Grants

The Abell Foundation awards grants to nonprofit community partners working to improve the quality of life in Baltimore. We provide seed funding for innovative pilots, support for ongoing community programs and services, and funding for capital projects. In addition to providing grant funding, the Foundation supports our nonprofit partners through connection to our local and national networks, as well as our team’s deep experience in and knowledge of Baltimore as it relates to our program areas.

Learn More About Our Process

Eligibility and Review Criteria

For all nonprofit organizations seeking grant funding, regardless of the request amount. 

Small Grants Process

For grant requests of $10,000 or less.

Reviewed on a rolling basis. There is no deadline to apply.

Regular Grants Process

For grant requests greater than $10,000.

Reviewed at one of the Foundation’s five annual Board meetings.

Submit an Application

Considering Applying for a Small Grant?

If you have never received an Abell small grant (requests of $10,000 or less), you must attend an information session to confirm fit with eligibility criteria and funding priorities prior to submitting a small grant application. 

Sign up for an info session

Considering Applying for a Regular Grant?

First-time applicants with grant requests greater than $10,000 should submit a short letter of inquiry prior to submitting a regular grant application. For guidance on what to include in your LOI, please reference our frequently asked questions.

Submit an LOI

Ready to Apply?

If you are a returning applicant or have met our eligibility criteria and requirements and are ready to apply for a grant, you may do so on the apply page.

Start a Grant Application

Returning to a Saved Application or Submitting a Report?

Log into the grant portal below to return to your saved application or submit a report for a previously awarded grant.

Return to Your Application or Submit a Report

See Our Past Grants

NCADD-Maryland

$30,000 / 2020 / Criminal Justice and Addiction

NCADD-MD provides treatment/recovery education, advocacy and public policy leadership on issues related to alcoholism, drug dependence and barriers affecting treatment accessibility in Maryland. Funding from the Abell Foundation will assist NCADD-MD to conduct research about the actions and outcomes of some of the other states in the country that have legalized personal use of marijuana, with a particular focus on public health. This research is intended to develop recommendations for Maryland lawmakers on what public health approaches should be taken in the process of legalizing cannabis for personal use, should the State decide to move in this direction. 

New Life Food Pantry, Inc.

$9,980 / 2020 / Community Development

New Life Food Pantry distributes up to 100,000 pounds of food during single day community markets. Grant funds will support costs associated with a pilot camera project.

NorthBay Education

$200,000 / 2020 / Education

NorthBay Academy is a sixteen-week, residential educational program provided to 300 Baltimore City Public Schools sixth graders during the first semester of the 2020 school year as a response to the Covid pandemic.  Students attending NorthBay Academy will be provided hands-on science instruction, character-building activities, teamwork and challenge based activities, and individualized reading tutoring, alongside their typical routine of virtual instruction provided by their classroom teachers.  The Academy is designed to accelerate student learning and provide educational stability for students whose instruction may be impeded due to the challenges of virtual learning.

South Baltimore Learning Center

$50,000 / 2020 / Workforce Development

South Baltimore Learning Center (SBLC) has provided adult education services for nearly three decades, serving over 700 adult students each year.  Three years ago, with funding from the Abell Foundation, SBLC established an office and classroom at the Regional Skills Training Center in Park Heights.  Working with sector skills training programs, SBLC provided 60 students with remedial instruction in math and reading.  On average, students gained 2.5 levels in reading and 4.0 levels in math. These gains were achieved over an average of 30 hours of instruction.  With continued funding from Abell, SBLC will enroll 81 students into remediation programming, with the goal of 55 (or 68%) achieving the reading and math levels required to enroll in the sector skills training programs.

Southeast Community Development Corporation

$72,500 / 2020 / Community Development

Southeast CDC will continue to implement an eviction prevention program called “Family Stability for our Community Schools” in Southeast and East Baltimore. The program is based on a national model combining intensive casework, connection to resources and emergency funding, aimed at preventing families and children from the destabilizing effects of eviction, successive moves, change in schools and homelessness. The need for this type of program has become more urgent with COVID as work hours have been cut or eliminated, past due bills accumulate and compounding this, many immigrant families served through the program cannot take advantage of public benefits offered to citizens.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.