Search Through Anne Arundel County Grants for Nonprofits in Maryland

About the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide leadership, funding, and support that promotes artistic excellence and historic preservation and to advocate for resources and education that expand arts opportunities for all, helping to create an enriched and healthy community.

Our Vision

We envision Anne Arundel County as a place where artists are inspired and creativity thrives, where arts and culture bring people of all backgrounds together to enrich, bind, and celebrate our community.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County is committed to advancing and modeling equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all of our programs and services and those of our grantees. We are dedicated to embracing equity and non-discrimination regardless of race, religious creed, color, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, language, and/or ability.

About this Grant Opportunity

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County’s Arts in Education program supports the integration of the arts into educational curricula and has funded programs in Anne Arundel County schools for over a decade. The Auditorium and Residency grants enable schools and PTO/PTA groups to present quality assemblies, performances and residencies for students in dance, history, music, theater, and arts-related or arts-integrated projects.

Building Strong Children, Families, and Communities through Grantmaking

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County plays a critical role in our region by inspiring and promoting giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter.

We know that every one of us can make a difference. That is why we have spent every year since 1998 growing philanthropy, one person, one family, one business at a time. The more of us who give, the more good we can do for our community, together.

Through our Discretionary and Field of Interest Funds, donors can pool their contributions with others to support the causes and areas of need they care about most, such as after school programs, empowerment for women and children, crisis response, making the arts accessible, helping the underserved, or protecting the environment. Each Discretionary and Field of Interest Fund is unique, allowing donors to direct their charitable gift to benefit a specific cause, with the knowledge that funding will be distributed effectively and efficiently through CFAAC’s grantmaking process.

The benefits of donating to Discretionary and Field of Interest Funds include:

• Grants are dedicated to meeting the needs of Anne Arundel County residents.
• Donations are focused, yet flexible enough to meet the changing needs in a specific field of interest.
• Donors do not need to be actively involved in the grantmaking yet play a critical role in supporting the community with their donation.
• Every dollar donated directly to a CFAAC Fund is earmarked to fund grants that support the community in that specific field of interest.
• Qualified Charitable Distributions (QDCs) can support Discretionary and Field of Interest Funds held at CFAAC.
• Individuals and families can name a CFAAC Fund in their estate plans to leave a legacy gift supporting areas of interest that they are passionate about.
• Donors can also establish a new Field of Interest Fund that aligns with their passions and invite other donors to join them in supporting it.

 Community Crisis Response Fund

The Community Crisis Response Fund was established in 2018 by CFAAC’s Board of Trustees to provide flexible financial assistance to Anne Arundel County nonprofits immediately following a violent incident, natural disaster, or other crisis in our community.

The Community Crisis Response Fund was established in 2018 by CFAAC’s Board of Trustees to provide flexible financial assistance to Anne Arundel County nonprofits immediately following a violent incident, natural disaster, or other crisis in our community.

Since its inception, the fund has been activated twice, most recently in 2020, allowing us to swiftly accept charitable contributions and distribute grants to combat the COVID-19 crisis. In response to the pandemic, CFAAC disbursed nearly 300 rapid-response grants, totaling more than $1.7 million, benefiting 134 unique nonprofits. These grants have supported initiatives addressing food security, basic human needs, and housing insecurity and homelessness.

The inception of this fund can be traced back to the tragic events of June 28, 2018, when the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis was struck by a gunman, resulting in five fatalities and two injuries. In the face of adversity, our community rallied, with overwhelming support pouring in from across the nation and around the globe. Total donations surpassed $1,842,000, enabling CFAAC to administer funds directly to the victims and their families. The fund evolved into the Community Crisis Response Fund that exists today.

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Cisco welcomes applications for Global Impact Cash Grants from community partners around the world who share our vision and offer an innovative approach to a critical social challenge.

We identify, incubate, and develop innovative solutions with the most impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We’re looking for programs that fit within our investment areas, serve the underserved, and leverage technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services. We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. An initial information form is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application.

Social Investment Areas

At Cisco, we make social investments in three areas where we believe our technology and our people can make the biggest impact—education, economic empowerment, and crisis response, the last of which incorporates shelter, water, food, and disaster relief. Together, these investment areas help people overcome barriers of poverty and inequality, and make a lasting difference by fostering strong global communities.

Education Investments

Our strategy is to inclusively invest in technology-based solutions that increase equitable access to education while improving student performance, engagement, and career exploration. We support K-12 solutions that emphasize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as literacy. We also consider programs that teach environmental sustainability, eliminate barriers to accessing climate change education, and invite student engagement globally to positively affect the environment.

