Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership
Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) was created in 2012 as a result of the settlement of the landmark civil rights lawsuit, Thompson v. HUD, which sought to remedy decades of discriminatory public housing policies that left thousands of low-income African American families perpetually locked in high poverty neighborhoods in Baltimore City. BRHP administers the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program, which couples Housing Choice Vouchers (formerly known as “Section 8”) with pre- and post-move counseling to support families who want to move from areas of deeply concentrated poverty to areas of opportunity throughout the Baltimore region. To date, BRHP has assisted over 5,000 families to move to low poverty communities with high performing schools, low levels of crime, and healthy environments, among other benefits.
Despite the significant benefits for families who have made these moves, BRHP data shows that many of the families served have stagnant incomes. To address this concern, BRHP has designed a new program called Growing Assets and Income (GAIN). The GAIN program is modeled on the successful, federally funded Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program administered by a number of public housing authorities, which provides financial incentives to participants who achieve employment, education and other goals. Evaluations of FSS programs have found that participants had significant increases in incomes, as well as improved credit scores and reduced debt. The GAIN program builds on lessons learned from housing authorities that have implemented FSS programs.
GAIN will provide participants with counseling, resource connections, and financial incentives tied to achievement of client-created goals, all designed to support clients in achieving financial stability and self-sufficiency. This grant supports a two-year pilot of the GAIN program that will serve 250 clients.
Baltimore Police Department
Funding from the Abell Foundation will support the Baltimore Police Department’s efforts to send eight BPD leaders to the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP). SMIP is a program of the Police Executive Leadership Forum (PERF) that provides police executives with intensive training in the latest management concepts and practices used in business and government. It is designed for mid-upper level police executives who will ultimately serve in leading roles in their police agencies.
Baltimore Corps
The Baltimore Corps Mayoral Fellowship Program provides fifteen undergraduate seniors and graduate students a ten-week, full time, internship in high priority City Hall offices/agencies, working on Executive-level projects under key directors. In addition to their work assignments, participants attend weekly luncheons with pertinent speakers, do community service projects, and enjoy planned social events around the City. The ultimate goal of the Mayoral Fellowship is to encourage talented individuals, with an interest in public service to seek permanent positions within City government.
Baltimore Civic Fund
Disparities in digital access limit opportunities for Baltimore individuals and families who are not engaged in the digital economy. Without access to reliable affordable internet service, their ability to access education, unemployment benefits, apply for job opportunities, or health care services is diminished. City’s Director of Broadband and Digital Equity will serve as mayor’s primary representative for coordination with internal and external stakeholders focused on these issues while ensuring approaches expand public access. This grant will support expenses associated with this newly created staff position.
Baltimore City Office of Sustainability, Fiscally Sponsored by Baltimore Civic Fund
Climate change already affects communities, from worsening asthma and other respiratory problems to spurring heat waves and other extreme weather. Disadvantaged and marginalized communities bear a disproportionate burden of climate change impacts. Recognizing this, Baltimore City will undertake an Update to the Climate Action Plan (CAP), first completed in 2012. Abell funding will be used for the design and implementation of an equitable community engagement strategy for the CAP Update.