Search Through Workforce Grants in Maryland in the U.S.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream.

Area Development Program

ARC’s Area Development program relies on a flexible “bottom up” approach to economic development, empowering Appalachian communities to work with their state governments to design impactful investment opportunities supporting our mission and investment priorities.

Within the scope of our Strategic Plan, ARC’s Area Development program makes investments in two general areas: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development.

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen and diversify the region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
  • Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
  • Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and energy efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the region.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.

Powering our communities is just the beginning. BGE considers it our responsibility to improve the quality of life for people in the communities where we live, work, and serve.

BGE focuses our corporate giving in four areas - building Exelon's future workforce, energy empowerment in our communities, enrichment through local vitality, and equal access to arts and culture. We support and value diversity, equity & inclusion; we try to reflect the communities in which we operate. BGE is proud to support nonprofit organizations and students in our local communities. 

BGE Directs Corporate Giving to Four Key Areas:

We fund programs that deliver measurable, sustainable improvements in the communities we serve. We invest in organizations that have proven track records in these areas:

Building Exelon's Future Workforce

Through our Building Exelon’s Future Workforce focus area, Exelon funds organizations, institutions, and programs that offer Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM) education and enrichment opportunities for students; scholarship and mentoring support to increase the number of students graduating with college degrees in STEM fields, STEM career and technical education, occupational skills training programs for older youth and adults, and assistance to remove barriers to employment. The following list includes a selection of strategies that Exelon and its operating companies support to build Exelon’s future workforce:

• Out-of-school education & enrichment programs such as summer or after school STEM programs and clubs,
• STEM career exposure opportunities for students such as career fairs and field site visits,
• Novel in-school STEM learning opportunities such as mobile labs and science outreach,
• K-12 STEM teacher training and professional development opportunities,
• STEM classroom resources and lab equipment,
• High school STEM trades career and technical education and training programs,
• Community college-based STEM trade education, training, and apprentice programs,
• Postsecondary scholarships for students majoring in STEM fields,
• STEM career mentoring and tutoring,
• STEM trade occupational skills training programs for adults and older youth, and
• Employment barrier removal assistance services.

Energy Empowerment in Our Communities

Through our Energy Empowerment in Our Communities focus area, Exelon funds organizations and programs that improve the quality of our environment; promote environmental education, conservation, and preservation; develop cleaner sources of energy; protect endangered species; and beautify neighborhoods. Examples of programs that Exelon and its operating companies support through Energy Empowerment grants include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

• Alternative energy development, installation, and education,
• Vehicle electrification,
• Climate resilience or adaptation initiatives and education,
• Endangered species protection, wildlife conservation, promotion of biodiversity,
• Landscape and watershed conservation, restoration, and preservation,
• Neighborhood beautification and green space initiatives, and
• Environmental and energy efficiency education and outreach. 

Enrichment Through Local Vitality

Through our Enrichment through Local Vitality focus area, Exelon funds a broad range of organizations and institutions that create local employment opportunities, support families, foster resilience, and strengthen communities. Examples of ways in which Exelon and its operating companies support Enrichment through Local Vitality include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

Anchor institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and other organizations that provide employment opportunities, economic benefits, and enrichment in communities,

• The establishment and promotion of business districts,
• Projects carried out through community development corporations,
• Community-based programs and nonprofit organizations,
• Emergency preparedness programs, resiliency hubs, and resources that promote public safety,
• Programs that increase local economic investment and employment opportunities, and
• Local Chambers of Commerce.

Equal Access to Arts and Culture

Exelon believes that our lives are enriched and our communities are strengthened through individual interactions and collective experiences with the arts. Through our Equal Access to Arts and Culture focus area, Exelon funds cultural institutions with broad public exposure and programs designed to make arts and culture more accessible to a wider and more diverse audience. Exelon and its operating companies support a broad range of programs that promote Equal Access to Arts and Culture, including, but not limited to, the following strategies:

• Arts education and enrichment for all ages carried out through schools, community programs, arts institutions, and other organizations,
• Community-based exhibition spaces such as galleries, theaters, performance spaces, and specialty museums,
• The acquisition and exhibition of culturally and locally relevant arts content, and
• The establishment and promotion of theater and arts districts.

FirstEnergy Foundation Grant

The FirstEnergy Foundation's contributions to local nonprofit organizations help strengthen the social and economic fabric of our communities. Funded solely by FirstEnergy, the Foundation extends the corporate philosophy of providing community support.

The FirstEnergy Foundation priorities: 

• Improving the quality of life in our communities and supporting key safety initiatives
• Empowering our communities’ workforce development and educational initiatives
• Promoting local and regional economic development
• Supporting employee leadership and volunteer interests that align with our business interests

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

Abell Foundation Grants over $10,000

The Abell Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life in Maryland, with a focus on Baltimore City. The Foundation is committed to improving the lives of underserved populations by supporting innovative, results-oriented efforts to solve systemic social, economic, and environmental problems. Our areas of interest are education, workforce development, health and human services, community development, criminal justice and addiction, environment and arts.

In an attempt to be responsive to the changing needs of the community, the Foundation approaches its grantmaking by: 

• responding to unsolicited requests for funding that are initiated by organizations and institutions, and demonstrate a high-priority need and a measurable impact; 
• requesting that an organization or institution submit a proposal for a special program if its purpose furthers the Foundation's goals; and
• initiating programs that address key issues that reflect community-wide needs and show promise of impacting the quality of services and effecting long-term systemic change.

The Foundation seeks to address complex challenges to break through the cycles of urban poverty by supporting efforts to identify solutions that are both innovative and results-oriented. 

Areas of Interest

Within these areas, the Foundation provides seed funding, support for ongoing community programs and services, general operating support, and funding for capital projects, research, and program-related investments.

