OUR MISSION
The Helen J. Serini Foundation supports innovative interventions that remove or address the root causes of systemic barriers to health, safety, shelter and opportunity in the communities where we live and work. We envision a world in which all individuals, regardless of means or identity, are treated equitably and provided opportunities to thrive.
We strive to rectify economic and social inequalities by providing financial support, advice, time and resources to qualified charitable organizations that demonstrate creative and innovative thinking, a spirit of collaboration and partnership, and implement models that are constituent-driven and community-led. Wherever possible, The Helen J. Serini Foundation aims to combine one or more of these areas for the benefit of its target population.
We focus our grants on organizations working to break the cycle of poverty in the communities in which we live and work. This includes Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Frederick County, and, occasionally, the British Virgin Islands.
Grant Philosophy
We believe that monetary grants can go a long way in effecting change, and we also believe in helping our grantees with more than financial support. In the spirit of partnership, we aim to provide a broad range of advice, guidance and hands-on support, where appropriate and requested, and are committed to investing time alongside dollars to help our partners achieve their goals. This can take many different shapes, from serving as board or committee members to providing complimentary marketing and communications advice; from working at fundraising and creative joint venture creation to tutoring children and providing educational and career advice; from providing, preparing and serving meals to helping clean, repair and renovate properties.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
Our support of direct service, emergency needs, or similar programs is rare, and usually occurs in instances where that service is used to inform systemic work. Individually, board and family members may support direct services and emergency needs organizations, but the foundation’s collective giving focuses on root causes and systems change work as outlined above.
In any call for grant applications, we are particularly seeking organizations whose work:
Demonstrates a spirit of collaboration, partnership, and alliance building. We believe that no work happens in a vacuum, and relationships are crucial to effecting change.
Engages community and constituents in its decision making. In short: those closest to the problems are also those closest to the solutions
Embodies principles of equity and inclusion in both work and governance. Equity is not a one-and-done program, but an ongoing commitment to examination, learning, unlearning, and willingness to change. We are especially seeking organizations led and/or founded by BIPOC individuals, with diverse boards and leadership, and who demonstrate a commitment to equity across their work.
When considering whether or not to apply, consider the following questions:
Does this work improve or restructure systems of poverty by changing policies, practices, or beliefs that hold people in cycles of poverty?
If this is a request for direct service support, does this direct service inform or complement work to improve or restructure systems?
If the answer to either question is no, we are unlikely to consider support.
Grant History
The Helen J. Serini Foundation has made grants ranging from $1,000 to $120,000, as single or multi-year grants. For an overview of some recent grantees, see the listings below. Also make sure to follow our blog for updates on news, outcomes and new grantees, or sign up for our newsletter for announcements.
Average grant installment* size to date (through FY2022): $11,500
Median grant installment* size to date (through FY2022): $10,000
*Installments calculated are inclusive of Major Grants awards, excluding board-directed gifts and leadership development grants, which are capped at $1,500/each.
Selected Grants Made to Date*:
2022 | 2021 | *2020 | 2019 | 2018
**2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013
*COVID-19 significantly impacted our grantmaking in 2020; the foundation maintained & extended all existing multi-year grant commitments, made additional grant payments to multi-year partners, increased its overall grants budget, and allocated resources to meet emergency human needs in the wake of the pandemic onset. While the impacts of the pandemic will be felt for months and years to come, the foundation plans to return to its strategic giving priorities for 2021 and beyond, which focus on addressing the inequities that the pandemic laid bare; more information about our grants process, what we’re looking for, and how to apply is available on our Grants Page.
**Grant activity for 2013-2017 is reflective of our original mission statement and strategic plan. In 2017, we revised our mission statement to more accurately support our vision, and all following grantmaking activities align with this new mission statement and funding priorities, including an emphasis on unrestricted funding. Learn more about our shift to a new-to-us mission in 2017, and our current giving priorities.
View Grants as a map
Our grants are included in Foundation Center's grants map; click here to view the map of all grants made by The Helen J. Serini Foundation (with grant detail). Note that grant activity in the map is updated annually, so may be slightly out of date at any given moment.