Baltimore Tree Trust
Baltimore Tree Trust developed an “Urban Roots Apprenticeship,” a tree planting and care/training and mentorship program for unemployed and underemployed individuals. BTT staff worked closely with tree care and landscaping partners to develop a curriculum that prepares graduates for hire in full-time and permanent positions. The twice annual six week, 40-hour a week program will be held with ten trainees in spring and fall, 2019. Participants are paid $12 an hour throughout the training and awarded a final $240 upon completion, taking the wage to $13 an hour.
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. This grant provided support for staff costs associated with core programmatic efforts to recruit, deploy and retain talent in Baltimore City.
Southwest Partnership
Southwest Partnership is a partnership of seven neighborhoods and six anchor institutions formed to focus on community redevelopment while preserving the uniqueness of these communities. The former Lord Baltimore Theater, is an iconic building along the historic retail strip that SWP has targeted for redevelopment as a cultural arts/education center. This grant provided support for a consultant to develop financing structure for redevelopment of the Theater, and assist SWP with the establishment of a nonprofit organization to oversee the property.
The Compound
Located in Baltimore’s Midway neighborhood, the Compound is a 20,000 square foot multi-purpose cultural space on one acre of land that provides affordable housing to 10 working artists, affordable work/studio space to 24 artists and artisans, and employment and training opportunities to Midway residents. Residents and tenants are part of the Baltimore DIY art and music scene and the Compound became known as a venue for innovative music and cultural events. As a part of efforts to preserve the Compound, in combination with State of Maryland funding, improvements will be made to bring the buildings up to code.
ReBuild Metro
For over a decade, ReBUILD Metro (formerly TRF Development Partners) has been building market stabilizing affordable housing in East Baltimore to create opportunity and wealth for low-income residents. The organization renovates vacant houses and builds new product for rent and for sale through their partnership with BUILD and local churches, sustaining both local construction jobs and small contractor businesses. This spring and summer seasons yielded unusually heavy rains, straining the existing roofing system of their headquarter building and cutting short its expected useful life. Funds will be used for roof repair and replacement to stabilize the building and enable a top floor office expansion.