Education 

The challenge to Baltimore City’s leadership is to provide its children, the vast majority of whom qualify for free and reduced meals, with access to high-quality educational options from birth through college and/or career. The Foundation has a strong commitment to the PreK-12 public education system in Baltimore and its educational partners. With a focus on increasing achievement for city students, the Abell Foundation supports efforts to provide quality instruction in all content areas, provide a broad portfolio of effective schools, create successful transitions to and through college and work, increase family engagement, and promote literacy enrichment. In recognition of the pivotal role of quality teaching and school leadership, the Foundation also supports teacher and principal recruitment and retention efforts as well as leadership development strategies. After-school and summer programming with an academic orientation have received ongoing support to help fill gaps in school-day offerings. The Abell Foundation is committed to supporting children and youth who are educationally vulnerable while also preserving educational options that serve advanced learners.

Workforce Development

In recognition that a competent, skilled workforce is essential to the economic health and growth of Baltimore City, the Abell Foundation supports job-skills training that enables low-income, unemployed and underemployed job seekers to secure jobs that pay family-sustaining wages. Priority is given to programs that link hard-to-serve job seekers with employment, that promote job retention for at least one year of employment, and that enhance opportunities for low-wage workers to improve their skills and move into higher wage jobs.

The Foundation works with nonprofit organizations, employers and public agencies to identify and support effective workforce initiatives and to link them to public and private funding. The Foundation also works with nonprofit organizations to increase job seekers' access to needed services, including literacy services, transportation, substance abuse treatment, and services for ex-offenders. Finally, the Abell Foundation seeks to strengthen program and policy initiatives that support low-income families and enhance wages. These initiatives include increasing access to income supports such as the earned income tax credit and benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Health & Human Services

The health of a community can only be as strong as the well-being of its citizens. Through grants awarded in this area, the Abell Foundation seeks to address societal issues associated with economic insecurity, access to health care, family planning, domestic violence, children's health and well-being, hunger and homelessness. The Foundation also supports legal services and advocacy programs promoting access to health and mental health services, a stronger child welfare system, resources for current and former foster youth, and a comprehensive system of services for the homeless. Finally, the Foundation supports programs that provide opportunities for low-income families to live in quality housing in good neighborhoods throughout the region.

Community Development

The Abell Foundation encourages initiatives that attract resident investment in neighborhoods, promote sustainability, increase economic development opportunities and nurture entrepreneurial talent to increase the livability of neighborhoods, the number of residents, the number of jobs and the size of the tax base. As successful households are key to neighborhood health, the Foundation supports efforts to remove barriers preventing residents from stabilizing household finances and invests in community-led projects to improve energy efficiency, increase fresh food access, enhance neighborhood amenities and reclaim neighborhood green space. In addition, the Foundation maintains an interest in programs that tie the economic health of Baltimore City to the region and state through housing mobility, regional planning and environmental stewardship.

Criminal Justice and Addiction

High levels of substance abuse and related crime in Baltimore City are causing high rates of incarceration and a significant deterioration in the quality of life in communities throughout the city. In recognition that drug addiction is a complex disorder that touches every aspect of an individual’s life, the Foundation seeks to increase access to substance abuse treatment and supportive services such as housing and job training for uninsured and drug-addicted individuals living in Baltimore. The Foundation works to increase the impact and effectiveness of treatment services through cutting-edge research and support of innovative service models designed to reach underserved populations.

In addition, the Foundation supports programs and initiatives that increase public safety and reduce rates of repeat criminal behavior (recidivism). Emphasis is placed on initiatives that address the barriers facing the returning ex-offender, particularly including efforts to provide transitional housing and the necessary wraparound services to support a successful return to the community. Finally, the Foundation supports efforts to reform the criminal justice system, reduce violence, and achieve juvenile justice. 

Environment

Protection and preservation of Maryland’s abundant natural resources is critical to promoting a healthy and sustainable environment, society and economy in the state. Partnering with the public and private sectors, the Abell Foundation supports programs aimed at promoting air and water quality, preserving undeveloped land, and protecting the Chesapeake Bay, in Baltimore and across the state. The Foundation supports efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, with a particular focus on the development of renewable energy. In all of its work in support of a cleaner and healthier environment in Maryland, the Foundation seeks to ensure environmental health and justice in underserved communities. 

Arts

In recognition of the overall economic health of a city, the Foundation seeks funding opportunities to strengthen existing cultural arts organizations and emerging arts groups, with a focus on those working to provide programming for underserved communities in Baltimore. The Foundation looks for initiatives that help attract artists to live and work in Baltimore, use the cultural arts to improve student academic achievement, and stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods.

Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund

Mission

Develop new medical strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of human diseases, injuries and conditions through human stem cells.

Purpose

The purpose of the Fund is to promote state-funded stem cell research and cures through grants and loans to public and private entities in the state.

Manufacturing Assistance Program

Cell-based technologies offer extraordinary promise for new medical therapies and a better understanding of debilitating human diseases, injuries, and conditions. The development of new medical strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of human diseases, injuries and conditions through human stem cell research is a high priority for the State of Maryland. As treatments and cures advance to the clinic, manufacturing of cell therapies remains a key challenge in this growing industry.

Funding Objectives

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) Manufacturing Assistance Program was created to provide initial resources to enable companies to advance GMP production of cell therapy products in the State of Maryland. This program will accelerate the timely and cost effective manufacturing of cell-based products that meet identified market needs and will support and retain an advanced manufacturing workforce in Maryland.

The Manufacturing Assistance Program is for Maryland-based stem cell companies to build or acquire modular manufacturing facilities, prefabricated clean rooms, closed systems, or similar manufacturing platforms to enable GMP production of cell therapy products in Maryland.

Funding

Who We Are

The France-Merrick Foundation concentrates its grant making within the state of Maryland with a primary focus on the Greater Baltimore area.

