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

Association for the Public Defender

$8,000 / 2018 / Criminal Justice and Addiction

The Association for the Public Defender of Maryland was created to support the activities of the  Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD), an independent state agency that provides legal representation to indigent defendants throughout the state.  This grant provides matching funds for an AmeriCorps volunteer who will be placed at OPD in Baltimore City to develop a routinized process for public defenders to include expungement petitions into their process for closing a case.  The project year will focus on a pilot cohort of public defenders to develop, implement, and refine a process that can be replicated throughout Baltimore City and ultimately OPD offices statewide. 

Baltimore Kids Chess League, Inc.

$85,000 / 2018 / Education

The Abell Foundation has supported the launch and growth of the Baltimore Kids Chess League in Baltimore City Public Schools since 2004. Part of the Abell portfolio of afterschool “academic” sports, The Chess League serves over 700 kindergarten through 12th grade students in 45 schools who practice weekly with teacher mentors and compete in local, state and national Chess Federation tournaments with increasing success. Baltimore is now on the map as a chess-development hub.

Baltimore Teacher Supply Swap

$10,000 / 2018 / Education

In resource-strapped districts like Baltimore City, teachers spend an average of $600 of their own money each year for school supplies for their students. The Baltimore Teacher Supply Swap aims to lighten that burden by providing teachers with donated or surpassed supplies to support classroom learning. This grant supports the Swap’s Supply Mobile, which brings the most needed supplies directly to the teachers at their schools. 

Blue Water Baltimore, Inc.

$50,000 / 2018 / 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, sewage overflows, and litter/trash.

Civic Works, Inc.

$100,000 / 2018 / Community Development

In operation since 2009, Civic Works’ Real Food Farm is the largest farm in Baltimore City, demonstrating that an organic urban farm can produce tens of tons of food nearly year-round and increase household food security by addressing lack of access to healthy produce through two mobile markets operating in East and West Baltimore. At Real Food Farm and through the Baltimore Orchard Project, Civic Works offers unique training and service learning opportunities for AmeriCorps members, young adults, and Baltimore City schoolchildren in keeping with Civic Works’ mission to provide skills development and community service. This grant supports the salaries of key staff, as well as mobile market expenses.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.