The mission of the funder is to elevate the standard of living in rural areas to meet or surpass state-wide averages by 2030, preserving rural cultural heritage and lifestyle. They aim to make substantial investments in economic and community development, promote regional collaboration, and leverage additional resources for sustainable rural growth, thus fostering entrepreneurship, employment, and rural prosperity.
The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) focuses on several key areas to support rural development: fostering entrepreneurship and balanced economic growth, addressing unemployment and underemployment, retaining farm and forest land, encouraging public and private partnerships, enhancing infrastructure, promoting community revitalization, and generally improving the well-being of rural residents. It emphasizes the significance of rural entrepreneurship as a prime mover for economic development, by offering grants for entrepreneurial activities, in alignment with the belief that nurturing local businesses and startups presents a viable path to economic resilience and prosperity in rural areas. The program supports initiatives that include training and technical assistance for rural entrepreneurs, fostering partnerships, and strengthening sectors like agriculture, tourism, and technology.