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

Women’s Housing Coalition

$50,027 / 2007 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
Capital funding toward the acquisition and renovation of Jenkins House, a 22-unit residential mid-rise apartment building housing homeless women and their children, most of whom are referred from emergency shelters. Emphasis is placed on educational support services for children to ensure that all will be performing at or above grade level within one year of entry into the program.

Women’s Housing Coalition

$20,000 / 2007 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
Two-year funding to continue support of services to homeless women with mental illness and drug addiction. By sustaining a contractual counselor and psychiatrist, the Coalition expects to reduce the rate of program incompletion by 50 percent and to increase the medication compliance rate among participants.

1000 Friends of Maryland

$40,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
For support of smart growth advocacy efforts and for the Reality Check Plus Program. Anticipating Maryland’s need to accommodate an additional 1.5 million people by 2030, 1000 Friends, in partnership with the Urban Land Institute Baltimore and the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland, undertook a statewide planning effort to develop a desired vision for future growth involving 100 leaders and residents on four regional leadership teams. The project aims to develop policy recommendations and strategies to manage future growth, while protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

1000 Friends of Maryland

$180,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
Two-year funding for support of Smarter Growth for Maryland initiatives, in collaboration with the Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center. Based on the goals and recommendations of the Reality Plus process, 1000 Friends will build constituencies for policy-making and legislative support to strengthen growth and land use practices. The goals are to direct development into areas designated for growth and to preserve the state’s agriculture, forest lands, and open spaces through strategic acquisitions and planned development.

1000 Friends of Maryland

$35,000 / 2006 / Environment
For continued support of Partners for Open Space and Program Open Space. The Partners will commission a statewide poll to assess the extent of grassroots support for the preservation efforts of Green Print, Rural Legacy, Maryland Preservation Farmland Foundation, and Heritage Conservation Fund as well as Program Open Space. A report, “The High Cost of Conservation Cuts to Counties,” will be released and disseminated to public officials and legislators.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.