The Foundation favors one-time, project-oriented requests which have defined beginnings and endings, as opposed to annual giving or ongoing operational support. Funding is targeted to organizations that already demonstrate the ability to sustain their work and are looking to the Foundation to provide one-time funding to enhance the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission over time. The Foundation’s funding is aimed at increasing capacity of organizations to have a positive impact on lives and communities.

Many of the Foundation's grants support new construction or renovations of existing buildings. In capital grant making, special attention is given to sustainable building practices and energy conservation measures incorporated into the project. High priority is placed on demonstration of financial sustainability and good business practices, including audited statements.

Focus Areas

Civic and culture

Since its inception, the Foundation has had a consistent commitment to supporting the region’s civic and cultural vitality believing that is a key component for a healthy, livable community. Within the civic arena, priority is placed on projects that reinforce civic pride amongst residents, improve livability for residents, promote Baltimore as a strong and vibrant city, and help attract tourism to Baltimore.

Within the cultural realm, grants provide cultural experiences that enrich residents’ lives, bring people together, revitalize public spaces, help communities thrive, and make the metropolitan area a desirable place to live. Many of the cultural grants seek to achieve the dual purposes of showcasing creativity and contributing to strengthening community development and engagement. The Foundation is interested in growing the economic impact of arts and culture through promoting greater collaboration amongst cultural organizations, assisting in facility and infrastructure improvements, supporting creative industry growth, and expanding audiences. The Foundation also wants to drive new residential and tourism activity to Baltimore through efforts that enhance the region’s external reputation as a creative hub. At the same, The Foundation recognizes the need to invest in existing cultural assets to enhance the character of neighborhoods and to build a sense of community connection, assisting in resident retention and community engagement.

Community and economic development

The Foundation has a history of supporting neighborhoods and communities with a legacy focus on East Baltimore. The foundation prioritizes workforce development, economic development and neighborhood stabilization

The Foundation is interested in supporting workforce development efforts that expand training and skill development for low-income, underemployed and unemployed workers. Programs that support youth in job readiness and skills are of particular interest. Programs with strong ties to growing industries offering employment opportunities with career ladders and family sustaining-wages are preferred.

Economic development grantmaking is directed towards projects that create new job opportunities. The Foundation wants to support efforts that attract, strengthen and retain businesses and residents in neighborhoods within the Greater Baltimore community.

Neighborhood stabilization funding is focused on strengthening and sustaining safe, economically diverse, inclusive and connected communities, through urban planning, transportation and infrastructure improvements. The Foundations hopes to contribute to building community by creating or enhancing programs and spaces that support individuals, families and act as stabilizing forces in local neighborhoods.

Environment

The Foundation has been dedicated for decades to supporting organizations that are involved in preserving and protecting the waters and natural areas in the State of Maryland. The continued increase of carbon and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is leading to global changes in our climate. Recognizing the global scale of climate change, the Foundation is acting locally by preserving and restoring habitats and ecosystems that promote the health, biodiversity, and resilience of the Chesapeake Bay, prioritizing areas threatened by the effects of climate change. A newer interest is to support solutions that enable Baltimore City and the region to reduce our climate impact and increase the community's resilience to the negative effects of our changing climate. As we focus as a Foundation on ways to make the greater Baltimore area stronger and more vibrant, we know that environmentally sound and forward thinking solutions are needed to ensure a healthy future for our community. The Foundation is interested in investing in new ways to reduce our community's carbon footprint, while planning for adaptation, to ensure our related interests in housing, community revitalization, and health, among other community investments, will continue to have the desired impact.

Education

The Foundation’s education funding is its largest area of focus, representing over 40% of annual grants. The Foundation supports K-12 public education, independent private school education and higher education, including these priority areas of interest:

Public: The Foundation supports projects directed toward improving educational quality and equity in Baltimore City with the understanding that education is a prerequisite to a strong civil society and an employed workforce—two keys to a better Baltimore. Specifically, as it relates to K-12 outcomes in public education, the Foundation is focused on three specific areas: (1) improved literacy as the foundation of all other learning, (2) effective socio-emotional learning and trauma interventions in schools and (3) enhanced career readiness education resulting in graduates who possess the academic, technical and job readiness skills necessary to succeed and advance in the workforce.

Private: The Foundation funds independent private schools for both capital projects and scholarships. The scholarship support is intended to help increase diversity and inclusion as well as provide positive educational experiences to qualified students, regardless of income.

Post-Secondary Student Success: The Foundation aims to increase the number of students who access and complete two- and four-year colleges and universities – especially low-income and working class, first generation, and underrepresented students in the Greater Baltimore area. One way to accomplish this is reducing cost as a barrier to college entry and completion. The Foundation’s funding has already provided over $9 million to 19 universities supporting students throughout Maryland, benefitting approximately 160 students a year. We are also interested in other non-scholarship, innovative ways to help students attend and thrive in post-secondary education programs. Since college completion is the goal, the Foundation is interested in boosting the number of students who graduate and find jobs as well as creating successful pathways that connect K-12, post-secondary education, and employment.

Anchor Institutions: The Foundation has always been interested in the role that colleges and universities play in their surrounding communities. More explicitly than in the past, the Foundation aims to leverage the intellectual and economic capital of higher education anchor institutions to positively impact their surrounding communities by assisting with strong community engagement, neighborhood revitalization, local hiring, career pathways and other economic development partnerships.  

Health and human services

The Foundation’s grants in this area often assist people that face multiple disadvantages, and funding has evolved to support programs that focus on helping individuals improve their own lives. Funding in this area has grown over time, and has been especially informed by the Foundation’s work in East Baltimore.  

The Foundation is specifically interested in improving health and wellness, with a focus on prevention and population health. Furthermore, the Foundation is focused on increasing access to care for disadvantaged populations and strengthening health care provision in community based settings. Due to the Foundation’s concurrent interest in community development, the Foundation also supports anchor health institutions in improving neighborhoods around their hospital with dual health and community development benefits.

