Maryland's Rural Legacy Grant Program

Maryland's Rural Legacy Grant Program aims to protect large, contiguous tracts of land with rich natural and cultural resources from sprawl development. By fostering collaboration between state and local governments and land trusts, the program enhances farms and forests through the acquisition of easements and fee simple estates from willing landowners. Annual applications from local sponsors are reviewed by the Rural Legacy Advisory Committee, which makes funding recommendations to the Rural Legacy Board and ultimately to the Governor.

Maryland's Rural Legacy Program
The Rural Legacy Program provides the focus and funding necessary to protect large, contiguous tracts of land rich in natural and cultural resources from sprawl development. It also enhances natural resources, farms and forests through cooperative efforts among state and local governments and land trusts. Protection is provided through the acquisition of easements and fee ​simple estates from willing landowners and the supporting activities of ​​Rural Legacy Sponsors and local governments. The Program is administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).​
The Process
The Program encourages local governments and private land trusts to identify Rural Legacy Areas and to competitively apply for funds to complement existing land conservation efforts or create new ones. ​​Local Sponsors must apply annually to the Rural Legacy Board for participation in the Program and to receive funding.
The Rural Legacy Advisory Committee reviews all applications and makes recommendations to the Rural Legacy Board. The Rural Legacy Board, in turn, reviews the applications each year​ and recommends to the Governor and Board of Public Works which Rural Legacy Areas will be designated and funded. The Board of Public Works designates the Rural Legacy Areas and approves the grants for Rural Legacy funding.