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

Patterson Park Community Development Corporation

$30,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
For continued support of an initiative to clean streets and alleys in the Patterson Park community. This effort is intended to help eliminate trash and create a visually appealing, comfortable, and secure community in a 22-block area.

Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

$25,000 / 2006 / Education
For continued support and expansion of the Music Teacher Mentoring Program for 87 new and recently hired elementary and middle school teachers for the 2006-2007 school year. The program upgrades teachers’ classroom techniques and strategies by providing demonstrations, workshops, video-taping, and one-on-one coaching in the classroom. The goal is to implement enhanced music curricula that meet state and national content standards, and to increase the teacher retention rate.

People’s Homesteading Group

$125,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
For support of Anchors of Hope, Phase IV, for development costs to create four affordable houses and four transitional apartments for sale and rent to low-income families in the Barclay-Midway neighborhood. The rehabilitation of these residential properties will help reduce the negative impact of existing vacancies in the community.

Preservation Maryland.

$5,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
For expenses related to the Diamond Jubilee annual meeting. The agenda of the meeting included ways and means to reinforce the importance of improving communities through preservation and revitalization.

Public Justice Center, Inc.

$75,000 / 2006 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
For continued support of the Tenant Advocacy Project, established to help reduce evictions and to prevent tenant property from being placed in the street following an eviction. The center will build support for reform of city and state eviction procedures, provide legal representation to tenants facing eviction, and coordinate an educational media campaign.

Header photo courtesy of Thread.