Due to its dual interests in health and human services, the Foundation funds programs that ensure people will have access to sufficient and nutritious food. The Foundation funds community food banks, and the organizations they partner with, to effectively process and distribute goods to those in need. The Foundation also prioritizes increasing access to fresh produce and proteins in the community and nutrition education to contribute to healthier eating.

The Foundation has seen the importance of housing as it relates to many issues of poverty and therefore funds effective strategies that move families out of homelessness through placement into long-term housing with the necessary supportive services, such as rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing and creation of new affordable housing.

The Foundation also provides capital and other one-time capacity building grants focused on improving or expanding programs and services for individuals with physical, emotional, mental, or cognitive disabilities, ensuring that those with disabilities can receive needed services in the community.

Historic preservation

The Foundation’s focus on historic preservation is firmly grounded in Robert G. Merrick’s original interest in the built environment and his belief in the value and importance of preserving the best from the past. The Foundation funds projects aimed primarily at restoring and maintaining sites and properties of historical and architectural significance in the Baltimore region and in Maryland. It is the Foundation’s intent that these historical assets spur economic development, and teach people about the history of their communities. The Foundation also hopes that future generations experience and discover their own connections to these historical places through innovative and engaging preservation and education efforts. The Foundation will invest in projects that strengthen the capacity of the regional preservation movement. When possible, the Foundation will give priority to projects that positively impact community development and contribute to environmental sustainability, thereby connecting to some of the foundation’s other giving areas.

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Solutions to the problems of today's world still lie in the values of innovation, practicality, hard work, and compassion.

The Foundation considers applications for grants in the following areas:

• Education
• Social Service
• Health care
• Civic and cultural
• Environmental

The categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the Foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. In general, the Foundation guidelines are broad to give us flexibility in providing grants.

The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook. Non-U.S. grants are given to organizations where directors have knowledge of the grantee.

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.  

Background

The Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation, provides grants that support programs that empower women ages 18 and over in challenging situations to improve the quality of their lives. The grants will support women’s efforts to become self-sufficient, understanding that encouragement and financial assistance are compelling factors in restoring stability and hope.

Funding Priorities

• Furthering women’s ability to care for herself and, subsequently, her dependents. Such as:
  • Furthering workforce and educational opportunity, including but not limited to:
    • Direct provision of workforce development programs
      • Job training and placement services
      • Trade and technical certifications
      • Apprenticeship programs
    • Direct support, such as scholarships, for post-secondary, apprenticeship, or workforce development programs
    • Indirect support of workforce or educational program participation or betterment
      • Mentoring and life skills programs
      • Support of transportation and/or childcare to facilitate participation in workforce development or education programs
  • Furthering economic capacity, including but not limited to:
    • Emergency financial assistance due to changed circumstances
      • Homelessness prevention support
      • Emergency and transitional housing support
      • Transportation support
    • Access to income supports
      • Systems navigation -- creating access to benefits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), medical insurance, housing vouchers, etc.
    • Training in financial literacy
      • Household budgeting, credit scores
      • First time homebuyers’ programs
    • Financial assistance for next steps
      • Recovery housing costs
      • Low-income homebuyer supports

Funding

A minimum proposal of $1,000.00. Each proposal may not exceed $40,000. Organizations may seek up to $40,000 total.

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.

Background

The Foundation seeks to be responsive to community issues and needs. Our process is highly competitive and is open to new projects and new organizations. The following summary, Examples of our Grant-Making, is offered to help guide applicants. While this is not intended to be an exhaustive description and may, as appropriate, change over time, we hope that the following will suggest the kind of meaningful work in which the Foundation is seeking to invest.

Generally, the Foundation looks to support work that improves the lives of DC-area residents, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable and underserved individuals. We encourage organizations that provide comprehensive services and work towards systemic change, which addresses all levels of, and all who are affected by, the issue. The goal is that all in the region become self-sufficient and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. We search for nonprofits that also employ effective partnering and show cultural competence in engaging effectively with communities and people of various cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. On occasion, the Foundation invests directly in strengthening the nonprofit sector by helping current grantees to build organizational capacity and by supporting advocacy and other efforts.

Grants are made in five program areas:

Arts and Humanities

The Foundation recognizes the intrinsic value of the Arts and Humanities, as well as their power to innovate and create social change. The funds distributed support an array of artistic disciplines, as well as organizations that promote the humanities. These nonprofits demonstrate the depth and breadth of their initiatives, including how to meaningfully engage communities that have been historically underrepresented in the Arts and Humanities.

Community Services - The Community Services portfolio includes, but is not limited to:

• Community Development
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to safe housing and economic development across the region. These awards support affordable housing production and preservation, services for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, programs to address wealth disparities, as well as civic engagement and volunteerism.
• Children, Youth and Families
  • Grants in this area help young people improve their academic performance, gain employment, develop relationships with trusted adults and make connections to the larger community. The Foundation prioritizes programs that promote youth voice, empowering young people to advocate for change within their schools and communities.
• Justice
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to justice for all individuals in order to create a more equitable region. These grants support civil legal aid, services to survivors of violence, efforts to help people stay out of the criminal justice system and advocacy for system reform.
• Workforce Development
  • The Foundation supports organizations that focus on specific fields and career pathways as well as those that concentrate on broader job- and career-readiness.
• Capacity Building
  • The Foundation supports capacity building organizations that improve the sustainability, quality and impact of nonprofits in the region.

Education

The Foundation recognizes that a high-quality and equitable education system can reduce barriers to opportunity and transform lives. These grants aim to ensure that from the first day children enter an early childhood setting, to the day they receive a technical certificate or a degree, they are receiving an education that is founded in strong relationships, responds to their unique needs, and equips them with the skills they need to thrive and succeed in life.

