Initiative for a Competitive Inner City Inc. (ICIC)
ICIC will offer its entrepreneur 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, especially companies owned by people of color and by women, and they also accept businesses that draw 40 percent of their employment from low to moderate income communities.
Food & Water Watch
In light of two decades of water rate hikes and in the face of the public health and economic crises unleashed by COVID-19, more than ever Baltimore City residents need a comprehensive water affordability program to prevent water shut offs. Food & Water Watch will advocate for timely implementation of the Water Accountability and Equity Act signed into law in January 2020. The program bases bills on household income and is designed intentionally to help vulnerable populations and communities of color who are disproportionately affected by the rising cost of water service.
Farm Alliance of Baltimore, Inc.
Farm Alliance of Baltimore will continue to offer a Double Dollars program to incentivize households receiving federal food benefits to spend their dollars on fruits and vegetables at local farm stands, community centers, the Civic Works’ mobile market, and the Waverly Market stall. The target population for this project is low income adults and children who live in Healthy Food Priority Areas, or areas with high food insecurity, and who remain at a significant disadvantage as they have unequal access to resources, especially healthy nutritious food.
Baltimore Corps
Baltimore Corps supports Baltimore City’s social innovation sector by recruiting and deploying mission-driven young professionals to Baltimore City’s public agencies and social sector organizations. As the need for staffing in key COVID-related positions has increased, Baltimore Corps uses its expertise to assist City agencies by conducting targeted outreach with a focus on racial equity. This grant will support staff costs associated with core programmatic efforts to recruit, deploy and retain talent in Baltimore City.
Baltimore Community ToolBank
Baltimore Community ToolBank lends tools and equipment to community based member organizations for a nominal fee. Items are typically used for community clean-ups, beautification, festivals, and other projects. Due to social distancing guidelines, large scale volunteer deployment projects are not being implemented, and other projects to date have been limited to 10 or less volunteers. Fees generated from tool rental orders have decreased significantly, thus decreasing the ToolBank’s revenue. During the COVID-19 crisis, tools and equipment for use in support of emergency response activities and support are being provided at no charge for the duration of the crisis. This grant will support core program staff levels which will allow program implementation without interruption of service provision.