Selected Grants Made : 2021
Below is a sampling of grants awarded in 2021. While grantmaking continues to reflect shifting challenges as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of the foundation’s grants in 2021 returned to a focus on systems change work (for 2020, a larger portion of our grantmaking budget than is typical was allocated to emergency human needs in the wake of the early COVID-19 shutdowns and PPE needs).
Additional grantmaking activities may be reflected on the foundation's form 990-PF. This list, however, is representative of the grants approved by the board as a whole (exclusive of discretionary gifts) and is an accurate depiction of our (pandemic-impacted) priorities for the year. More information about our grants process, what we’re looking for, and how to apply is available on our Grants Page.
General Grants
Adoptions Together (Maryland) - $10,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: Adoptions Together is a child and family health and welfare agency that provides therapeutic support and education for children and their families, works to build healthy, lifelong connections between children and families, and provides advocacy for best practices in child welfare systems. Their programs strive to ensure that children of all ages have the opportunity to grow up in healthy, supportive and permanent families by addressing the issues of abuse, neglect and family stability.
Baltimore Community ToolBank (Baltimore City and surrounding areas, MD) - $12,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: The Baltimore Community ToolBank serves hundreds of community-based organizations annually with a wealth of tools and resources. In addition to their tool lending program, the ToolBank intentionally connects partners to each other in order to share knowledge, skills and resources to make our communities vibrant.
Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition, fiscally sponsored by Digital Harbor Foundation(Baltimore, MD) - $20,000: Unrestricted support for the continuing start-up and scaling costs of the Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition, a collaboration of over 60 community organizations working to close the digital divide in Baltimore through device distribution, increased access to affordable internet, and advocacy.
Banner Neighborhoods Community Corporation (Baltimore, MD) - $7,500, Multiyear General Operating Support: Banner Neighborhoods promotes resident-based leadership, neighborhood pride and stability, and provides direct services that contribute to the overall viability of parts of East and Southeast communities in Baltimore City. Second installment of a two-year, $15,000 commitment.
Black Women Build - Baltimore (Baltimore, MD) - $10,000, General Operating Support: Black Women Build-Baltimore was founded in 2017 by Shelley Halstead who believes that for Black women to build intergenerational wealth, with the inherent security and prosperity it can generate, they must also learn the skills necessary to maintain that wealth. Home ownership and the ability to maintain that asset is one way this can be achieved.
CASH Campaign of Maryland (Maryland) - $10,000, General Operating Support: CASH Campaign of Maryland provides the financial capability of low-to-moderate income families through direct service, advocacy, and systems change.
Community Wealth Builders, fiscally sponsored by Maryland Philanthropy Network (Baltimore, MD) - $15,000, General Operating Support: Community Wealth Builders fosters more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable neighborhood economies by promoting community wealth building models and strategies across Baltimore City.
Empowered to Live (Frederick, MD) - $10,000, General Operating Support: General operating funds support Empowered to Live’s first pilot program, Project GUIDE: a 14-week pre-apprenticeship program that offers youth ages 16–24 job readiness and technical skills training and paid internship opportunities with local businesses.
FreeState Justice (Maryland) - $10,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: FreeState Justice seeks to improve the lives of LGBTQ youth through legal services to represent LGBTQ youth in court; training service providers and government agencies in effectively serving LGBTQ youth; and policy advocacy.
Hood College, Frederick Food Security Network (Frederick, MD) - $10,000, Project/Program Support: A community gardening program from the Hood College Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies establishing a network of community gardens in Frederick, MD in order to improve food security for residents of local food deserts, reduce local water pollution by diverting rooftop runoff for use as irrigation and promote better eating habits and environmental stewardship in the Frederick community.
Impact Hub Baltimore, fiscally sponsored by Maryland Philanthropy Network (Baltimore, MD) - $7,500, General Operating Support: Impact Hub supports and connects a community of Baltimore changemakers by providing an inspiring workspace and innovative programming to scale and sustain their social impact to build an innovative local economy that advances equity and opportunity.
Langton Green, Inc (Anne Arundel County, MD) - $10,000, Project/Program Support: Langton Green Community Farm provides vocational training and work opportunities for interested individuals while serving as a source of food and income for our organization--and a resource for the wider community.
Life Asset, Inc (Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland) - $10,000, Multiyear Program Specific-Support for Maryland Programs: Life Asset's mission is to help alleviate poverty in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia by empowering people through affordable financial products, services, and education, thereby promoting self-help and self-respect and expanding social and economic opportunities for low-income individuals. Funding supported the expansion of Life Assets’ Microloan and Financial Training Program to more low-income individuals in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Frederick County, creating financial self-sufficiency through small business ownership.