What we look for:

• Innovative early grade solutions using the internet and technology to bridge the barriers preventing access to education for underserved students globally.
• Solutions that positively affect student attendance, attitudes, and behavior while inspiring action by students to improve learning outcomes, whether they participate in person, online, or in blended learning environments. 
• Solutions with high potential to replicate and scale globally, thereby increasing the availability of evidence-based solutions that support student-centricity, teacher capacity in the classroom, and increased parental participation to help students learn and develop.

Economic Empowerment

Our strategy is to invest in early stage, tech-enabled solutions that provide equitable access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that people need to support themselves and their families toward resilience, independence, and economic security.

Our goal is to support solutions that benefit individuals and families, and that contribute to local community growth and economic development in a sustainable economy.

We target our support in three interconnected areas:

• Skills development to help job seekers secure dignified employment and long-term career pathways in technology or other sectors, including environmental sustainability/green jobs.
• Inclusive entrepreneurship with small businesses as engines of local growth as well as high growth potential start-ups as large-scale job creators nationally and internationally, in technology or other sectors, including environment sustainability/green businesses.
• Banking the unbanked through relevant and affordable financial products and capacity building services.

Cisco Crisis Response

We seek to help overcome the cycle of poverty and dependence and achieve a more sustainable future through strategic investments. We back organizations that successfully address critical needs of underserved communities, because those who have their basic needs met are better equipped to learn and thrive.

What we look for:

• Innovative solutions that increase the capacity of grantees to deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently
• Design and implementation of web-based tools that increase the availability of, or improve access to, products and services that are necessary for people to survive and thrive
• Programs that increase access to clean water, food, shelter, or disaster relief and promote a more sustainable future for all
  • By policy, relief campaigns respond to significant natural disaster and humanitarian crises as opposed to those caused by human conflict. Also by policy, our investments in this area do not include healthcare solutions.

Climate Impact

Our strategy is to invest US$100 million in Cisco Foundation funds over the next decade to help reverse the impact of climate change, working toward a sustainable and regenerative future for all.

The commitment includes both grant and impact investment funding for early-stage climate innovation. Both categories of support will be focused on bold climate solutions, and the grants side will also concentrate on community education and activation. Grants will go to exceptionally aligned nonprofit organizations, while impact investments will go to highly promising for-profit solutions through the private sector and climate impact funds.

Funding comes from the Cisco Foundation and will focus on:

• Identifying bold and innovative solutions that:
  • Draw down the carbon already in the atmosphere
  • Regenerate depleted ecosystems and broadly support the transition to a regenerative future
• Developing curricular initiatives to spur community engagement that can lead to measurable behavioral change and collective action

We will prioritize organizations that can achieve, measure, and report outcomes such as:

• Reduction, capture, and/or sequestering of greenhouse gas and carbon emissions
• Increased energy efficiency and improved mapping and management of natural resources, such as ecosystem restoration, forest treatments, reforestation, and afforestation that also will help repair our water cycles
• Transition to inclusive, just, coliberatory, and regenerative operating models, ways of being, and ways of organizing economies
• Creation of, and increase in, access to green jobs and job training
• Changes in community and individual behavior that lead to carbon footprint reduction, community climate resilience, and localized roadmaps to a sustainable shared climate future for all

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.

Funding Priorities in Culture

In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Social Service Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Funding Priorities in Social Service

In the recent past, 15% of total funding has been allocated to Social Service. Organizations with budgets over $5 million have received 60% of funding in Social Service.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted for new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and general support

Funding

Minimum grant size is $100,000.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability and childhood health sectors in select countries where we work, namely the United States, India and South Africa.

As a guideline, the foundation does not fund more than 25% of a project’s budget or more than 10% of an organization’s total annual operating expenses.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has always recognized the power of providing grants to partner organizations that we knew were already working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. By aligning with organizations that are already making a difference, we continue to make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of children.

Foundation priorities:

We fund social enterprises that directly serve or impact children or youth from urban low-income communities in the areas of education, health, and family economic stability (including livelihoods and financial inclusion). These social enterprises may be structured as for-profit or nonprofit entities.

Partnerships

We collaborate with a range of organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact. Our funding advances projects already making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability. Through these enduring and long-standing partnerships, we create lasting change together.

Mission

Driven by a philanthropic calling to support marginalized communities throughout the world, the Semnani Family Foundation partners with on-the-ground organizations and leverages its resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit.