Environment

The Foundation strives to restore and protect our region’s natural resources so that all individuals can have equal access to clean water, air and land. These grants focus on the restoration and protection of local parks, the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Grants to environmental education and stewardship programs for people of all ages create greater awareness of the dangers of an unhealthy environment and the need to protect open natural spaces.

Health & Wellness

The Foundation takes a holistic view of health and wellness to ensure that across the region people of all ages can live healthier lives, regardless of income or zip code. These grants include healthcare provision and supportive services, food and nutrition, as well as coalition building and advocacy.

Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Maryland is the State’s nationally recognized workforce solution. EARN Maryland is an industry-led initiative meant to ensure that employers have the talent they need to compete and grow, while preparing Marylanders for meaningful careers. The program encourages collaboration, funding Strategic Industry Partnerships comprised of employers, non-profits, higher education, local workforce investment boards, Registered Apprenticeship Sponsors, and local governments. Partnerships provide indemand, relevant training to Maryland’s workforce based upon industry identified needs.

EARN Maryland builds upon the Moore-Miller administration’s priorities of connecting Marylanders to jobs while increasing the State’s economic competitiveness. Generally, EARN Maryland is designed to:

• Address business workforce needs by focusing on industry sector strategies that seek long-term solutions to sustained skills gaps and personnel shortages
• Address the needs of workers by creating formal career paths to good jobs, and sustaining or growing middle class jobs
• Encourage mobility for Maryland’s most hard-to-serve jobseekers through targeted job readiness training
• Foster better coordination between the public, private, and non-profit sectors and the workforce, economic development, and education partners around the State

Community Forestry Catalyst Fund

The Community Forestry Catalyst Fund (“CF2”) welcomes proposals that directly support tree planting projects or increase the capacity of organizations to scale up their tree planting and maintenance initiatives in overburdened, underserved communities across the state. The goal of the CF2 program is to reduce barriers to tree planting and provide local partners with flexible access to a source of funds that can be leveraged to secure additional resources without requiring matching funds.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is made possible by Inflation Reduction Action Urban and Community Forestry funding from the USDA Forest Service.​

Project Criteria

Projects selected for funding must directly or indirectly result in trees being planted in overburdened, underserved communities across the state. To determine if your project is located within applicable disadvantaged communities it must be identified in the Inflation Reduction Act Disadvantaged Communities Map.

100 percent of work must take place in, or benefit, disadvantaged communities and, therefore, match is waived. This match waiver must be passed on to any sub-awardees. ​

Proposals can be submitted under one or more of the following funding tracks:

• Track A: Site Readiness. Example activities include, but are not limited to: stump removal, hazardous tree removal, vegetation removal, concrete removal leading to replacement tree planting.
• Track B: Implementation. Tree planting projects require pre-application technical assistance from the Maryland Forest Service or an authorized representative from one of the 5 Million Trees for Maryland partnership agencies. 
• Track C: Capacity Building. Example activities include, but are not limited to: staff or contractual support, workforce development, expansion or creation of new pilot programming.

Funding

The Maryland Forest Service welcomes proposals spanning a broad range of costs from eligible entities working at a community, municipal, regional, and watershed scales. The minimum and maximum funding amount for projects are listed below, by track:

• Track A: minimum: $5,000 / maximum: $50,000
• Track B: minimum: $5,000 / maximum: $50,000
• Track C: minimum: $5,000 / maximum: $250,000 per year

Philip L. Graham Fund Grant

Named for the late Publisher of The Washington Post and President of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings Company), the Philip L. Graham Fund devotes its resources to the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund awards several million dollars in grants annually to groups providing educational, health, community enrichment, and arts programs and services to communities in and around Washington, D.C.

What We Support

Understanding the broad and changing needs of the communities in and around Washington, D.C., the Philip L. Graham Fund is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide a wide array of direct services to individuals and families. The Fund awards grants across four focus areas and a geographically vast area that includes 10 counties in Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia.

The Fund is always looking for innovative and efficient organizations to support. Over the past several decades, the Fund has invested tens of millions of dollars in the physical infrastructure, information technology, and transportation needs of local nonprofit organizations. The Fund’s five-member board prefers to fund requests for one-time projects or expenses, but does occasionally award grants for program and general operating expenses.

In 2017, the Philip L. Graham Fund awarded $4.1 million in grants to 138 organizations across Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Twenty grants went to first-time grantees. Together, grants in the Health & Human Services and Education focus areas represented 84% of the Fund’s giving last year.

Focus Areas

From its inception, the Fund’s mission has been to use its resources for the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In the past, the Fund also worked to foster improvements in the fields of journalism and communications. Grantees include large, regional organizations as well as small, community-based groups; all share a commitment to our community.

Health & Human Services

The Health & Human Services segment of the Fund’s portfolio is the largest portion of the Fund’s giving and includes a wide array of services designed to ensure everyone in the greater metropolitan area has access to the tools necessary for healthy and productive living. Nonprofits providing shelter, food, medical care, and workforce development programs to members of our community are a high priority for the Fund as well as efforts to increase access to fresh foods, legal services, routine primary care and dental visits, and comprehensive behavioral health services for children and adults.

Education

The Philip L. Graham Fund is committed to supporting efforts to advance and expand educational offerings for children and adults in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund gives high priority to programs that improve public education and adult literacy.

Arts & Humanities

From its earliest days, the Philip L. Graham Fund has supported both large and small arts organizations in and around Washington, D.C. Many of the city’s largest and most innovative theater companies, museums, dance companies, and arts education programs can trace their earliest funding back to the Graham Fund. The Fund remains committed to supporting longstanding organizations devoted to bringing high-quality and unique programs to the community and to seeking out new organizations bringing fresh ideas and offerings to the metropolitan area. The Fund is specifically interested in arts programming that shows a clear intersection with one of the Fund’s other focus areas.