The Light House (Annapolis, Maryland) - $10,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: The Light House is both a facility and a program. Their mission is to help rebuild lives with compassion by providing shelter and services to prevent homelessness and empower people as they transition toward employment, housing and self-sufficiency. To address immediate needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the final installment for this grant was pre-paid, resulting in two installments of $10,000 each paid in 2021 for a total of $20,000.
Literacy Council of Frederick County (Frederick, MD) - $10,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: The Literacy Council of Frederick County teaches adults the reading and other English language skills they need to provide for their families and contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the community.
Maryland Center on Economic Policy (Maryland) - $10,000, Multiyear General Operating Support: The Maryland Center on Economic Policy advances innovative policy ideas to foster broad prosperity and help our state be the standard-bearer for responsible public policy. MDCEP engages in research, analysis, strategic communications, public education, and grassroots alliances promoting robust debate and greater public awareness of the policy choices Maryland residents face.
Maryland Citizens Health Initiative Education Fund (Maryland) - $10,000, General Operating Support: The Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative established the Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition in 1999 with a mission of educating Marylanders about feasible and effective ways to expand access to quality affordable health insurance for all residents of our state. The Health Care for All! Coalition is the state’s largest health care consumer coalition with hundreds of diverse organizational members, including faith, health, community, labor, and business groups from across the state.
Maryland Hunger Solutions (Maryland) - $10,000, General Operating Support: Through outreach, advocacy, technical assistance, research, public education, and collaboration, Maryland Hunger Solutions seeks to end hunger, improve nutrition, and promote the well-being of Marylanders in need by ensuring that federal nutrition programs are used the greatest extent possible, and that schools and program providers have access to federal funds to serve food that mets high nutrition standards.
Maryland New Directions (Baltimore, MD) - $7,500, General Operating Support: Maryland New Directions offers job seekers in Baltimore City intensive employment training, industry recognized skill certification opportunities, and holistic supportive services.
Mental Health Association of Frederick County (Frederick, MD) - $7,500, General Operating Support: Through education, advocacy, empowerment, and treatment, the Mental Health Association of Frederick County helps everyone face their challenges and make lasting positive changes. General operating support in 2021 helped maintain all MHA programs through the COVID-19 pandemic, including the operation of the area’s 2-1-1 and systems navigation for families in crisis.
Project Own (Baltimore, MD) - $10,000, General Operating Support: Project Own builds innovative solutions to equalize access to property wealth creation for Black Americans, starting with homeownership.
Rob’s Barbershop Community Foundation (Maryland) - $10,000, The Foster Parent Virtual Grooming Project: Rob’s Barbershop Community Foundation supports projects that improve the grooming, hygiene and well-being of individuals lacking access to regular hygienic care. Funding supported training and grooming services for foster and adoptive parents, especially in transracial family situations.
Small Grants
In 2020, the foundation suspended our annual Leadership Development Grants Program based on feedback from partners and to prioritize emergency needs arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, this program was rolled into a more general Small Grants program, for grant amounts up to $5,000, which focus on one of three priority areas: (1) leadership development, (2) addressing the harms caused by fiscal sponsorships and/or costs associated with changing fiscal sponsors or incorporating as an independent 501(c)(3), and (3) supporting work within organizations around internal diversity, equity, and inclusion.
AZIZA PE&CE, fiscally sponsored by Elijah’s Blessing Community Service Center (Baltimore, MD) - $5,000: Operating support to support AP’s work using a non-conventional approach to public health and personal development through arts, fashion, fitness, music, mentoring and entertainment to address social, emotional, cultural, life and critical thinking skills.
Baltimore Action Legal Team (Baltimore, MD) - $2,920: Support for BALT’s transition from fiscal sponsorship to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Baltimore Safe Haven (Baltimore, MD) - $5,000: General operating support for Baltimore Safe Haven’s work to provide at-risk TLGBQIA people in Baltimore City with opportunities to transform their lives.
Interfaith Housing Alliance (Frederick, MD) - $1,638: Project-specific support to provide an all-staff training on implicit bias and make corresponding updates the employee handbook to align with the organization’s stated DEI objectives.
Loyola Early Learning Center (Baltimore, MD) - $5,000: Leadership development support to provide the Loyola Early Learning School’s social worker with clinical supervision to obtain LCSW-C clinical licensure.
National Adoption Association (Maryland-based/National) - $5,000: Project-specific support for facilitated group sessions and data collection by DEI experts from ProInspire to discuss alignment with staff around organizational DEI values.
Sisters Saving the City (Baltimore, MD) - $5,000: Operating support for Sisters Saving the City’s facility serving at-risk and homeless youth and young adults in the Park Heights community.
The Be.Org (Baltimore, MD) - $5,000: Operating support to expand service offerings to Foster STEM Education and Career Pathways for Baltimore Youth