History

Guided by his grandmother Maliheh’s example and teachings, Khosrow Semnani and his wife Ghazaleh established the Semnani Family Foundation in 1993. The foundation’s first grant was issued through CARE International to an orphanage in Romania that cared for newborns affected by HIV. Over the last few decades, the foundation has continued to build upon its mission to empower the disaffected, partnering with a variety of organizations in different countries who can make the greatest impact.

In addition to its global influence, the Semnani Family Foundation established roots within the state of Utah with the founding of Maliheh Free Clinic in 2005 to provide free healthcare to thousands of uninsured people in the Salt Lake City area.

Where We Work

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities all around the world. Driven by a clear mission to adapt and serve at the global level, we have leveraged our resources to make a meaningful impact in the following countries so far:

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia
• Colombia
• England
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Uganda
• United States
• Yemen

At the heart of the Foundation lies a fervent commitment to human welfare, always prioritizing health and the needs of society’s most vulnerable.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Helping Build Better Futures

Our mission is to deliver great value to our customers every day. For over four decades, our deep commitment to the principles of providing value and caring for others has helped define our culture. It extends beyond the walls of our stores, distribution centers, and offices, and into our local communities around the world. The intersection of these principles defines our global community mission:

Deliver great value to our communities by helping vulnerable families and children access the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.

Our Social Impact Areas

We bring our community relations mission to life around the world by focusing our giving on four social impact areas where we believe we can have the most impact and are critical to helping families and children succeed and thrive.

Basic Needs

We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations that help fill critical basic needs such as a warm meal, clean clothing, and a safe place to sleep for vulnerable families.

Education & Training

Our efforts have focused on quality enrichment and extracurricular programs that provide skills, resources, and opportunities to support school and career success for children, teens, and young adults.

Patient Care & Research

We support organizations that deliver services to families and children facing health challenges and life-threatening illnesses.

Empowering Women

We support programs that provide services ranging from help for those fleeing domestic violence, to others that offer education, training, and job placement resources.

Program Areas

Since our founding, we have awarded more than $60 million in grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Today, we award approximately $2.5 million in grants each year across five program areas:

Arts & Humanities

Our founders valued arts and humanities for the well-rounded education it brings to humanity and the role it can play in strengthening a community.

Today the Foundation supports performing, visual and instructional arts programs in the community.

Catholic Activities

The Catholic faith and the Catholic Church community were of central importance to our founders – it was their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Knott responded to the needs of the clergy both out of gratitude for the compassion their own family had received, and a desire to support the work of men and women of integrity whom they saw serving the needs of the broader community. They supported the development of clergy and lay leaders to strengthen the Catholic Church, the reputation of the Catholic Church, and the Catholic community.

Our founders’ devotion to the Catholic faith and support of the Catholic Church has its roots in family history. Mr. Knott’s grandmother died young, and his own mother and aunt were raised and schooled by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. That act of kindness made a huge impression on Mr. Knott and he felt indebted to repay their generosity. Mr. Knott desired to support the Catholic Church in part because of what the Church had done for his family, and also because of the role that faith played in his life.

The Foundation honors this legacy by supporting organizations and programs that espouse the values and doctrines of the Catholic Church. Through our focus on Catholic activities, we support churches, faith communities, religious orders, retreat houses and spiritual centers.  

Education

• Catholic Schools and Private Schools
• Private colleges and universities

Henry and Marion Knott, our founders, believed that education was the key to success. They sought to support both students who were excelling academically and students who had limited access to opportunity. They believed that hard work combined with access to a quality education was the foundation from which all people could succeed in life.

Mr. and Mrs. Knott prioritized Catholic education both because of their personal faith and because they valued both the character development it nurtured in students and the moral stability it provided to the community. And though they primarily supported Catholic education, their interests were not exclusive. They sought to support the greater Baltimore community by providing opportunity to motivated students in and outside the Catholic faith.

When investing in education, Mr. Knott had high standards for schools and students alike. He supported schools that were producing leaders, and that were well-run institutions. He expected that schools would be financially sound, have excellent academics, and show successful outcomes for students. His expectation was that students, after benefitting from educational opportunity, would emerge as active citizens, ready to give back and become leaders in their communities.

Today, the Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Foundation continues our founders’ commitment to education by prioritizing Catholic education. We also support special needs schools, private colleges and universities, out-of-school-time programs, and other education-related activities that provide opportunity for students and produce lasting outcomes within the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Health Care

Our founders raised a family during an era where good medical care was hard to come by. Hospitals were just beginning to be built as pillars within communities and were not as accessible as they are today. Mr. and Mrs. Knott saw the potential that accessible, quality care had for strengthening the community, and they were also empathetic towards the strife that illness and death causes in a family.

