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

Citywide Youth Development / Center for Urban Families, Inc.

$400,000 / 2019 / Workforce Development

Citywide Youth Development is a nonprofit organization that teaches young people in Baltimore entrepreneurial skills.  With funding from the Abell Foundation, Citywide Youth Development will renovate a 10,000 square foot building on North Avenue to establish the EMAGE (Entrepreneurs Making and Growing Enterprises) Center.  The goal of the Center is to use entrepreneurship and manufacturing as a crime prevention, poverty eradication, and community revitalization strategy.  The Center for Urban Families serves as the fiscal agent for the grant.

Catholic Charities, Inc.

$37,170 / 2019 / Health and Human Services

The Samaritan Center – a project of Catholic Charities – offers to help people resolve emergency needs and increase self-sufficiency through information and referral services, direct financial assistance, and advocacy. This grant supported the Traveler’s Aid program, which offers travel vouchers to 175 people annually experiencing a crisis that requires travel to a new location. Voucher recipients are typically unemployed adults in search of employment, substance-use treatment, family reunification, or fleeing an abusive relationship.  

CASH Campaign of Maryland

$100,000 / 2019 / Workforce Development

The Baltimore CASH Campaign—Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope—was launched in 2001 to increase access to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a powerful work incentive and poverty-alleviation tool, lifting more families out of poverty than any other federal aid program.  Now a program of the CASH Campaign of Maryland, Baltimore CASH plans to serve 10,000 Baltimore residents by operating 15 to 20 free tax preparation sites, continuing its efforts to build high volume sites that can provide quality tax preparation, and asset development services.

Blue Water Baltimore, Inc.

$50,000 / 2019 / Environment

Blue Water Baltimore advances clean water and watershed protection and elevates citizen concerns through multiple fronts: water and outfall sampling, data collection and scientific analysis, outreach and education, green infrastructure installation and tree plantings, cultivation and sale of native plants, targeted policy work, legislative advocacy, as well as litigation to hold polluters accountable under the Clean Water Act. This grant provides staff support to address top pollutants plaguing Baltimore City and its waterways: stormwater runoff and sewage overflows.

Banner Neighborhoods Community Corporation

$12,000 / 2019 / Community Development

Banner Neighborhoods and Southeast Community Development Corporation are teaming up to ensure a fair, accurate and inclusive 2020 Census count among hard to reach populations of imigrants and seniors in neighborhoods in Southeast and East Baltimore. Outreach efforts include an awareness campaign in schools, door to door visits, presentations at senior centers and senior housing communities, along with Spanish language radio advertising and public service announcements.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.