Community Service Partnership (CSP) Program

Howard County Government is committed to investing in the provision of critical human services by nonprofit organizations in Howard County through the Community Service Partnership (CSP) Grant Program.  

Our Purpose: To partner with nonprofits to equitably meet basic needs and foster safety, security, and well-being for Howard County residents.  

Our Vision: Communities that are connected, resilient, and thriving.  

Our Goals: (1) All people in Howard County have equitable access to services for basic needs and (2) individuals and families are safe, secure and economically stable.  

Our Guiding Principles: 

  • We thoughtfully and equitably invest county resources to strengthen our public safety net. 
  • We support proven, sustainable, innovative, and community-based solutions. 
  • We collaborate with our nonprofit partners and other funders to address critical human needs and achieve meaningful, measurable impact. 
  • We strive for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in everything we do. 

Our Funding Focus: (click here to learn more about CSP’s Funding Areas of Focus

  • Level I: Basic Human Needs — Equitably and collaboratively addressing the basic needs of Howard County residents to eliminate barriers to longer-term well-being, safety and security. 

  • Level II: Safety & Security — Building the foundation for all residents to equitably access opportunities by investing in resources individuals need to grow and thrive. 

Our Grant Types: 

  • Core Support Grants – Support administrative and operating expenses including day-to-day operations and long-term organizational sustainability. 

  • Program Grants: ​ 
  1. Safety, Security, and Wellbeing (SSW) Program Grants – Support human service programs and services.
  2. Human Service Transportation (HST) Program Grants – Support transportation services for adults with disabilities​. 
  • Emerging Needs and Opportunities (ENO) Grants – One-time funding to support emerging needs, capacity building, and collective impact initiatives​.

*Funding for CSP grants is made available through the Howard County budgeting process and is dependent upon the resources available each budget year. All applicants should be aware that CSP grant amounts are subject to change from one grant year to another.

If you have questions about the CSP grant program, please contact Camille Banta Email
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Application Process

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Grant Application Portal (https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/howardcountymd-ocp/participant)

FY26 Funding Opportunities:

All eligible applicants are invited to apply for open CSP grant opportunities. Scroll down to see list of all current CSP grant opportunities and to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

The CSP Grant Program will be accepting applications for the FY26 Community Services Partnership (CSP) Human Services Grant Program beginning December 4, 2024. 

Click here to access the FY26 CSP Human Services Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 

Application opens: December 4, 2024

Applications closes: January 8, 2024, by 11:59 pm

 

FY26 CSP Grant Application Information Session
All prospective applicants must have attended one of the mandatory FY26 Pre-Application Information Sessions which were held on November 21st & November 22nd. If you have any questions or would like a copy of the slide deck from the presentation, please contact Megan Godfrey Jackson (mgodfrey@howardcountymd.gov).  

FY26 CSP Application – Technical Assistance Office Hours
For additional guidance and support with your FY26 CSP application/s, please sign-up for technical assistance by clicking here. The sign-up will remain open and you can sign-up at any time. Spaces will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. You must sign-up at least 30-minutes prior to your intended appointment time.

This session is not intended to replace the CSP Grant Application Session. Please review the slide deck and/or webinar linked above prior to scheduling a T/A session. Please come to your T/A session prepared with specific questions you would like to address.

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Grant Award History

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FY25 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

FY24 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

FY23 CSP Human Service Grant Recipients:

For previous years grant reports, please contact the Office of Public Information.

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Current Grantee Information & Forms

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Signing Your Grant Agreement

  • DocuSign – All CSP grant agreements will be signed electronically using DocuSign. Awarded agencies will receive their grant agreement directly from DocuSign. The email from DocuSign will be sent to the individual identified as the contract signatory on the Point of Contact form submitted with the respective grant application—please make us aware of any changes in this point of contact immediately. Linked below are directions on how to sign and return grant agreements. No witness is required as DocuSign serves as the witness.  Any questions regarding grant agreements or If there is an issue with the agreement received by your agency, please reach out directly to CSP Staff, do not reply through the DocuSign system. 

Important Information 

  • Record Retention for CSP Grants is 3 years from the end of the grant year.
  • Grantee must maintain status as a nonprofit entity.
  • Grantees must remain in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).
  • Grantees are required to obtain and maintain general liability insurance during the life of their CSP Grant.

Important Forms: (forms should be submitted to via email to CSP staff at CSPGrantReporting@howardcountymd.gov)

  • CSP Point of Contact Form - if the information on the Point of Contact form submitted with your application changes, please submit an updated form.
  • Budget Modification Request Form - Please use this form to request a modification to your CSP Grant Budget. Any budget modification(s) of 10% or more of a line item requires approval.  The 10% value is cumulative for the grant year and once the 10% threshold is reached, approval must be granted prior to the effective date of the change. You will receive an email notification once your modification is approved.  Grantees making unauthorized changes to their Budget risk having disallowable costs that will not be reimbursed. 
  • CSP Draw Request Form – Please use this form to request a grant payment if required by your grant agreement. The form can be signed digitally but please do not select option "lock document after signing". DCRS will need to complete the "DCRS staff use only" section to process payment. 

 

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Grant Reporting

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FY25 Grant Reporting for Core Support, SSW, ENO, PEH, and HST Grants will be completed using the forms provided below and submitted via email to CSPGrantReporting@howardcountymd.gov. A grant reporting guide has been provided for each grant type—these guides provide important information including due dates, required reporting components, and completion instructions.

Core Support (CS) Grant – Report Forms:

Safety, Security, & Well-being (SSW) Program Grant – Report Forms:

Emerging Needs & Opportunities (ENO) Grant – Report Forms:

Plan to End Homelessness (PEH) Grant – Report Forms:

Human Services Transportation (HST) Grant – Report Forms:

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Resources

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Collaboration – Applicant organizations are expected to demonstrate equitable partnerships with other nonprofits organizations that fall within the coordinate through integrate levels on the Collaboration Spectrum to improve the delivery of services and/or organizational effectiveness.

Funding Areas of Focus – the CSP Grant Program targets grant dollars the Funding Areas of Focus which include Level I – Basic Human Needs and Level II – Safety and Security services.

Result-Based Accountability (RBA) – RBA is a data-driven process that facilitates collaboration to improve the lives of community members. The CSP Grant Program utilizes the RBA framework to review and improve organization and program performance.

CSP Redesign – In early 2020, the Office of Community Partnership engaged over 260 diverse constituents to create a nimble, high-impact Community Services Grant Program that responds to the changing needs, challenges, and opportunities facing Howard County.  Rooted in measurable outcomes and collective impact, the redesigned grant program targets investments in nonprofits that equitably and effectively deliver programs and support to individuals and families in Howard County who lack adequate resources or are facing financial hardships. 

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