During his lifetime, Mr. Knott used his business acumen and builders experience to purchase and then donate land to Johns Hopkins for their west campus expansion, as well as to other institutions. He knew that having world class medical facilities would bring recognition and strength to the Baltimore community.

Today the Foundation continues our founders’ commitment in health care by supporting compassionate care needs of families and their caregivers. We concentrate on programs that provide curative, preventative, rehabilitative, and palliative care, as well as patient support services.

Human Services

Mr. and Mrs. Knott both came from humble beginnings and did not grow up wealthy. As a result, they had sincere compassion for others in need. Mrs. Knott, whose parents died when she was a young teen, had incredible compassion for people undergoing hardships in life. Mr. Knott started out driving a tomato truck, then spent time learning about construction, and eventually launched his own building business. He was given opportunities that changed the trajectory of his own life, and he wanted to do the same for others. They both believed in supporting people who wanted to help themselves and get ahead, and they hoped it would engender in them a spirit of giving and opportunity to pass on to others. 

While they prioritized creating opportunity for people, our founders weren’t above meeting basic needs. While living on their family farm and after having achieved success, they worked the land and donated the fruits of their labor to those in need. At another time, Mr. Knott’s children recalled their father being particularly happy. Reportedly he had just gone to a coat manufacturer to buy out the remaining inventory at the end of season, and was on his way to donate the hundred or so coats to Catholic Charities to give to the homeless.

Compelled by their own life experiences and their faith, our founders had sincere compassion for the poor, the hungry, the sick, and in particular for women, children and families in crisis.

The Foundation continues this support by meeting many human service needs within the community. Our grants touch numerous areas -- from helping to meet people’s basic needs, to housing and homelessness, to workforce development, to family and children’s services.

Projects

Within these Program Areas, we currently fund the following projects:

• Capital expenses
• Development
• New and/or ongoing programs
• Operating expenses
• Technology

Funding

Our work in these areas includes distinct funding opportunities: 

Grants

We generally award grants under $100,000 but remain open to opportunities for greater impact with larger sums. 

Discretionary Grants

We provide a limited number of discretionary grants on a rolling basis throughout the year. These grants, most often ranging in amounts from $500 to $2,500, are designed to diversify our grantmaking options as well as enhance our responsiveness to community needs.  

About the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide leadership, funding, and support that promotes artistic excellence and historic preservation and to advocate for resources and education that expand arts opportunities for all, helping to create an enriched and healthy community.

Our Vision

We envision Anne Arundel County as a place where artists are inspired and creativity thrives, where arts and culture bring people of all backgrounds together to enrich, bind, and celebrate our community.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County is committed to advancing and modeling equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all of our programs and services and those of our grantees. We are dedicated to embracing equity and non-discrimination regardless of race, religious creed, color, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, language, and/or ability.

About this Grant Opportunity

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County’s Mini Grant program is designed to support innovative, well-defined arts-related projects that are directed to a new or broader audience, preferably within underserved communities. Two grant cycles are offered each year (spring and fall) and grants are awarded to eligible organizations and/or programs on a dollar-to-dollar matching basis. The matching funds requirement can be satisfied with volunteer hours and/or in-kind donations. The maximum award amount for the Mini Grant is $2,500.ACAAC is available to assist applicants with outreach and marketing to potential partners and audiences within Anne Arundel County. 

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Centene Charitable Foundation

Successful corporate citizenship happens when companies invest in the local organizations that know their communities best. The Centene Foundation works with our local partners on initiatives that focus on inclusion, the whole person and community development.

Vision

Centene’s purpose is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. The Centene Foundation is an essential part of how we pursue this purpose. We achieve measurable impact for the communities we serve through partnerships and philanthropy efforts that invest in initiatives with holistic approaches to dismantling barriers to health.

Areas of Focus

Reflecting Centene’s commitment to the needs of those who rely on government-sponsored health care and to addressing social determinants of health and health equity, preference will be given to initiatives in three distinct areas of focus.

• Healthcare Access
• Social Services
• Education

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

Ameriprise Financial Grantmaking

At Ameriprise Financial, giving back is deeply rooted in our culture. We’ve initiated positive change in the communities where we live and work for more than 120 years. We believe our community involvement enables us to actively live our values. Through grant making, volunteerism and employee and financial advisor gift matching programs, we support a diverse group of over 6,000 nonprofits across the country.

