The countdown is on with just a little over a week until the highly anticipated 2026 Maryland General Assembly Session begins. The Maryland Municipal League invites you to join us on January 14, 2026, for our joint Legislative Opening Day Reception, the ultimate legislative launch event in Annapolis.
On January 20 at noon, we will offer a Lunch and Learn: Tutorial Session on Key Contact Functionality to introduce/refresh key contacts on how to add their officials into the platform. Each city/town is allowed two Key Contacts; please make sure that at least one municipal contact plans to attend.
Key contacts are municipal staff who have been designated by their municipality to have access to MML's database platform. This functionality allows key contacts to add new officials into our system as well as register officials for our events.
For decades, the League's oldest ambassador program, "If I were Mayor, I would..." Essay Contest has educated fourth graders (and teachers) about municipal government and the role of the mayor. In late December, a postcard announcing the 2026 essay contest was mailed to schools and municipalities. Contest materials are now available on our website.
Essay submissions are now open. The essay contest deadline is March 5.
The Banner City/Town Program bestows formal recognition each year to cities and towns that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to MML programs and activities. This program serves as a guidepost on how to make the most of your MML membership.
The Maryland Municipal League (MML), with membership in attendance, demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship through participation in two major events this November. Tyler Brice, MML Manager, Advocacy and Public Affairs, attended both the Greater Baltimore Climate Summit and the "Wandering Maryland's Waterways" Bus Tour, engaging with local and state leaders on critical resilience and water quality issues.
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is accepting applications through November 7, 2025 for the second round of the Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund. $3.75 million is available to local jurisdictions and their development partners to fund projects at State-designated station areas.
For more information, please visit the program website, email [email protected] or attend an upcoming webinar: Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund - MDOT.
A recent decision from the Appellate Court of Maryland significantly broadens local governments’ potential liability in employment discrimination and retaliation cases. In Joseph Watts v. Prince George’s County, the Court held that the damage caps under the Local Government Tort Claims Act (LGTCA) do not apply to claims brought under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (MFEPA) or local anti-discrimination ordinances.
Background:
A Prince George’s County jury awarded the plaintiff approximately $1.7 million for employment discrimination and retaliation under MFEPA and the County Code. The County sought to reduce the award under the LGTCA cap, and the circuit court lowered the judgment to $400,000. The plaintiff appealed that reduction.
Stormwater is the water that flows off of impervious surfaces, like parking lots, roads and roofs. It can carry bacteria, nutrients, and other pollutants into local waterways. Excess stormwater can lead to flooding and cause damage to infrastructure, private property, and people.
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) recently issued a memorandum clarifying how state and local law enforcement officers must operate when working alongside federal agencies. The OAG’s “Maryland Law Enforcement Standards When Working with Federal Agents” (October 2025) establishes clear expectations that Maryland officers remain fully bound by state law—even during joint operations or federal task forces. The guidance is intended to help departments avoid conflicts between state and federal standards and maintain community trust. Among other things, the OAG memo outlines what officers must do, may do, and must not do when participating in joint operations, covering areas such as:
Use-of-force and de-escalation standards;
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources has opened two grant programs that municipalities can use to strengthen greenspace, engage residents, and advance environmental goals.
The Greenspace Equity Program Appraisal Funding Grants cover the costs of property appraisals in underserved and overburdened communities, helping towns and cities take the first step toward acquiring land for new parks, trails, and green spaces. A total of $120,000 is available, with applications due by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
Join us Friday, August 1 for a timely panel series tackling Maryland’s most urgent energy and climate challenges. Hear directly from legislators, experts, and local leaders as they dive into the rising cost of energy, who it’s impacting most, and the solutions being put into action. Also, be there to learn how communities across the state are securing funding for climate projects and building strategies for long-term resilience.
For a closer look at what’s in store, check out the full Summer Symposium agenda below
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development invites applications for grants to provide strong rural communities the leadership and technical know-how to keep growing.
The funding is being made available through the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program for fiscal year (FY) 2025. This program awards grants to qualified intermediary organizations to deliver financial and technical assistance that helps recipients build capacity to carry out projects related to housing, community facilities, and community and economic development.
MML’s most engaged members have reached the end of this year’s Banner City/Town journey and have earned their Banner City/Town designation. MML’s oldest ambassador program is a guidepost for members to make the most of their MML membership as these municipalities have done.
Congratulations to MML's 2025 Banner Cities and Towns:
Bel Air, Berwyn Heights, Bladensburg, Brentwood, Brunswick, Cheverly, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Denton, District Heights, Edmonston, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Friendsville, Frostburg, Gaithersburg, Glenarden, Greenbelt, Hagerstown, Hampstead, Hebron, Hyattsville, Keedysville, Kensington, La Plata, Laurel, Leonardtown, Middletown, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, New Carrollton, North Beach, North Brentwood, Preston, Rising Sun, Rockville, Seat Pleasant, Sykesville, Takoma Park, Taneytown, Thurmont, Union Bridge, Upper Marlboro, Westminster, Williamsport
If you want everyone to enjoy what is so special about your municipality, chapter or department, join Bel Air, Frederick, Hagerstown, Ocean City, Pocomoke City, and the Municipal Police Executive Association (PEA) for Municipal Tuesday’s MML Main Street event, an exclusive member municipality showcase opportunity.
Registration for the MML Main Street event includes:
Time is running out you to take advantage of Municipal Tuesday, your opportunity to have a full conference experience in one day.
Tuesday, June 24, at the MML Summer Conference is crafted with municipal professionals in mind. It is truly a full conference experience in one day and focused on celebrating municipalities and the staff who support them. Plan to join us on Municipal Tuesday and learn alongside the elected officials who you assist daily.
MML's Banner City/Town Program bestows formal recognition each year to cities and towns that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to MML programs and activities. The program serves as a guidepost on how to make the most of your MML membership.
If your municipality has completed all of the Banner City/Town criteria, we want to celebrate your designation.
The spring issue of the National Civic Review explores the evolving infrastructure of democracy and belonging — from dinner tables to city halls. Articles examine how shared meals foster social connection, how local governments are reforming electoral systems and police oversight through public deliberation, and how communities are combining citizen assemblies with participatory budgeting.
Contributors also highlight the civic muscle behind effective citizen engagement, discuss the seven principles for impactful citizens’ assemblies in practice, and reflect on the civic virtue of committing to a place. Together, these stories illuminate how communities are revitalizing democracy from the ground up.
Explore the online edition of NCR, made possible by the National Civic League. Access it here.
f you want to spotlight what is special about your municipality, chapter or department, join Bel Air, Frederick, Hagerstown, Ocean City, Pocomoke City, and the Municipal Police Executive Association (PEA) for Municipal Tuesday’s MML Main Street event, an exclusive member municipality showcase opportunity.
Registration for the MML Main Street event includes:
Tuesday, June 24, at the MML Summer Conference is crafted with municipal professionals in mind. It is truly a full conference experience in one day and focused on celebrating municipalities and the staff who support them. Plan to join us on Municipal Tuesday and learn alongside the elected officials who you assist daily.
Municipal Tuesday Registration is now open. At $150 for one day, it is the most cost-effective way for municipal professionals to attend our conference, connect with colleagues, and attend workshops specifically designed with the local government professional in mind.
Your registration includes:
Tuesday at the MML Summer Conference presents a golden opportunity for municipal staff to register for a single day where you can take in a variety of workshops specifically designed for local government professionals. This year’s Municipal Tuesday includes access to the following educational sessions:
Don’t miss out. Municipal Tuesday Registration starts today!
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