Community Endeavors

Recognizing the importance of Washington, D.C., to the nation and the world, the Fund considers requests from institutions that tell the stories of our country’s history, values, and accomplishments and strengthen the greater metropolitan community as a whole. This includes support for a broad spectrum of organizations, such as institutions of national significance located in the metropolitan area, improvement of local parks and playgrounds, and efforts to help our community through programs that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

Wolpoff Family Foundation

It is the mission of the Wolpoff Family Foundation to attract, support and motivate established organizations that demonstrate true vision. To be considered established, an organization must have been up and running for at least 5 consecutive years.

We are eager to champion organizations that create opportunities for others. Included would be opportunities to learn something new, stimulate creativity, strengthen community or advance research.

The Wolpoff Family Foundation enjoys supporting its community, and may seek direct involvement with recipient organizations.

Grants

The Wolpoff Family Foundation funds programs and activities that are primarily located in Montgomery County, Maryland and benefit Montgomery County residents.  

Programs should encourage, support or expand activities related to community, career development, education, medical research, or arts & culture. Programs should meet a demonstrated need and be well defined with a measurable impact or outcome.

Areas of Interest:

• COMMUNITY & FOOD SUFFICIENCY - The availability of resources, support and programming are essential to building and maintaining vibrant, strong communities. We support a variety of community needs and initiatives to reduce hunger in our community.

• EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - Access to education and the necessary tools and supplies can make a world of difference. We partner with organizations who provide the training, skills and services needed for those who seek employment or require additional skills to enter the workforce.

• ARTS & CULTURE - Exploring, teaching and experiencing art and cultural awareness provides an appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our world. We support programs that provide hands-on experiences with the arts or an opportunity to experience and learn about other cultures for children and adults.

• MEDICAL & HEALTH - The Foundation supports groundbreaking medical research programs specifically designed to prevent and cure debilitating and life-threatening diseases.

Our efforts are focused in a specific geographic region and generally fall within the categories outlined. However, we are willing to consider requests outside of our stated scope on a limited basis, should that request align well with our stated mission.

If you have a specific request that falls within the intent of our mission and program areas, we welcome your letter of inquiry.  Grant applications are extended by invitation only. Please note: our maximum grant for first time grantees is $15,000.

Calling to Serve

Since its inception in 2016, the Robinson Foundation has sought to demonstrate God’s love through sharing the gifts we have received. We understand the often unspoken hardships and struggles that people in and outside of our community face everyday. As such, our contributions are focused on relieving these hardships for the betterment of our world.

As a family-operated foundation, we pray that our small efforts will not only create immediate change in the lives of our neighbors, but will help set those lives on a course for success in the future. We are thankful for each and every day we have on this earth to use what God has granted us to make a difference.

Areas of Interest

• Animal Welfare
• Children & Families
• Disaster Relief
• Education
• Medical Assistance
• Nature & Wildlife Conservation
• Poverty Relief
• Religious & Spiritual Endeavors
• Veterans' Issues

Grant Considerations

We take many different aspects of applications into account when making grant issuing decisions, however these are some of the high-level questions we ask ourselves during the process:

• How does the organization serve their key audience goals?
• Is the organization fiscally responsible?
• Will a grant have a tangible, meaningful impact?
• Will we see direct results from this grant?
• Does the organization have other financial contributors?

 Workforce Development Grant

The Workforce Development grant program supports professional development programs, scholarship opportunities for job training, continuing education for career advancement, and organizations that offer various workforce development programs to the public. Special emphasis will be placed on programs serving people with disabilities, high school juniors and seniors, non-traditional students, nonprofit professionals, and skilled professionals in fields that serve vulnerable populations in our community.

APPLICATION MAXIMUM: $7,500

Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) Grant

The Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) provides grants to rural-serving nonprofit organizations that promote statewide and regional planning, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education. Also eligible are rural community colleges that provide enhanced training and technical assistance to support agricultural and small businesses. The Fund’s goal is to increase the overall capacity of rural-serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges to meet a multitude of rural development challenges and to help them establish new public/private partnerships for leveraging non-state sources of funding. The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the administrative agency in receiving the applications and disbursing the grants to the successful applicants.

Focus Topics

• Agriculture & Forestry:
  • Agricultural Education
  • Regional Food System Development
  • Forest Industry Development
• Energy:
  • Combined Heat Power
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Biomass
• Rural Broadband:
  • Rural Broadband Expansion Efforts, including municipal broadband
  • Digital Inclusion Programs
• Youth Engagement & Leadership Development:
  • Career Technology Centers
  • Youth Enrichment Programs, including summer programming
• Economic Development:
  • Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development
  • Education & Workforce Development
  • Regional Marketing Efforts & Tourism Projects
• Community Development:
  • Rural Transportation
  • Housing repairs
  • Housing counseling
  • Poverty Alleviation Efforts

Overview

The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030, while preserving the best aspects of a cultural heritage and rural way of life. Resources provided to RMPIF are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives. The Fund will serve the interests of the entire State by:

• Encouraging the increase of entrepreneurial activity and commerce and a balanced economy in the State;
• Relieving conditions of unemployment and underemployment in rural areas;
• Assisting in the retention of valuable farm and forest land for productive use by present and future generations;
• Promoting intergovernmental cooperation and public sector/private sector partnerships in and between rural and other areas;
• Enhancing the deployment of housing, transportation, water, wastewater, and broadband communications infrastructure and services in rural areas;
• Supporting rural commercial center redevelopment and community revitalization efforts; and,
• Generally promoting the health, happiness, safety, employment opportunity, and general welfare of the residents of each of the rural counties and municipal corporations of the State.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure improvement – from traditional public facilities like roads and sewage treatment plants to such increasingly important amenities as workforce housing – are vital to healthy, flourishing communities. For instance, about half of the State’s major sewage treatment facilities and 90 percent of small community wastewater systems are located in rural areas, and many of these are experiencing difficult problems associated with aging collection and treatment infrastructure.