Focus Areas

Awarding grant dollars to nonprofits is one way we strengthen our communities and help individuals on a path to financial independence. To ensure we're meeting the needs of our communities and making an even greater collective impact, we focus on three key giving areas when awarding grants.

Volunteer engagement is a priority across all focus areas:

The engagement of Ameriprise employees and financial advisors is a critical component of our philanthropy. Whether it’s serving on a nonprofit board, engaging friends, clients and community members in volunteering or providing skills-based support, our relationships with nonprofits go deep. For this reason, we give priority across all focus areas to applications where there is active volunteer engagement of Ameriprise advisors and employees. 

Meeting Basic Needs

At Ameriprise Financial, we help clients achieve financial security and peace of mind. That’s satisfying, meaningful work. We also help the people in our neighborhoods who struggle to meet basic needs such as where their next meal comes from, where they’ll sleep tonight or how they’ll find a higher wage job. We’re here to help them through the three platforms of our Meeting Basic Needs focus area.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Hunger
• Food banks, food shelves and food pantries, daily meal programs or meal services for the homebound
• Hunger-relief programs targeted to meet the special needs of children, ethnic populations or veterans
• Food programs run by nonprofits where hunger is not their sole focus, for example a youth meal program at the YWCA or a backpack program run by a Boys & Girls Club
• Shelter
• Emergency shelter, including youth homelessness
• Transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and efforts to end chronic homelessness
• Housing-first models (programs quickly providing housing and then addressing needed services)
• Achieving and maintaining home ownership, repair and maintenance efforts helping keep seniors, veterans and other populations in their homes 
• Adult Self-Sufficiency: Programs serving adults age 21 and older that help address the following areas:
• Basic hard and soft skills that help adults achieve economic and family stability
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Increase employability and wages, including work readiness and job transitions
• Employment of disabled adults

Supporting Community Vitality

We believe communities should be strong, healthy and resilient. We want livable places for all, where neighbors look out for one another, cultural events are well-attended and people pull together in times of crisis and joy. We work to create economic vitality and cultural enrichment through the following areas of focus.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Community Development
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Economic development
• Strengthening and supporting small businesses and nonprofits through technical expertise
• Cultural Enrichment
• Arts education
• Access for underserved populations
• Diverse artists and performances that spark topical community conversations 

Volunteer Driven Causes: Ameriprise employees and financial advisors are outstanding volunteers who serve in teams and also as individuals bringing personal skill-sets to nonprofits. Volunteering is part of the culture at Ameriprise and we are proud to support communities through contributions of both service and financial resources. 

Funding for Volunteer-Driven Causes is determined by current Ameriprise volunteerism. In general, funding is in proportion to the size of the Ameriprise volunteer team supporting a nonprofit. A team may include employees, financial advisors and/or staff or a combination of any Ameriprise volunteers. 

The 2025 Focus Statement:

As an organization, AAWGT is committed to supporting work that improves the quality of life for women and families in Anne Arundel County and to partnering with nonprofits who share this vision.Like you, we care about healthy lives and safe places to live — we worry about food deserts — we see the growing need for emergency responses for housing and food, for access to equitable health care, and for safe, secure homes and a healthy environment for all women and families.Like you, we care about education in all its forms, starting with the very youngest — and the importance of literacy and mentoring for people of all ages.Like you, we are concerned about violence of any kind — domestic violence, gun violence, and bullying.And, like you, we care about breaking the cycle of inequity in society, in organizations, and in practice.For several years, AAWGT has worked to imbed the principles of DEIAB (diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging) and Trust-Based Philanthropy within our organization and our grantmaking process. We are committed to being a positive force for DEIAB through the work we fund. And, while maintaining our all-important focus on improving the quality of lives of women and families in our county, we believe that you, as a nonprofit, bring a firsthand understanding of how best to address this.    

About Us

Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. is a unique nonprofit organization committed to creating affordable housing opportunities and improving the lives of low income individuals through community development. ACDS directly implements several homeownership and rental programs and acts as a developer, funding administrator, and project manager for a variety of affordable housing and community development initiatives alongside our many partners.

Our mission is to:

• revitalize declining neighborhoods through the targeting of joint public and private investment;
• preserve and increase the supply of affordable rental housing through new development and redevelopment of existing units; promote healthy homeownership through financial support, homebuyer education and the rehabilitation and construction of affordable units;
• ensure affordable housing for those with special needs, including the homeless, the elderly, and the physically and mentally challenged; and
• enhance the quality of life in low-income communities by supporting neighborhood revitalization activities and services for low-income children, youth, and families.

