Kathrine E. Thomson

The council received a legislative update regarding support for the nonprofit sector, including new laws on subsidized interest-free loans for energy efficiency and increased audit thresholds. Discussions included concerns about the toxic public perception of nonprofits, potential threats to the Johnson Amendment, and the need to secure permanent staffing and benefits for the nonprofit navigator position. Additionally, the meeting featured progress reports from workgroup chairs on applications, budget development, and monitoring and reporting, with a focus on standardizing definitions, data elements, and transparency in grant management.

The council received a presentation from the Nonprofit Navigator regarding services provided to nonprofits, including grant search assistance, technical support for state applications, and outreach initiatives. Legislative updates were provided concerning bills related to making the Nonprofit Navigator position permanent, clean energy funding for nonprofits, audit threshold adjustments, and nonprofit nonpartisanship. Additionally, the council reviewed progress on work group guidelines and approved the consolidation of the Customer Service and Ombudsperson work groups, appointing the Nonprofit Navigator as the chair of this combined group.

This annual performance report, prepared by the Department of Budget and Management for the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, details the State's progress toward achieving goals outlined in the Managing for Results (MFR) State Comprehensive Plan. The report reviews performance across six priority areas: Education, Economic Growth, Environment, Health and Safety Net, Public Safety, and Fiscally Responsible. It indicates that the majority of measures are demonstrating favorable or stable progress, with 76.5% showing positive or steady trends. The report also notes that the State Plan will be updated for the 2016 report.

This document outlines the strategic direction for the Department of Information Technology, aiming to provide vital technology solutions that enhance government services for Marylanders and lead the State in IT infrastructure and trends. Key strategic pillars include strengthening cybersecurity posture across State government; delivering efficient, high-quality, and accessible online services to agencies and the public; and ensuring efficient, high-quality IT services to State agencies with a focus on excellent customer satisfaction, reduced resolution times, and cost transparency. The plan sets specific goals, objectives, and performance measures, with estimated outcomes through 2027.

This document outlines the strategic direction for the State Retirement Agency, focusing on its mission to administer survivor, disability, and retirement benefits, ensuring sufficient assets are available when due. The agency's vision is to provide a fully-funded, affordable retirement system that guarantees adequate disability, survivor, and retirement benefits. Key strategic goals include prudently investing system assets to optimize long-term returns while controlling risk, and effectively communicating with plan participants to educate them on their defined benefit system.