FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON-PROFITS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

United Way of Central Maryland promotes equity, creates opportunity, and improves lives. Our 95 years of service to the people of Greater Baltimore have taught us what it takes to change our region for the better. We are proud to be a source of support, compassion, and hope for people who work hard but still can’t make ends meet. We strengthen families and communities by taking on systemic challenges and increasing access to basic needs - health, housing, economic advancement, education, and more. United Way’s grantmaking supports programs and initiatives in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard Counties.

2023 NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT

The 2023 Neighborhood Grant is an opportunity for organizations with total annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less to receive $2,500 to $10,000 in funding to carry out community-centered projects that are resident-driven, connect community members and create impact in Central Maryland. Eligible organizations can apply to implement projects that:

Build Vibrant Neighborhood,
Inspire Community Connection; and/or
Empower Local Leaders.

Grant applications for the current grant cycle are now closed.

2022 NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT RECIPIENTS

The 2022 Neighborhood Grant program awarded 49 totaling more than $400,000 to Greater Baltimore nonprofits. Grants were awarded for projects that inspire community connection and amplify the efforts of local leaders to build upon, and support, their work happening at the neighborhood level.

Awardees include:

Anne Arundel County

Co-Op Arundel, Inc.: Project providing mentoring and professional development for women from seven low-income/public housing communities in Annapolis.

Junior League of Annapolis: Project providing cross-training for members and community partners to prepare them for community leadership and enable effective and efficient cross-training.
OIC of Anne Arundel County: Helping people trapped in low-paying jobs for lack of education and related employee skills to improve their situation by providing free evening instruction in GED Preparation, Introduction to Basic computers, and English for Speakers of other languages.
Street Angels Project's Peer Recovery Services: Project engaging low-income and/or homeless individuals, families, or community members with resources for peer recovery services, mental health, substance use disorder counseling, domestic violence, rental assistance, food assistance, and necessary life-skills to obtain employment.

Baltimore City

29th Street Community Center, Inc.: Project providing environmental learning for youth, neighborhood beautification, empowerment of local leaders to advocate for urban gardening, as well as a community connection space with multiple attractions such as picnic tables and outdoor seating, a community garden, and a kid-friendly educational area.
African American Fire Fighters Historical Society, Inc.: Poject uplifting the space around the park by creating artistic boards to cover the windows and doors of three houses that were badly damaged by fire.
Ashland Community Development Corporation: project addressing community pride, food insecurity and educational and economic support to underserved neighbors by creating a vibrant community green space and garden.
Broken Wall Community Church: Utilizing parent and teacher-led initiatives to catalyze a community-driven campus plan for a well-designed green space that will promote social connection for children and families in West Baltimore.

Cody Young Empowerment Youth Charities, Inc.: Project engaging and educating youth about health topics and social and economic issues of their choice and supporting their efforts to build community awareness through an integrated marketing campaign.
Corner Team, Inc.: Project guiding participating youth in leading a new community-driven greening initiative on two neglected, vacant lots.
Dent Education's Made@Dent: Project utilizing a social enterprise co-owned by Baltimore youths and Dent Education to turn problems into solutions, while leaning into their strengths as makers and problem solvers. Made@Dent generates revenue to pay youths and produces income to ensure that the program remains sustainable and continues to engage more young people in Baltimore.
Ednor Garden-Lakeside Civic Association: Project constructing and installing a gateway sign, including landscaping on the grassy median of Loch Raven Boulevard in front of Loch Raven Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.
Filbert Street Garden, Inc.: Improvement and youth employment project hiring youth to maintain the garden during the growing season, providing vocational training for youth to learn how to care for farm animals, and hiring contractors to renovate the site.

Friends of Sisson Street Park Corp.: Project installing a custom metal shade structure to cover and protect the picnic table area, concrete pad for tables, ramp from the sidewalk and landscaping.
Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street: Program provides a series of outdoor events including music concert, farmers markets, celebration of women-owned businesses, and health resource fair/vaccine site to provide economic opportunities and vital services for hundreds of individuals.
Highlandtown Community Association: Project improving and protecting the community garden, creates a space for gatherings, and employs neighbors to maintain the common areas of the garden.
I AM MENtality Youth Male Empowerment Project: Project hiring male youth living in Baltimore City for beautification projects and community clean-ups in the Irvington Community. The youth participate in a financial literacy course and receive wrap-around support for social emotional health.
Let's Thrive Baltimore, Inc.: Project providing peer development workshops, community cleanups and stipends for youth willing to step up into leadership roles within the organization. The goal is to make them less vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors and provide them with the opportunity for a brighter future and longer life expectancy.

Little Hearts United: Mentorship program connecting youth who have lost a loved one to violence to an approved adult mentor who will guide them in building positive futures. Mentors include firefighters, police officers, doctors, and community leaders from the East Baltimore (Greenmount) community.
Madison Park Improvement Association: Project improving safety, creating an ambient and festive atmosphere, promoting social connection beyond daylight hours, and empowering local leadership.
Milton-Montford Neighbors: Project offering a series of free outdoor events dedicated to fostering community connections led by neighbors and community leaders of and for Milton-Montford.
Outcast Food Network: Clean space program providing a safe, clean, and healthy environment that engages the community, educates on the importance of recycling, promotes environmental awareness, and restores community pride in the Park-Heights neighborhood.
Pigtown Climbs: Tree removal and fence installation transforming an overgrown lot into an outdoor climbing gym, creating physical vibrancy and inspiring stewardship in Southwest Baltimore.

Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Org.: Project providing social and recreational activities for residents of all ages, and learning opportunities about the care, maintenance and connections between pocket parks and community gardens in the area.
Resident Services Incorporated: Mobilizing residents to act as one community to address issues such as trauma and mental health, integrated support and wellness services, and access to community resources and partners.
Saint Luke's Youth Center: Moms on a Mission (M.O.M.) project empowering women by giving them the resources and support needed to implement solutions to the most important problems that they have identified in West Baltimore.
Tendea Family, Inc.: Youth Internship Program builds on the success of their community cleanup program by providing life altering trips and helping youth face the life challenges they will face along their path to success.
The 6th Branch: Continuing to address food insecurity by upgrading the farm with a new irrigation system and other improvements to increase food distributions to 1,000 pounds.

The BIT Community Center: Be a Chef for a Day BACFAD Beat project providing stipends for youth residents, access to affordable healthy food, weekly nutrition and food education classes to the residents of the Greenmount and York Road Corridor.
The Center for Community Ownership, York Road Partnership: Invest York Road (IYR) project reversing the trends of disinvestment by empowering residents to shape the redevelopment and future of the York Road corridor. IYR will purchase and manage commercial properties along York Road and allow locals to make small-dollar investments in a community-controlled fund that will acquire properties in the corridor.
The Door (Baltimore Urban Leadership Foundation) is located in a historic building. By restoring and protecting the building's stained-glass windows, they'll continue to provide a space that residents can be proud to showcase and gather.
THE MIX Church: The East Baltimore Connected Community project is replacing refrigerators and freezers, providing fresh, healthy food that is culturally responsive for the weekly food giveaways.
Village of Love and Resistance: Project developing grassroots community leaders in Oldtown, Latrobe Homes, Monument East, and surrounding Historic East Baltimore communities through Community Learning Circles, and offering an educational series on community control of land and housing in East Baltimore.

Walking in Purpose, Inc.: Project Safe, providing Amazon Fire Tablets and classes on how to use the devices, safe virtual communication, telehealth appointments, online classes, and employment searches. They will also create two safe and clean spaces for seniors in the neighborhood that will be overseen by community members and patrolled by retired officers.

Baltimore County

Better Dais Ahead, Inc.: 2022 Dais of Love project providing Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day programming for families who have lost loved ones and who need assistance, love, and support. These families will have access to short-term grief support groups, temporary financial assistance, mentoring and guidance, mental and physical health resources, and other public and private services.
Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group: Project to form friendships between individuals with Down syndrome and seniors is a collaboration with the Ateaze Senior Center. A series of events will provide a safe space for individuals with Down syndrome to gather, while simultaneously encouraging seniors to visit the center.

Dundalk Renaissance Corporation: Dundalk Renaissance Corporation’s Financial Capacity Cohorts for a More Engaged Dundalk project providing housing and financial counseling programs, as well as a network for participants to support each other during the project and beyond.
NeighborSpace of Baltimore County, Inc.: Creating Flannery Lane Park to Enhance Livability in Gwynn Oak project improving livability in Gwynn Oak by building a pocket park – a community gathering space that also accommodates older residents who look after children.
Resisterstown Improvement Association: Music on Main Street project features 10 live, outdoor concerts that will bring families and residents together, build social connections among neighbors, and strengthen the interaction between residents and local businesses.
Trinity Church, Hope Can, Inc.: 2022 Post Critical Incident Seminar providing law enforcement officers who have healed from traumatic on-the-job experiences the opportunity to protect and defend the Baltimore County communities they live in and serve.

Harford County

Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding, Inc.: Horses Helping Heroes program helps frontline workers learn and create a variety of coping tools to help recognize and manage their emotions and self-regulate the often-debilitating effects of trauma and stress, including PTSD, anxiety, grief, and depression.
New-Service Training Employment Program, Inc.: N-STEP Empowering Future Leaders Training is a week-long event to introduce Harford County students to the Little Medical School training program. Participants will dress up like a doctor, and learn how to use medical instruments, how the body works and self-care for their own preventative health care maintenance.

Howard County

A Home on Our Own Howard County, Inc.: Expanding Care and Increasing Connections project creating more permanent storage that can be accessed in a timely manner to better assist those individuals and families that are transitioning from homelessness to housing.
Camp Attaway, Inc.: Community Mental Health Project for Parents with Special Needs Child project providing a parent support group led by a licensed child psychologist to families with children with complex special needs in Columbia at no charge.

Every Kid Can Cook, Inc.: Healthy Kids Connect Community Collaborative’s cooking classes feature simple healthy food preparation demonstrations with hands on participant involvement, nutrition information, mindful eating exercises, and more to Long Reach community kids and their adult family members in EKCC's Food and Wellness Studio.
Lindaben Foundation, Inc.: Feeding Kids on Weekends program, in collaboration with Howard County Public School System and the Blessings in a Backpack organization, ensures that families in need have access to healthy food all week long.
ManneqART: SuBUSmarine and Time Fluxator project creating a sense of place, and a unique identity by including kids, teens, adults, and the elderly in the creation of two interactive companion-artworks at the Long Reach Village Center.
The Community Ecology Institute: Nourishing Gardens project ensuring public schools and diverse community service organizations have the opportunity to incorporate outdoor learning and gardening in their curriculum and/or programming.
Upcycled, Inc.: Savage Mill Trail Beautification project fostering a sense of purpose and pride in the community through community cleanups, working with neighborhood leaders, and beautifying the park with Upcycled structures. Upcycled will work with community leaders to create a neighborhood initiative to maintain the efforts, and to select and build a bench, picnic table and garden bed to beautify the space while giving plastic waste a new, long-term life.