Community Support Grant

An initiative of the County Executive, Community Support Grants (CSG) are for nonprofit and community organizations to increase their impact and ip0erate more efficiently and effectively to improve and enrich the lives of Anne Arundel County residents and communities. Programs and projects that are encouraged to apply are those that allow nonprofit organizations to continue to operate and/or increase the impact of an existing program/project, or to pilot a new program to improve and enrich the lives of Anne Arundel County residents and communities. 

Due to limited funding, the following types of projects/programs are encouraged:

• Operating Costs that allow non-profit organizations to increase their impact and operate more efficiently and effectively to improve and enrich the lives of Anne Arundel County residents and communities. Operating costs include staff costs, consultant fees, occupancy costs, insurance, and program supplies.
• One-time equipment purchases (e.g. printers, computers, freezers) required for effective program delivery.

County Executive's Priorities

The County Executive and review team will prioritize FY 2023 Community Support Grant proposals that:

• respond directly to a COVID-19 safety net need in the community and/or sustain the capacity of a nonprofit for which revenues have been severely and negatively impacted due to COVID-19; 

AND

include support for programming and initiatives that focus on one of the following: 

• Providing services to underserved populations in Anne Arundel County
• Addressing the health and well-being of communities
• Promoting equity and inclusion
• Eliminating the Opportunity Gap in Anne Arundel County

Environment Anne Arundel Fund

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s (CFAAC) Environment Anne Arundel Fund, established in 2014, supports Anne Arundel County nonprofit organizations working to protect and improve the environment in Anne Arundel County and the Chesapeake Bay.

Anne Arundel County is a place of natural beauty that can be enjoyed through two state parks and 70 county parks linked by an extensive network of recreation and transportation trails. With 534 miles of linear coastline, the county ranks second for waterfront in the state. The Chesapeake Bay is perhaps Anne Arundel County’s most treasured natural resource, constituting the largest estuary in the United States.

As outlined in the CFAAC Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Amidst Plenty VI: On the Road to Progress for All, Chapter 1 Environment, despite many efforts by federal, state, and local governments and other interested parties, indicators of the health of the Chesapeake Bay, including rates pollution, and protection of natural habitat and fisheries, continue to receive failing grades. The amount of pollution in the Bay does not meet existing water quality standards. Waterways are considered “impaired” because of excessive levels of major contaminants, which are largely a result of untreated stormwater runoff. Air quality and lead pollution in the drinking water is an issue for vulnerable residents.

Successful grant applicants will support projects that improve and green communities, address environmental issues such as stormwater, and/or increase student awareness and involvement in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay, local streams and rivers, and other natural areas. Local nonprofits, including schools operating in Anne Arundel County, will be eligible to apply for these funds.

Applications should demonstrate the non-profits’ ability to:

• educate the public on protecting the natural environment,
• raise awareness of the impact of public and private actions on the natural environment,
• engage citizens to help improve and protect the natural environment.

About CFAAC

Our mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter.

CFAAC is a tax exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects.

Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributes nearly $2.3 million in grants each year to a variety of nonprofit organizations. 

With support from local donors, we have created a permanent endowment whose earnings will be used to reinvest in the community year after year. As the endowment grows, so will our ability to provide support for community projects that need our attention. 

We are committed to increasing access to high quality capacity building training for nonprofit professionals to ensure more effective and efficient nonprofits in the county. 

History of the Fund for Anne Arundel

One of CFAAC’s primary goals is to increase the dollars that the foundation has available to strategically align grantmaking with the most critical needs in the county. The Fund for Anne Arundel is a fund created to help meet critical needs and improve the quality of life for all county residents, now and in the future.

As federal, state, and local funding support for nonprofits continues to decline for countless reasons, individual donors and community foundations are being called on, now more than ever, to fill the gaps so that nonprofits can continue to provide essential community services.

In 2017, CFAAC was awarded a $300,000 Challenge Grant from the Deerbrook Charitable Trust to begin building the Fund for Anne Arundel. In 2018, CFAAC Board Trustee, Jim Humphrey added another $150,000 to the challenge, which effectively turned this opportunity into a 3:1 match! To date, CFAAC has raised over $600,000 to support the Fund for Anne Arundel.

In the summer of 2019, a committee of community leaders and CFAAC Board of Trustee members and staff, convened to develop a strategic and comprehensive grantmaking approach to meet the needs of Anne Arundel County. Through a review of the most recent community needs assessment, the committee determined that the first focus area for grantmaking will support nonprofit organizations that address the needs of children in Anne Arundel County.

