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

Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

$28,810 / 2009 / Health and Human Services
For support of a study to determine the effectiveness of the Mothers and Babies Course, a postpartum depression prevention program serving low-income African-American women in three Baltimore home visiting programs. Clients will be screened to determine individual risk for developing postpartum depression based on personal or family history. Those determined to be at risk will be randomly assigned to a treatment group, which will receive a six-session intervention, or a control group, which will receive standard home visiting services. If proven effective, the Mothers and Babies Course will be implemented on a broader scale.

Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies

$5,000 / 2009 / Community Development
For the 2009 Abell Foundation Award in Urban Policy. This award is given to a graduate student who researches and writes an essay identifying an urban problem, and proposes a data-based solution.

Johns Hopkins University

$150,000 / 2009 / Community Development
Toward the establishment of The Lieber Institute, a psychiatric research facility, at the Johns Hopkins Science and Technology Park. Scientists conducting the research will focus on schizophrenia.

Johns Hopkins University/Center for Social Organization of Schools

$50,000 / 2009 / Education
Toward continued support of the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC). BERC is a partnership of the Baltimore City public schools, Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, and other civic and community partners. BERC’s mission is to conduct and disseminate long- and short-term strategic data analysis and research that informs decisions about policy and practice to improve the educational life outcomes of children in Baltimore.

Johns Hopkins University/Center for Social Organization of Schools

$14,033 / 2009 / Education
Fourth- and fifth-year funding for an evaluation of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Vivien T. Thomas and Augusta Fells Savage High Schools. The evaluation will study EOP, a sequential mentoring program designed to increase graduation rates, and determine whether, by assessing various criteria, EOP merits replication.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.