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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?

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 for a Small Grant?

For first-time or returning applicants with grant requests of $10,000 or less. We accept and review small grant applications on a rolling basis. There is no deadline to apply for a small grant.

Start a Small Grant Application

Ready to Apply for a Regular Grant?

For returning applicants and those who have a verified fit with the Foundation’s priorities for requests greater than $10,000. Regular grant applications are reviewed at one of five Board meetings each year.

Start a Regular Grant Application

Returning to a Saved Application or Submitting a Report?

Log into the grant portal below to return to a saved application or submit a report for a previously awarded grant. Report forms can be found under the “Requirements” tab.

Return to Your Application or Submit a Report

See Our Past Grants

National Academic League

$145,055 / 2018 / Education

The National Academic League (NAL) is designed to address the disproportionate attention that is given to sports over academics and provides a scholastic extracurricular activity that boosts student achievement in middle school. 

Middle and Elementary/Middle schools in 15 school districts across the U.S. are currently participating in the NAL.  Introduced to Baltimore City Schools by the Abell Foundation in 1993, NAL has just completed its 24th year as a member of the league. This operating grant provides support for 22 middle school teams and over 450 students to participate in the October to March competitive season that provides academic preparation and mentoring from teacher coaches.
 

Parks & People Foundation

$80,000 / 2018 / Health and Human Services

Parks & People Foundation builds and revitalizes public spaces, supports greening groups and nonprofits with material and grant donations, and hosts out-of-school time programs for city-youth from low-income backgrounds that integrate environmental education, outdoor experiences, and social-emotional development. This grant supported the middle school sports program, which provides public school students after-school athletic enrichment with an integrated character development curriculum. Sports offered using a non-traditional model include soccer, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, kickball, basketball, and flag football. 

Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center – Baltimore

$35,000 / 2018 / Community Development

The Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center – Baltimore is an entrepreneurially focused organization committed to wealth creation in the minority business community. Its goal is to assist its clients as they secure financial capital; identify contracting opportunities; provide strategic advice and counsel to address immediate and long-term business needs; provide group and one-on-one training and education, and create and retain jobs. This grant provided support to a local small business which will increase production efficiencies and expand its access to market opportunities.

Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

$144,960 / 2018 / Health and Human Services

In response to studies showing long-lasting, damaging effects of exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics developed an intervention designed to support low-income parents of young children and to protect their children from exposure to ACEs.  The intervention, known as TREE (for Talk, Read, Engage, Encourage) promotes positive parent-child interactions, which have been shown to mitigate the effects of ACEs.  The TREE program includes video and print materials that encourage parents to talk, read and play with their young children, and are designed to be used by pediatricians during routine well-child visits. This grant supports the implementation and evaluation of the TREE program.       

Le Mondo

$100,000 / 2018 / Community Development

Le Mondo is an artist-owned-and-driven project positioning Baltimore as a center for theatre and the live arts, nationally and internationally. Comprised of three buildings on Baltimore’s historic Howard Street corridor, the project will champion a diverse community of arts and community organizations, individual artists, curators, and arts-lovers in the city. This grant provided building stabilization support for Phase Two of the mixed-used redevelopment project on the 400 block of North Howard Street in the Bromo Arts District.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.