December 18th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Gov. Larry Hogan on Friday announced the distribution of $8 million in grants to 32 tourism-related nonprofits, the latest of more than $600 million in emergency economic relief Maryland has distributed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The grants were handed out under the Maryland Strong Economic Recovery Initiative. The program provides grants of up to $500,000 to nonprofit and tourism-producing organizations like museums, zoos and aquariums.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on many of Maryland’s great cultural, educational, and historical institutions,” Hogan said in a statement. “We’re proud to dedicate this funding through our Maryland Strong Economic Recovery Initiative to help our nonprofit partners weather this storm and keep Marylanders on their payrolls.”

Recipients include the Baltimore Museum of Art, the National Aquarium and The Walters Art Museum.

The program will also provide $35 million in funding to entertainment venues and communities impacted by the pandemic. Applications for the funding are currently being reviewed. On Thursday, Hogan announced $180 million in new funding for employers hardest impacted by the coronavirus.

“These initiatives are yet another example of collaboration and cooperation between state agencies that has served as the foundation for Maryland’s nationally recognized pandemic response and recovery efforts,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “Working together, we are sustaining a wide range of nonprofit organizations that directly serve Marylanders and provide everything from meal assistance to emergency housing to health services, as well as providing funding to help entertainment venues, tourist attractions, and Main Street businesses rebound from these current economic challenges.”