Plant Grants Offered by the Town of Ocean City for the Beach District Area and Pollinator Gardens

The Town of Ocean City, Maryland is now accepting applications for plant grants to support dune restoration and pollinator gardens. The program offers beach-friendly plants for the dune area and pollinator plants for residential properties within town limits. Applicants must be Ocean City residents or property owners, and the deadline to apply is April 17th. Grant applicants will be notified via email by Friday, April 24th. The preliminary pick-up date is scheduled for May 15th at the 4Th Street Municipal parking lot but will be updated as needed.

Additional Information from the Town of Ocean City:

The Town of Ocean City is accepting grant applications for Beach District plants to plant in the secondary dune area and Pollinator Garden plants to start or extend a garden on non-beach front properties. We will accept a limited number of grants for each plant grant category.

Beach District Plants

Planting beachgrass and other native dune plants helps stabilize the dunes and offers a nice habitat for wildlife. Plants for the beach district are hardy, drought-resistant, and can withstand excessive salt air and wind. Dune vegetation helps naturally build dunes as wind-blown sand becomes trapped and builds up the dunes over time.

Pollinator Garden Plants

Pollinators provide pollination services to over 180,000 plant species and over 1,200 crops. This means that one out of every three bites of food you eat relies on pollinators. The simplest definition of a pollinator garden is a garden that attracts bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, or other creatures that transfer pollen from flower to flower or within flowers. Pollinators are in decline due to the loss of feeding and nesting habitats as well as pollution and misuse of chemicals.  The Ocean City’s Green Team is committed to promoting pollinator gardens as a Sustainable Maryland Action Item.

Applicants must be Town of Ocean residents or residential property owners. The plants must be planted within the corporate limits of the Town of Ocean City. Apply online, www.oceancitymd.gov. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 17, 2026. Grant applicants will be notified via email by Friday, April 24, 2026. The preliminary pick-up date is scheduled for May 15, 2026 at the 4^Th Street Municipal parking lot; however, we will update as needed. For more information, please contact Joann Landon at JLandon@oceancitymd.gov or 410.289.8887 or Jenelle Gerthoffer at JGerthoffer@oceancitymd.gov or 410.289.8825.