Fund for Anne Arundel

The Fund for Anne Arundel was created to help meet critical needs and improve the quality of life for all county residents, now and in the future. The Fund for Anne Arundel will make grants to programs that prioritize the health of children and families. This includes access to physical, mental, and behavioral health programs.

Examples include, but are not limited to, programs that:

• Ensure equitable access to comprehensive primary health care services for children that are family-centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally competent,
• Foster healthy social and emotional development and support positive parent-child relationships,
• Improve caregiver understanding of what it means to support optimal child health, as well as social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development,
• Promote an understanding of and treatment for improved mental health, focusing on loneliness, anxiety, depression and/or suicide prevention,
• Encourage regular preventative health, developmental, and behavioral screenings to learn about and celebrate developmental milestones, identify any delays and challenges early, and provide families with supports and services as needed so all children stay on track for success,
• Support families in accessing healthy food, nutrition education, and other resources.

About the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide leadership, funding, and support that promotes artistic expression and historic preservation and to advocate for resources and education that expand arts opportunities for all, helping to create an enriched and healthy community.

Our Vision

We envision Anne Arundel County as a place where artists are inspired and creativity thrives, where arts and culture bring people of all backgrounds together to enrich, bind, and celebrate our community.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County is committed to advancing and modeling equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all of our programs and services and those of our grantees. We are dedicated to embracing equity and non-discrimination regardless of race, religious creed, color, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, language, and/or ability.

About this Grant Opportunity

The Community Arts Grant (CAG) is our keystone funding program that provides general operating support to nonprofit arts organizations that provide programming to the residents of Anne Arundel County. In an effort to promote equity among organizations of different sizes, the CAG application is divided into three tiers:

• CAG Tier I: for organizations with an annual operating budget of up to $100,000
• CAG Tier II: for organizations with an annual operating budget of between $100,000 - $750,000
• CAG Tier III: for organizations with an annual operating budget of more than $750,000

The key objectives of the Community Arts Grant program are to:

• Foster excellence, diversity, and vitality in arts offerings for all Anne Arundel County residents, regardless of age, geographic location, race, ethnicity, country of origin, or other characteristic;
• Broaden opportunities for Anne Arundel County audiences, artists, and arts organizations;
• Increase the availability of arts activities and programs for all local residents; and
• Promote county wide awareness of arts resources and opportunities.

Two types of grants are available through the Community Arts Grant program:

• Founding Grants are available to eligible organizations that have not previously received funding from the Arts Council, and are capped at $2,500.
• General operating grant funding is available to organizations that received a previous ACAAC CAG grant, and demonstrated good fiscal stewardship of those monies.

Impact 100 Greater Chesapeake Transformational Grant The goal of Impact 100 is to fund projects with a high potential for community impact. To achieve this, we have a unique approach to providing the funding needed to achieve that goal. Each year, we pool the funds contributed by our members—-$1000 per member—-to determine the final grant amount. We announce the final grant amount in May of each year and solicit applications from nonprofits that fall into one of the following categories: 

Arts & Culture

Initiatives that cultivate, develop, educate, preserve, and enrich the theater, museums, both visual and performing arts and literary opportunities in Anne Arundel County.

Education

Initiatives that advance learning opportunities and improve education in Anne Arundel County.

Environment, Preservation & Recreation

Initiatives that 

• improve, enhance or restore the surroundings in Anne Arundel County;
• encourage research, public awareness and education relating to the environment;
• promote conservation of our natural resources;
• restore, preserve, revitalize or enhance recreational facilities, and/or
• promote animal welfare

Family

Initiatives that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families in Anne Arundel County.

Health & Wellness

Initiatives that improve the mental and/or physical well-being of people living in Anne Arundel County.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Do you know an individual, family, or business making a difference in Anne Arundel County who demonstrates exceptional generosity by donating their time, talent, or financial resources? Consider nominating them for a Celebration of Philanthropy Award. 

Philanthropist of the Year Award -Presented to an individual, a family, or family foundation with a proven record of exceptional generosity who has demonstrated outstanding civic and philanthropic responsibility through direct substantial financial support, exemplary leadership in advancing philanthropy, and whose generosity encourages others to become philanthropic leaders, particularly in Anne Arundel County.

