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

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

$26,000 / 2019 / Criminal Justice and Addiction

The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) is the largest pro-bono legal services organization in Maryland and its small, paid staff leverages a large network of volunteer lawyers to provide free legal assistance to people who otherwise would not have access to an attorney.  Funding from the Abell Foundation will support the rebuild of MVLS’ CLUE (Client Legal Uitlity Engine) data scraping tool.  CLUE is owned by MVLS and used by many community partners to scrape public data from the Maryland Judiciary Case Search to support social justice reform.  MVLS and its community partners have used CLUE to assist in areas such as identifying class action lawsuits, bail reform, consumer debt issues, and fine and fees related to court proceedings.

Paul’s Place, Inc.

$35,000 / 2019 / Health and Human Services

For more than 35 years, Paul’s Place has been providing services to meet the basic needs of the residents of Pigtown and other Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods including nutritious hot meals, comprehensive emergency assistance, adult literacy, health services, and case management.  Fundng from the Abell Foundation will help Paul’s Place sustain its Access to Healthy Food Program which includes the hot lunch program (serving 150-200 guests daily) and acting as a distribution site for the Department of Social Services emergency food program providing 3-5 days of shelf stable food for individuals and families.

Rose Street Community Center

$300,000 / 2019 / Workforce Development

Since February 2000, with support from the Abell Foundation, the Rose Street Community Center (Rose Street) has offered small weekly stipends (no more than $10 a day) to community residents in exchange for participation in daily community cleanups or gang mediation meetings.  Last year, Rose Street served more than 120 people per week. Nearly  20% of those served each week (an average of 22 people) reside in Rose Street’s six transitional houses.  Those residing in the houses participate daily in community cleanups. Once they have secured employment, Rose Street staff assists them in obtaining permanent housing.  Over half of those served each week (approximately 70 people) are high-risk youth ages 15 to 24.  Rose Street holds morning meetings with the youth where the youth identify and de-escalate disputes.  Rose Street also connects the youth to programs and services available in the community.

The Baltimore Station

$51,300 / 2019 / Criminal Justice and Addiction

The Baltimore Station provides residential treatment for over 250 men annually.  It operates out of two facilities in Baltimore City (South Baltimore and Sandtown-Winchester) providing  144 beds for men in recovery.  Funding from the Abell Foundation will support start-up operations for an on-site Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program (PRP) to help its clients transition successfully to permanent housing.

The Maryland Book Bank, Inc.

$75,000 / 2019 / Education

With a goal to distribute 550,000 books in 2020, the Maryland Book Bank bridges the literacy gap through increased access to quality age-appropriate books in homes, school classrooms, and community program settings. Operating out of the new Baltimore Warehouse Collaborative in Clipper Mill, The Book Bank distributes new and donated books through two Bookmobiles, a Home Library program in 27 City schools, and open warehouse hours for families and educators. Its social enterprise that sells donated adult books of value and trains warehouse employees generates $80,000 of revenue annually.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.