Maryland Family Network
$40,000 / 2021 / Health and Human Services
“Maryland Child Care Boost” is a pilot program that aims to improve the sustainability of childcare by helping providers maintain full program enrollment; implement sound financial management practices; and achieve economies of scale through participation in a shared services network. It will serve a total of 120 family and center-based child care providers: 40 from Baltimore City, 40 from Montgomery County, and 40 from Prince George’s County. This grant supports the staffing required at the Baltimore City Child Care Resource and Referral Center (BCCCRC) to coordinate the cohorts of Baltimore City childcare providers.
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Libraries Without Borders
$50,000 / 2021 / Education
Libraries Without Borders has partnered with Stillmeadow Community Fellowship Church and three local Baltimore City Schools to develop a permanent learning space that builds on the church’s existing role as a community anchor institution. This learning space provides after school and enrichment opportunities, summer programming, and other community services like food distribution and access to digital resources. The Stillmeadow Learning Center will also provide adult learning opportunities through a multitude of community partnerships.
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Innovation Works, Inc.
$50,000 / 2021 / Community Development
Innovation Works is the urban domestic strategic partner of the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, a leading global accelerator for enterprises. The organization addresses social entrepreneurs’ needs through a five phase pipeline strategy. It recruits and encourages members of disinvested communities to build and own successful social enterprises. These entities will create sustainable neighborhood economies and reduce Baltimore’s neighborhood and racial wealth divide. Innovation Works will expand and support its mentor network, a highly committed and mission-oriented group of Baltimore-based executives and Founders who provide weekly mentoring and pro-bono support. This grant will support staff costs associated with support of entrepreneurs along each stage of the IW pipeline.
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Initiative for a Competitive Inner City Inc.
$30,000 / 2021 / Community Development
ICIC will offer its entrepreneurship “Mini MBA” training program, Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC, ) to Baltimore businesses. The business technical assistance program started in 2005 to help urban entrepreneurs better position themselves to access capital, increase revenues, grow their businesses and create jobs. The program specifically targets companies located in low to moderate income areas, companies owned by people of color and by women, and businesses that draw 40 percent of their employment from low to moderate income communities.
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Humanim, Inc.
$170,000 / 2021 / Workforce Development
Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) are the front line staff who work closely with individuals diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability. To respond to the critical need for trained workers, Humanim, with support from the Abell Foundaiton, will recruit and train 130 DSPs to meet and exceed all DSP required state trainings/certifications. Abell funding will also support Humanim and Obran, a worker cooperative conglomerate corporation, to help 30 DSPs to launch a worker-owned alternative staffing company. Obran will recruit the employee-owners, and work with them to establish and organization structure. The employee-owners of the newly formed worker cooperative will deliver quality services to employer partners and share in the company’s prosperity.
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