Center Prince George's County Health Center
Applicant: Mary's Center for Maternal & Child Care, Inc.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $5,000,000
Description: Mary's Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, provides healthcare, education and social services for low and moderate-income individuals. Funds will be used to relocate its Adelphi Center to Cheverly to continue medical, dental, behavioral health, addiction, radiology, and other services.

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Project Name: Pathways to Emerging Markets for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs
Applicant: Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council
Project Location: Silver Spring
Amount Awarded: $300,000
Description: Funds will be used to provide technical assistance and support for technology transfer to new small and women- and minority-owned businesses in emerging markets like microchip manufacturing and cybersecurity so they can succeed with cutting-edge research and product development.

Project Name: Small Business Legal and Technical Assistance Program for Maryland Legacy Businesses
Applicant: Latino Economic Development Corporation
Project Location: Prince George's, Montgomery, and Baltimore Counties
Amount Awarded: $250,000
Description: Funds will support the continuation and expansion of LEDC's technical assistance program, which helps stabilize and sustain small businesses and microenterprises, particularly in neighborhoods undergoing rapid change that could increase the risk of displacement.

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Project Name: Latino STEM Education Initiative: Engaging Kids and Families in STEM Pathways
Applicant: KID Museum
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Awarded: $704,000
Description: Funds will be used to develop and implement an innovative, hands-on learning curriculum to increase Latino engagement in STEM, supporting educational and economic opportunity for a large and growing segment of Maryland's population.

Project Name: Prince George's Community College, Pathways to Careers in Transportation
Applicant: Prince George's Community College
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $874,000
Description: Funds will expand the college’s Commercial Drivers Licensure program, which includes internships, apprenticeships, and a third-party testing center to serve more students seeking this in-demand certification. The program will also train students on safety, vehicle maintenance, and fleet management.

Project Name: Summer Youth Enrichment Program
Applicant: Prince George's County Executive
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $1,500,000
Description: Funds will be used to provide county youth with both virtual opportunities and paid in-person work assignments so they gain employment skills as well as experience and exposure to a range of in-demand careers including information technology, trades, hospitality, and government service.

Project Name: Workforce Development Training Services for Individuals with Learning Disabilities
Applicant: Sunflower Bakery
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Awarded: $75,000
Description: Funds will allow Sunflower Bakery to expand workforce development training services in pastry arts, hospitality, and other food related industries for young adults with intellectual disabilities – primarily learning and cognitive disabilities - to gain valuable skills and obtain jobs.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Project Name: Prince George's County for Flooding Control for Environmental Justice
Applicant: Prince George's County
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $1,383,069
Description: Communities along the Anacostia Watershed's southern portion, including Colmar Manor, Riverdale Park, and Hyattsville, experience urban flooding and have outdated storm drainage systems. Funds will pilot new flood control and warning systems and develop a comprehensive plan to reduce flooding.

Project Name: Town of Cheverly Flood Mitigation Project
Applicant: Town of Cheverly
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Awarded: $1,688,000
Description: Cheverly experiences regular flooding and experienced a major flood in 2020. Funds will replace and enlarge sections of the storm drain system, install a new storm drain system in the Town's alley, and develop a flood mitigation plan to prevent future damage to homes and businesses.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Project Name: A Wider Circle’s Essential Support Program
Applicant: A Wider Circle
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: Funds will expand the Essential Support Program, which provides beds, furniture, and basic home goods to low-income households across Maryland. A Wider Circle will ramp up its team, inventory, and logistics to serve an additional 600-800 households this year.

Project Name: Rockville Emergency Operations Center at 6 Taft Court
Applicant: City of Rockville
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Awarded: $592,500
Description: Funds will be used to update technology at the Rockville Emergency Operations Center to ensure it can support the City’s emergency response and public event security and coordination with county, state, and federal law enforcement to better protect and serve residents.

Project Name: Wraparound Services for African and Latin American Communities
Applicant: CASA
Project Location: Prince George’s County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to pilot a case management system to provide more effective services to the community, including job training and health and human services. CASA will evaluate the pilot and develop best practices and a program manual to share with other service organizations.