Initiative for a Competitive Inner City Inc.
ICIC will offer its entrepreneurship “Mini MBA” training program, Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC, ) to Baltimore businesses. The business technical assistance program started in 2005 to help urban entrepreneurs better position themselves to access capital, increase revenues, grow their businesses and create jobs. The program specifically targets companies located in low to moderate income areas, companies owned by people of color and by women, and businesses that draw 40 percent of their employment from low to moderate income communities.
Humanim, Inc.
Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) are the front line staff who work closely with individuals diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability. To respond to the critical need for trained workers, Humanim, with support from the Abell Foundaiton, will recruit and train 130 DSPs to meet and exceed all DSP required state trainings/certifications. Abell funding will also support Humanim and Obran, a worker cooperative conglomerate corporation, to help 30 DSPs to launch a worker-owned alternative staffing company. Obran will recruit the employee-owners, and work with them to establish and organization structure. The employee-owners of the newly formed worker cooperative will deliver quality services to employer partners and share in the company’s prosperity.
Helping Up Mission, Inc.
Abell funding will support the Helping Up Mission (HUM) in its development of a Women’s and Children’s Center at 1216 E. Baltimore Street in Baltimore City. The Women’s Center will provide a gender-informed, residential, faith-based, 12-step substance abuse recovery program set within the context of a therapeutic supportive community. Clients will be provided with clinical professional mental health care and substance abuse counseling, professional pastoral care, and a large array of physical, psychological, social, emotional, and practical supportive services so that they can focus on their recovery and achieve lasting success.
Fund for Educational Excellence
The Fund for Educational Excellence is a Baltimore-based non-profit organization that supports public education through its fundraising and collaboration with Baltimore City Public Schools, convening of education stakeholders, and serving as a fiscal sponsor to non-profit organizations. The Fund acts as an independent ambassador, drawing upon its understanding of education needs in Baltimore City, as well as strong relationships with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, to ensure the best possible education for our city’s public school students. The organization provides stewardship for over $20 million in private philanthropic support for programming targeted towards Baltimore City students.
Food & Water Watch
This grant supports Food & Water Watch’s efforts to ensure that Baltimore City’s Water Accountability and Equity Act is implemented according to the law, and that eligible Baltimore City residents enroll in the “Water for All” program. Under the law, water bills will be capped at 1%-3% of income for those living at 50-200% of the Federal Poverty Limit, including tenants. To incentivize on-time payments and retention in the program, the equivalent amount of each on-time water bill payment is deducted from enrolled residents’ arrears. In addition, the act calls for the creation of the “Office of Water Customers Advocacy and Appeals” within the Department of Public Works (DPW) to provide all residents with a fair and neutral process of resolving water bill issues, which the OIG’s recent report shows are prevalent.