The county will provide $1 million in grants from $50,000 to $500,000 to community-based organizations supporting the right to access abortion care in the county, County Executive Marc Elrich announced.
The Department of Health and Human Services and a new Office of Grants Management will manage the grants program for organizations that help women seeking access to abortion, as well as provide reproductive health and similar services.
“As soon as the draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked in May, we knew that our reproductive rights and abortion providers were going to need additional support and we announced our intention to provide $1 million in county aid through grants to these organizations,” Erich said in a press release. “These funds will help the women served by caring and compassionate organizations who are protecting their rights, their health and their choices.”
According to the release, grants will be given to programs that provide direct services and/or support at least two of the following (quoting from the release):
- Assistance with wraparound services to those who are accessing abortion services.
- Provision of grants to organizations in the County that provide abortion services or that refer patients to abortion services as part of comprehensive family planning and reproductive health education.
- Provision of aid to organizations that are fighting legal battles on behalf of those seeking access to abortion services.
- Security for providers who offer direct abortion services or referral to abortion services. Providers may require increased safety or security measures as a result of heightened tensions in the political and civic environment.
- Support for organizations and providers who offer direct abortion services or refer to abortion services to begin practicing in Montgomery County. Examples include assistance with relocation costs, training costs for new providers or other startup costs.
- Grants to facilitate providers of abortion services to offer reduced-cost, low-cost or no-cost abortion services to women who have financial hardships to ensure equitable access to abortion services.
Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups (county funding cannot be used to take the place of funding for already planned services).
Applications are due by 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 10 and can be found online, along with full details and other information about the program.
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