For too long,
concentrated, generational child poverty has persisted in neighborhoods across the state of Maryland and denied many children the ability to fulfill their full potential and determine their own future.
The
Engaging
Neighborhoods,
Organizations,
Unions,
Governments and
Households (ENOUGH) initiative is the first-of-its-kind state-led, place-based strategy to create poverty fighting opportunities driven by communities' lived experience and expertise, data and cross-sector partnerships. ENOUGH will surge resources into neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by systems and policies that limit wealth creation and economic mobility.
The ENOUGH Initiative envisions a Maryland where:
- All residents feel welcomed, valued, and have a role in the growth of their community.
- All children have access to high quality education and care while ensuring smooth transitions from birth until working in a career.
- All families have access to affordable high-quality health care, including maternal, mental, and behavioral health care.
- All families can meet their needs, work with dignity, and build wealth for the future.
- All residents of a community feel safe and have access to high-quality, affordable housing, a thriving commercial core, recreational spaces, nutritious food, and transportation.
“There's a measure of intentionality that drives concentrated poverty – so there needs to be a measure of intentionality in how we're going to address it.”
Governor Wes Moore
The ENOUGH Theory of Action calls for cross-sector, diverse partnerships to engage in collaborative action with community residents to drive decisions for place-based investments and strategies that increase economic mobility to end child poverty in Maryland.
“This is an opportunity to leverage additional sources of capital. This legislation will channel private, philanthropic, and state resources to communities with the highest rates of generational poverty.”
Governor Wes Moore
Maryland will invest $20 million into the ENOUGH Initiative. This ENOUGH Grant Program provides targeted resources and technical assistance to help address the root causes of poverty at the community level by strengthening the capacity for collaborative action across sectors, including education, health, workforce, housing, and community safety.
The three (3) ENOUGH Grant Program tracks include:
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Track 1: Partnership Development grantees will build the capacity of the community quarterback organization, convene partners, activate and engage community leaders, and develop a formal partnership network or consortium structure to conduct a place-based initiative around a shared vision for their community’s success.
Track 2: Plan Development grantees will use the formal partnership structure to conduct community asset mapping and needs assessment, and engage in participatory planning processes with community residents to develop a Neighborhood Action Plan to increase economic mobility and end childhood poverty.
Track 3: Implementation grantees will launch their approved Neighborhood Action Plan, leverage additional funding streams, conduct progress monitoring and continuous quality improvement, and adopt norms and structures for ongoing community leadership and implementation of the Neighborhood Action Plan.
In addition to the ENOUGH Grant Program Tracks 1–3, Local Management Boards (LMBs) will receive an ENOUGH LMB Capacity Building Grant. This grant is intended to leverage the regional infrastructure LMBs provide to support neighborhoods and local communities. While the ENOUGH Grant Program is limited to eligible communities, all counties in Maryland will receive additional resources through the LMB Capacity Building Grant.
Robust training and technical assistance support will be provided to ENOUGH Program Grant recipients. Supports will include, but are not limited to:
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Online learning hub with resources and training from experts on best practices;
Data dashboard to aid communities in identifying inequities, prioritizing local needs, and making data-driven decisions; and
Hands-on coaching and technical assistance from local and national experts, Local Managements Boards, the Governor’s Office for Children (GOC), place-based state government staff, and other relevant state and local agencies.
Winning proposals will receive a mix of public and private investment. ENOUGH Grant Program participants will also receive support as they seek additional local, State, federal, and private resources aligned with their community’s vision and strategic plan.