Rural regional infrastructure projects would provide matching grants for projects that involve two or more units of local government and are related to broadband, water, wastewater, transportation, workforce housing, and commercial/industrial facilities up to 25 percent of the total project cost. Workforce housing is defined as housing targeted to 80 to 120 percent of median income of the community in which the employees work. Other potential projects could include GIS services to modernize and improve utility infrastructure data and renewable energy facilities such as biomass, solar or wind electricity or thermal heat generators.

Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF):

The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030 while preserving the best aspects of cultural heritage and rural way of life. Resources provided to RMPIF are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives.

Rural Workforce Development:

Rural Workforce Development: The Council supports apprenticeships and community colleges so young adults can stay in their rural areas and become part of the rural workforce. Efforts to improve career and technology education through the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, including specifically agriculture education. Examples include but may not be limited to youth apprenticeship programs, STEM education, and summer enrichment programs.  The FY2026 grant period will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The Council understands that programs that take place during the summer months may fall outside this designated time frame and special consideration will be made to accommodate these programs.

MD Rural Health Care Grant

The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030, while preserving the best aspects of a pastoral cultural and rural way of life. Resources provided to the Fund are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives. The Fund will serve the interests of the entire State by: 

• Encouraging the increase of entrepreneurial activity and commerce and a balanced economy in the State;
• Relieving conditions of unemployment and underemployment in rural areas;
• assisting in the retention of valuable farm and forest land for productive use by present and future generations;
• Promoting intergovernmental cooperation and public sector/private sector partnerships in and between rural and other areas;
• Enhancing the deployment of housing, transportation, water, wastewater, and broadband communications infrastructure and services in rural areas;
• Supporting rural commercial center redevelopment and community revitalization efforts; and,
• Generally promoting the health, happiness, safety, employment opportunity, and general welfare of the residents of each of the rural counties and municipal corporations of the State.

Health Care

Health care access and delivery is a major problem in the State’s rural areas. Residents often need to travel great distances to seek health care services due to health workforce shortages. This problem is in primary care, and is particularly acute in specialty care such as surgical specialties, dentistry, mental health and other medical specialty areas. 

Eligible health care projects will range from health care planning, to health program implementation and evaluation, and will include projects pertaining to the following:

• Improving access to health and medical/dental care:
  • Tele-medicine and telehealth networking
  • Transportation
  • Programs that focus on planning and/or coordination of health care
  • Programs that address rural population health needs
  • Programs that ensure health care insurance and treatment enrollment
  • Programs that implement and measure accomplishment of components of the state’s rural health plan
• Recruitment and retention of health care providers:
  • Programs to aid recruitment of health care providers
  • Rural residency programs in primary care and medical/surgical specialties and dentistry
  • Housing projects to support rural rotations of medical students/ health professions students
  • Pipeline programs for health care workers
• Behavioral and Mental health:
  • Substance abuse, including alcohol, opioids and prescription drugs
  • Depression and counseling, suicide prevention
  • Domestic abuse and violence 
• Programs that implement and measure components of the Maryland Rural Health Plan:
  • Access to care:
    • reduce barriers/remove gaps – primary care, specialists, behavioral health, oral health, and urgent/emergency facilities
  • Care coordination:
    • explore mechanisms to link health care consumers to services and improve coordination and collaboration between health care providers
  • Health literacy and health insurance literacy:
    • explore ways to increase individual health literacy and health insurance literacy of consumers
  • Outreach and education:
    • work with community-based services and health care infrastructure to provide outreach and education to citizens on relevant and emergent health issues
• Chronic disease prevention and management:
  • Health education on diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancers prevalent in rural Maryland, hypertension/high blood pressure
  • Disease management programs
  • Research and treatment of health impacts on minority populations, and in particular, prenatal care
• Oral and Dental health 

Special FY2024 RMPIF Health Care Addition: Projects to support the Rural Nonemergency Medical Transportation Pilot Program

Current healthcare research indicates that one out of five healthcare appointments are missed due to lack of reliable transportation (Syed, 2013). Research indicates that there are as many as 73,000 to 82,000 adult Marylanders who miss at least one or more medical appointments each year. Compared to the rest of the U.S. population, the transportation disadvantaged, the target population, is poorer, more female, includes more minority population groups and suffers more disease co-morbidity. 

Background

Since our founding, Greenspring has aspired to give back by making meaningful financial and relational investments in our local communities. To further our stewardship efforts and commitment to charitable giving, we created the concept of the Greenspring Grant Program in 2012 to support the mission of local non-profits.

Now in its tenth year, this effort is completely employee-run and, each year allows a new team of individuals the rewarding (but very difficult!) task of selecting and awarding monies to worthy organizations. This year we are awarding a total of $100,000 in grant monies to organizations dedicated to economic and workforce development. At its sole discretion, Greenspring awards grants ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 based on the funding requested and the needs addressed.

Grant Focus

Organizations must be focused on or have programs that address Workforce and Economic Development. Examples include (but are not limited to):

• job/skills education and training
• job creation
• entrepreneurship
• developing and maintaining career pathways
• growing internships and career opportunities
• increasing financial literacy

The Richard E. & Nancy P. Marriott Foundation

Mission

We are dedicated to uplifting communities in Washington, D.C. through strong, innovative partnerships.

Our Approach

We are dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations primarily located in Washington, D.C. This includes a focus on helping youth secure a promising future, especially through early childhood education, mentoring and youth leadership programs. Equally important are organizations that help offer relief from hunger and homelessness; provide prospects for people to lead healthy lives; and create gainful employment opportunities for vulnerable youth and adults.

Program Areas

Each year the Foundation awards approximately 150 grants totaling $1.8 million across two program areas:

Education

The Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation believes that every child deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education regardless of background. Our strategy strives to uplift the children of Washington, D.C. by investing in partners that support and develop the birth to five continuum.

