Governor Wes Moore of Maryland announced today the acceptance of new applications for the Build Our Future grant program, aimed at boosting innovation through strategic infrastructure projects. The program, with a $7 million budget, offers matching grants up to $2 million for projects that can significantly advance growth and innovation within the state’s key industry sectors.
Governor Moore emphasized the importance of these investments, stating, “Building a more competitive economy means Maryland must invest in the strategic industries and advanced technology that tomorrow’s workforce will rely on.” He highlighted the program’s role in catalyzing what he calls “Maryland’s decade,” a period of intense economic and innovative growth.
The Maryland Department of Commerce will administer these grants, following the guidelines set by the Innovation Economy Infrastructure Act of 2023. This legislation is a cornerstone of Governor Moore’s strategy to convert visionary ideas into tangible economic success. The first round of the Build Our Future grants, concluded in June, approved funding for eleven diverse projects.
Kevin Anderson, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, praised the program’s impact: “The Build Our Future program is one of the most exciting tools in Maryland’s economic development toolbox,” he noted. The initial grants supported a variety of projects across multiple sectors, and the anticipation for the second round’s potential contributions is high.
Eligibility for the grants extends to a broad range of entities, including private companies, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and educational institutions. Projects that may qualify for funding include cyber ranges, prototype manufacturing centers, research spaces, sensitive compartmented information facilities, and wet laboratories.
Interested parties can apply now, with an informational webinar scheduled for Thursday, September 5, at 2 p.m. For more details on the webinar and to understand the eligibility requirements, applicants are encouraged to visit the Maryland Department of Commerce website at commerce.maryland.gov.
