Past Grants

Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Inc.

Water bills rates are increasingly unaffordable for many of Baltimore’s low-income residents. Discount and affordability programs and, most-recently, income-based billing created to help those struggling are generally not well-known within the low-income communities, and the programs can be challenging to access without experienced help. In partnership with Maryland Volunteer Lawyer’s Service, Pro Bono Resource Center will work with Community Action Partner (CAP) centers to assist clients at targeted legal clinics, provide intensive pro bono legal assistance where necessary, and educate the public on the availability of assistance. This grant will provide support for staff costs associated with this work.

Venture For America

Venture for America strengthens entrepreneurship, business formation, and economic growth by attracting top talent students to work in start-up and early-stage companies. Since 2013, VFA has placed 127 Fellows in Baltimore City for two-year followships with more than 60 high-growth companies and startups, and they have supported the launch of nine Fellow-founded companies. Of 15 participating cities, Baltimore is the second largest program and boasts the second highest post-Fellowship retention rate. 

Baltimore Office of Sustainability, Fiscally Sponsored by Civic Works, Inc.

The Baltimore Food Policy Initiative within the Baltimore Office of Sustainability will provide $65,000 in mini-grants to grassroots community organizations who are working hard and quickly to fill gaps in Baltimore’s larger emergency food-distribution system as the COVID-19 crisis escalates. Funds will be used for food, protective equipment for volunteers and nonprofit employees, transportation and fuel costs to supply food to those who are homebound, elderly, immuno-compromised, and living in poverty, most of whom are unable to access distribution centers, have lost their local pantry program due to COVID closure, or may have a gap without food while, for example, waiting for their Meals on Wheels registration to be processed or for SNAP benefits to be approved. 

Baltimore’s Promise, Fiscally Sponsored by Fund for Educational Excellence

In support of the COVID-19 Response Funding Collaborative of Greater Baltimore, individual grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• 4MYCITY

• Amazing Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

• Asylee Women’s Enterprise

• Baltimore Job Hunter’s Support Group, Fiscally Sponsored by Corner Community Center

• The Broken Wall Community Church

• Black Yield Institute, Fiscally Sponsored by Fusion Partnerships, Inc.

• Catherine’s Family and Youth Services, Inc.

• Church of the Guardian Angel

• City of Refuge Baltimore, Inc.

• CollegeBound Foundation

• Civic Works, Inc.  

• Dent Education

• Digital Equity Initiative for Baltimore, Fiscally Sponsored by Digital Harbor Foundation

• Elev8 Baltimore, Fiscally Sponsored by Fund for Educational Excellence

• Farm Alliance of Baltimore

• Fishes and Loaves Pantry

• Humanim

• Immigration Outreach Center

• Impact Hub, Fiscally Sponsored by Maryland Philanthropy Network

• Intercultural Counseling Connections, Fiscally Sponsored by Fusion Partnerships, Inc.

• Italian Cultural Center

• Little Flowers

• Patterson Park Public Charter School

• Power52

• Southeast Community Development Corporation

• Turnaround, Inc.

• UEmpower of Maryland

• Women’s Housing Coalition

Civic Works, Inc.

Civic Works’ Retrofit Baltimore program offers weatherization, home energy efficiency, and health and safety improvements to low- and moderate-income households. Utilizing competitive Maryland Energy Administration funding, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development grants and BGE utility rebates, the program expects to complete 375 energy audits, energy efficient weatherization improvements in 70 homes, bedbug remediations in 44 homes and screen all households for property tax credits, water bill discounts, and federal nutrition benefits. The grant covers expenses for staff to promote the program, screen applicants for benefits, establish scopes of work, manage contract implementation, and ensure quality control.