Federal Grant Award Summary

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland a $350,000 Project Grant under the Economic Development Support for Planning Organizations program (CFDA 11.302) effective April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2028. This three-year grant supports the development and implementation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties in Maryland. The CEDS serves as a regional economic development roadmap designed to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs by coordinating multisector stakeholder engagement across public and private sectors.

Through this investment, the awardee will coordinate the identification of regional economic assets, establish strategic development priorities, and create actionable implementation frameworks that guide economic development efforts in the tri-county region. The grant enables the council to manage stakeholder collaboration and develop strategic initiatives aimed at creating and retaining higher-skill, higher-wage employment opportunities, particularly for unemployed and underemployed residents in this economically distressed region. Performance of the project will be conducted from the council's headquarters in Salisbury, Maryland.