LEONARDTOWN, Md. – The St. Mary’s County Health Department is issuing this RFP 26-12 qualified youth mentoring organizations (YMOs) to support our mission of empowering youth and families through mentorship and guidance.
We aim to promote positive youth development within our community by offering structured mentoring programs encouraging personal growth, academic achievement, and social skill development. This RFP seeks to identify and establish partnerships with organizations that have demonstrated success in youth mentoring.
This RFP is open to youth mentoring organizations who:
- Demonstrate experience providing structured youth mentoring programs, ideally centered on at-risk youth within underserved communities.
- Utilize evidence-based or promising practices in youth mentorship, focusing on areas such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), homelessness, adolescent pregnancy prevention, substance abuse, academic support, and social skills development.
- Demonstrate a commitment to serving diverse populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, and implement inclusive practices that address the cultural and social needs of the youth served.
- Serve youth within the St. Mary’s County community.
- Demonstrate a history of or commitment to collaboration with other community-based organizations, schools, and social services to enhance program effectiveness and provide comprehensive support for youth.
- Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations relevant to youth mentoring; all staff and mentors must undergo state and federal background checks.
- Possess the resources, training, and staffing required to adhere to the established timelines and fulfill all requirements.
- Demonstrate strong financial management and adhere to financial best practices, ensuring full compliance with applicable state and federal regulations and guidelines.
- Provide the organization’s most recent financial statement.
Proposals submitted in response to RFP # 26-12, Youth Mentoring Program must be submitted by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on April 01, 2026. Application instructions are in Attachment 1.For more information or to submit a proposal for this request, please visit smchd.org/rfp.