Maryland

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced 100 matching grants totaling $5 million awarded to Maryland nonprofits, local jurisdictions, and other heritage tourism organizations by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. Grant funds support heritage tourism projects and activities that attract visitors and expand economic development and tourism-related jobs throughout Maryland.

“Heritage tourism boosts local economies, connects people to their past, and elevates them in the present,” said Gov. Moore. “My administration is proud to support a diverse offering of place-based experiences and new partnerships as we work to enrich the lives of Maryland residents and visitors.”

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that Vegetable and Butcher, a subscription-based food delivery service, is relocating its headquarters to Maryland. The company is moving from Washington, D.C. to a 32,000 square-foot Class A industrial space at 6001 Fallard Drive in Upper Marlboro.

“We are ecstatic to welcome Vegetable and Butcher to the Prince George’s County business community,” said Gov. Moore. “The company has a strong commitment to working with farmers and growers while providing nourishing meals to families throughout the region. Its mission is admirable and we are proud to have the company select Maryland for its new headquarters location.”

Per the Maryland Nation Park and Planning Commission: M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County paleontologists and volunteers discovered the largest theropod fossil in Eastern North America during a dig experience program at the Dinosaur Park on April 22, 2023. Additional fossils found nearby elevate the Dinosaur Park’s classification to a “bonebed.” The term “bonebed” is used by paleontologists when bones of one or more species are concentrated within a geologic layer. This is the first dinosaur bone bed discovered in Maryland since 1887.

“Finding a bonebed like this is a dream for many paleontologists as they can offer a wealth of information on the ancient environments that preserved the fossils and provide more details on the extinct animals that previously may have only been known from a handful of specimens,” said JP Hodnett, M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County Dinosaur Park Paleontologists and Program Coordinator. “Most paleontologists have to travel across the country or go overseas to find something like this, so having this rare find so close to home is fantastic!”

The Cannabis Business Assistance Fund was created as part of legislation in the 2023 General Assembly session and seeks to increase small business and entrepreneur capacity to participate in Maryland’s adult-use cannabis industry.

The first round of funding was focused on providing grants to help existing medical-use licensees with the cost of converting their license to an adult-use license. Future rounds of funding will be offered to Historically Black Colleges and Universities for cannabis-related programs; to businesses applying for licenses; and to business development organizations, including incubators.

Bethesda: 

Burtonsville:

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that 67 child care facilities have been awarded a total of $11.5 million through the inaugural round of the Child Care Capital Support Revolving Loan Fund, administered through the Maryland Department of Commerce in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education. The fund, created during the 2022 General Assembly, offers no-interest loans for capital expenses to child care providers who are licensed and participate in Maryland State Department of Education’s Child Care Scholarship Program.

“Child care providers all across our state need funding to support access to their critical services,” said Gov. Moore. “The Child Care Capital Support Fund will also help ensure that Maryland’s families have access to high-quality child care and Maryland’s children will have access to more learning opportunities.”