The ages from birth to five play a crucial role in a child’s life, especially those children from homes of underserved areas. Studies show that a child’s brain development from birth to three years old is the foundation for all future learning. We look for partnerships that provide children from birth to three the emotional, behavioral, and educational support they need to be ready for Pre-K and beyond. In addition the quality of education children receive as three and four year olds plays a significant role in their later academic success. By supporting high quality Pre-K programs, we believe the achievement gap between low income children and more affluent children can be closed.

Human Services

The Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation believes that the fulfillment of basic individual needs is an essential part of achieving a strong and sustainable community. To lead a healthy and productive life, individuals need continual access to adequate food, a safe and secure home, and the dignity of productive employment. We focus on partnerships that uplift communities and strengthen the individual members by ensuring food security for vulnerable populations and developing a workforce that can support the community.

We believe that employment provides more than just financial benefits; it connects the individual to the community and builds self-esteem. While most everyone wants a job, it can be hard for those with limited or out-dated skills and those reintegrating to the community to find a stable job. Our partners provide the job training and employment counseling that help individuals prepare for the job market and find opportunities at livable wages. With the Marriott family’s long history in the hospitality industry, we have a special focus on programs with the hospitality and technology industries where diverse people can succeed along many paths.

Funding Request Range

Grants from the Foundation typically support general operations. First-time requests are advised to be in the $5,000-$10,000 range.

Purpose

The Robotics Grant Program is an annual grant program that is administered by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to provide funding to Local Education Agencies (LEAs), schools, and nonprofit organizations associated with public schools. The program aims to support the development and expansion of robotics programs across the state and to provide students with the opportunity to engage in high-quality STEM education practices that prepare them for success in the 21st Century workforce. The grant is open to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and non-profit organizations that are working with Maryland public K-12 schools.

The purpose of this grant is to provide opportunities for students to engage in robotics education programs that will help them develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. This is achieved by introducing them to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming at their local high school. The Robotics Grant Program is designed to ensure that all students in Maryland have access to robotics education programs that are aligned with the Maryland K-12 Computer Science Standards and/or the Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy. These programs can be implemented within the school day or as extracurricular activities and may include the development of new programs or the expansion of existing programs.

About the Presser Foundation

The Presser Foundation was formally established in 1939 under various deeds of trust of the late Theodore Presser. In the charter of incorporation, The Foundation’s purposes are set forth to promote primarily the cause of musical education and musical philanthropy as follows: to provide scholarships for promising students; to increase the value of music education by erecting suitable buildings; and to administer aid to worthy teachers of music in distress.

While The Foundation’s priorities have evolved over time, it has provided much needed funding to further the cause of music for over 75 years. It has been said that Theodore Presser wanted to give back to music what he had made from it. When he died in 1925, he left no children. He had been widowed twice, and the bulk of his fortune was left to The Foundation.

The small staff and Board of Trustees continue to oversee the work of The Foundation. The Foundation is fortunate to have had a founder who clearly stated the purpose which he desired to achieve. The Board of Trustees includes prominent local and national leaders in music. All Trustees share a passion for music and all are committed to carrying out the intentions of the benefactor.

Special Projects Grants

Introduction & Purpose

The Trustees of The Presser Foundation created the Special Projects Committee to consider grant requests that fall outside the Foundation’s core grantmaking programs. Grant amounts typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 annually for music organizations operating in a broad range of music traditions, genres, and styles. In 2024-25, 9% of The Presser Foundation’s distributed funds ($320,230/$3.73 million) went to Special Project grants. This fiscal year (2025-26), the Special Projects Committee will consider applications for:

• General Operating Support for newly established music organizations (up to 5 years in existence).
• Resilience Grants for small music organizations impacted by government funding or policy changes. These grant requests of up to $7,500 are for organizations with operating budgets under $150,000. Organizations seeking support for the following are encouraged to apply:
  • Artistic and/or organizational development (e.g. workforce programming) projects that have been impacted by government funding cuts;
  • Organizations seeking legal, financial, fundraising, or communications guidance to navigate government funding or policy changes;
  • Efforts to share costs and collaborate* with another nonprofit organization to maintain financial stability for the organization; and
  • Other efforts to maintain your organization’s core mission and/or financial viability in response to the changing arts funding landscape will be considered.
  • *Not intended for one-time creative collaborations.

Community Progress Makers Fund

Community Progress Makers is a Citi Foundation initiative aimed at supporting local community organizations connecting low-income communities to greater social and economic opportunity. The Foundation first launched the Community Progress Makers initiative in 2015 with a vision of empowering local community organizations to grow their transformative impact through unrestricted, trust-based funding. The Foundation is committing an additional $50 million to support a fourth cohort of Community Progress Makers. Through an open request for proposals (RFP) process, the Foundation will select 50 community organizations to receive the following over three years: 

• $1 million in unrestricted grant support
• Access to technical assistance from national experts and leading researchers
• Opportunities to connect and share learnings through webinars and local and national gatherings

Selection Priorities

For this funding opportunity, the Citi Foundation will prioritize organizations that demonstrate:

• Deep connections to the communities served
• Track record of partnering with other community organizations and stakeholders to achieve positive change
• Utilization of data to inform planning and the capacity to collect, analyze, and share data, results, and learnings
• Track record and innovative vision in one of the following areas of work: 
  • Affordable Housing and Access, such as efforts to promote housing affordability; home ownership; and resident support services to help people more easily access employment, education, health, and childcare.
  • Economic Development, including the provision of technical assistance to small businesses; commercial corridor revitalization efforts; and green economy strategies that promote job creation.
  • Financial Health, such as efforts in delivering financial coaching; integrated financial capability services; and savings and asset building strategies.
  • Workforce Readiness, including organizations preparing young people and/or adults for careers and entrepreneurship.