Community Partnerships: Enriching lives through access and support
The Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) seeks to enrich the lives of Howard County residents by offering ready access to human services and supports to help them become self-sufficient.
OCP strives to ensure residents have access to the resources they need to create meaningful opportunities and lead fulfilling lives.
Note: Homeless Services has moved to the Department of Housing & Community Development.
HoCo EXCEL - Howard County's Nonprofit Excelerator
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball launched HoCo EXCEL, Howard County’s new Nonprofit Excelerator Program in February 2024 with Department of Community Resources and Services Director Jackie Scott and representatives from the Association of Community Services and Community Foundation of Howard County at the Nonprofit Collaborative of Howard County in Columbia.
HoCo EXCEL will help advance Howard County nonprofits over the next three years. The County has invested $340,000 in kickoff funding to provide knowledge, skills and tools to further nonprofits. This funding also provides specialized coaching, training and annual grants for a cohort of five nonprofits.
Programs & Resources
The purpose of the CSP Program is to meet basic needs and foster safety, security, and well-being for Howard County residents through funding, collaboration, and technical assistance to human service nonprofits.
This program uses settlement funds from opioid-related lawsuits to support evidence-based prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction initiatives. Its purpose is to supplement existing resources and expand services that reduce the harm caused by the opioid crisis. The purpose of the Opioid Restitution Fund Grants Program is to mitigate current and future harms related to opioids.
This grant program directs cannabis tax revenue to community-based organizations serving low-income and disproportionately impacted areas. Its purpose is to repair past harms from cannabis prohibition through locally led initiatives that promote equity and reinvestment.
Our Supporting Boards
The Board to Promote Self-Sufficiency (BPSS) was created in 2008 to act as a planning and coordinating body for initiatives that promote the economic stability of individuals and families and reduce the incidence of poverty in Howard County. The Board envisions a community where those in need have opportunities and pathways for getting ahead.
Established in July 2024, the Panel will study the implementation of adult-use cannabis in Howard County and make recommendations on how the County can promote health, public safety, business, and social and racial equity in the adult-use market. The Panel will also advise the county on the use of Community Reinvestment and Repair Funds resulting from cannabis tax revenue. More information about the Adult Use Cannabis Advisory Panel is available at the link below.
The Opioid Restitution Fund Commission (ORF Commission) expands upon the work of the previous Opioid Collaborative Community Council. The ORF Commission makes recommendations and provides guidance on the use of Howard County’s Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF), which receives annual payments from national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors to mitigate the harms of opioids. The ORF Commission’s membership represents a variety of lived and professional expertise in substance use disorder advocacy, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. More information about the ORF Commission is available at the link below.