Welcome to the Office of Community Initiatives

Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka, Executive Director

The Governor's Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI) coordinates community and volunteer activities statewide and advises the Governor on policies to enhance and improve community programs. This office oversees the work of the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, Volunteer Maryland and community outreach in cooperation with the Governor’s Intergovernmental Affairs Office to serve the Executive Branch of Maryland government. In addition, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives coordinates outreach to ethnic communities across Maryland, overseeing the Governor’s Office and Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs, the Governor’s Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, the Maryland Commission on African Affairs, the Maryland Commission on New Americans, the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture.

The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives will work with the leadership of faith-based organizations across the state to facilitate community improvement activities generated through those organizations, such as citizen patrol groups, neighborhood revitalization projects and neighborhood emergency response teams.

In cooperation with the Governor’s Grants Office, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives will provide technical assistance to constituent groups as it relates to State departments and agencies. It will monitor community organizations receiving grants and other funding from or administered by the State of Maryland, to ensure accountability and measurable outcomes in compliance with State and federal policies.

In 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law HB782, which received unanimous support in the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate. This action codified the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. Placing the ethnic and cultural commissions within the Governor’s Office is a statement of the O’Malley-Brown administration’s commitment to continue moving our State forward, building on the strength of our neighbors and improving our understanding of ourselves, our history and the common future we all share.

 

Maryland's Recovery and Reinvestment

Just three weeks into his term, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law to create or save over 3.5 million jobs in our nation, provide tax cuts for working families in Maryland and throughout our nation, and invest in America’s public education system, and roads, bridges, tunnels, and the green technologies of tomorrow.