Corporate Philanthropist of the Year Award - Presented to a local business or corporation that has a proven record of exceptional generosity and demonstrates outstanding civic and philanthropic responsibility through direct financial support to Anne Arundel County nonprofits. The local business or corporation encourages and motivates its employees to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement with local nonprofits.  

Volunteer of the Year Award - Presented to an individual or a team of volunteers, (formal or informal) with a long history of volunteering and leadership, who has made a significant impact on community organizations. This person or team, through the donations of time and talent, improves the lives of others and meets community needs through their exceptional efforts, including mobilizing resources for public benefit, leading by example, serving when they are called, advocating, and volunteering for those in our community who need help. Having played a key leadership role in helping local nonprofit organizations provide services to the community, their efforts make a direct, tangible difference in our community.

Young Volunteer of the Year Award - Presented to an individual student or a youth group, elementary through college age, who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering, and/or leadership. Examples of activities may include but aren’t limited to, performing public services, tutoring, mentoring, raising funds, or collecting goods.

Boots on the Ground Award – Presented to an individual who might be seen as an unsung hero and has gone above and beyond in the service of one or more nonprofit organizations; giving their time and talent to make a significant impact. This person is hands-on, providing programs or directly involved in programs, physically helping and serving others, and is often flying under the radar. This person can be a new or long-time volunteer.

Carroll H. Hynson, Jr. Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Philanthropy – Named in honor of a former CFAAC board member, Carroll H. Hynson, Jr., this award is presented to an individual, group, or organization who has made outstanding contributions to philanthropy by forging genuine partnerships with diverse communities; making a conscious effort to operationalize and reflect diversity, equity and inclusion in philanthropy; including initiatives involving the financial or volunteer support of one or more nonprofits in Anne Arundel County.

This individual or group made outstanding contributions to philanthropy by forging genuine partnerships with diverse communities; making a conscious effort to operationalize and reflect diversity, equity and inclusion in philanthropy; or implementing other initiatives involving the financial or volunteer support of one or more nonprofits in Anne Arundel County.

Carol Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award – This award is named in honor of the late Carol Thompson, the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s Founder and first Executive Director. It is presented to an individual who has made lasting, significant, and impactful contributions to Anne Arundel County by advancing philanthropy through long-standing leadership; responding creatively to societal problems; and bringing leaders, philanthropists, volunteers, organizations, and businesses together.

Legacy Award for Planned Giving - This award recognizes a family or an individual philanthropist who has made a significant contribution to one or more local nonprofits using a planned gift. A planned gift is any major gift, made during their lifetime or at death as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning. These might include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate, personal property, or cash.

Women and Girls Fund

In 2009, the Klompus Family Foundation distributed its assets to the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) to establish the Women and Girls Fund. The mission of the fund is to support projects that develop individual skills, decrease isolation, create new experiences and empower women and girls who face major obstacles due to poverty, disability, domestic violence, and/or lack of access to resources.

Grants from the Women and Girls Fund will be used to support nonprofits that help women and girls pursue positive, productive lives by helping remove barriers for women and girls, increase their economic security, enhance their well-being and safety, and empower them to make positive life decisions for themselves and their families.

As outlined in the CFAAC Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Amidst Plenty VI: On the Road to Progress for All, there are 31,377 households led by single parents, of which 22,565 have a single female as the head of household. Estimates suggest nearly 15 percent of the single parent households in the county make an income that is below the federal poverty level. Annapolis has 790 public housing units for low and moderate-income residents; the majority (almost 85 percent) of residents are African American females living with their children on an average of $25,000 per year, equal to or below the poverty threshold. The Women and Girls Fund will focus its grantmaking in the following areas that pertain to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of vulnerable women and girls living in Anne Arundel through:

• Education
• Expanding Opportunities
• Health and Wellness

Examples of programs and initiatives for which grants will be considered are, but not limited to:

• Initiatives that provide access to quality healthcare and wellness programs, including mental health, trauma education, and advocacy.
• Early childhood education and K-12 programs.
• Experimental learning or training program in a shelter environment, such as parenting skills, financial literacy, etc.
• Programs that provide counseling services and/or child-care.
• Programs that provide unique learning experiences to girls, such as a STEM or STEAM activities.
• Initiatives to encourage professional and small business development and provide women with access to economic opportunities.
• Programs that provide access to professional services, such as free legal, financial, or accounting support.

Funding

Based on available funding, the Women and Girls Fund will award one or two $3000 to $5000 grants.

Successful grant applicants will demonstrate:

• Strategic and data-informed solutions, aligned with community needs and the organization’s mission
• Credibility in the field or project
• The ability to create a measurable impact