MD SB300

Establishes the Rural Readiness Program administered by the Rural Maryland Council to help rural communities enhance their capacity for economic development through assessments, toolkits, grant application assistance, and revenue-generating project development

Creates the Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund to provide competitive grants up to $50,000 for collaborative planning and capacity building initiatives in areas such as housing, broadband, transportation, health, and workforce development

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, local governments, state-recognized tribes, higher education institutions, regional planning agencies, and economic/workforce development organizations (excludes state governmental entities)

Requires completion of the Rural Readiness Program for applicants to receive grant funding, with priority given to multijurisdictional projects and those with a 20% funding match commitment

Mandates annual reporting to the Governor and General Assembly by October 1 on grant numbers, recipients, and purposes; effective date is October 1, 2026