The Literacy Lab
A replication of the acclaimed Minnesota Reading Corps, Literacy Lab embeds rigorously trained reading tutors in PreK classrooms and provides 1:1 tutoring in schools to children in Kindergarten through third grade. In 2019/20, Literacy Lab nearly doubled in size with 65 tutors serving an anticipated 1,155 children in 24 Baltimore City elementary schools. Literacy Lab tutoring participants are between 1.5 to 5 times as likely to be on grade level than students who started at the same grade level and received no tutoring. In addition, Literacy Lab’s Leading Men program annually employs and trains five recent graduates of color in Pre K classrtooms, preparing them to enter a career in education.
Johns Hopkins University
The Social Innovation lab incubates mission-driven companies and nonprofits to maximize their potential to become thriving sustainable ventures that contribute to increased opportunity in Baltimore. Through a six-month social venture accelerator program, the competitively selected cohort of up to ten entrepreneurs is provided programming sessions, access to an extensive network of advisors, one-on-one coaching, co-working space, and $1,000 in unrestricted funding.
Jews United for Justice
Jews United For Justice (JUFJ) educates and mobilizes its network of over 2,200 members in the Baltimore area to participate in advocacy campaigns on a variety of social justice issues. Building on work JUFJ has done over the past two years to advocate for renters’ rights in Baltimore, this grant will support JUFJ to work with other coalitions and organizations, including the Public Justice Center, the Right to Housing Alliance, and Baltimore Renters United, to advocate for strengthening legal protections for renters in Baltimore City.
Intersection of Change
Intersection of Change (IOC) addresses poverty-related issues in West Baltimore. Its Strength to Love II (S2L2) urban farm features 14 high-tunnel greenhouses totaling the 1.5 acres of farm land and a processing building for washing, processing, and refrigerating the produce. Produce is sold to local restaurants and colleges and at local farmers markets. This grant supports costs associated with full time staff salaries and stipends for workforce development program participants and youth interns.
Erin Levitas Foundation
The mission of the Erin Levitas Foundation is to reduce the incidence of sexual assault and increase support for those who have experienced it. This grant aims to double the number of seventh graders in Baltimore City receiving the Levitas Initiative’s research-based program for sexual assault prevention and to support the staff and evaluation work necessary to ultimately bring the program to scale in Baltimore City and beyond.