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Local Events Strengthen Communities

From block parties to film screenings to public concerts, at BCF we love to support community-based events designed to bring neighbors together. These small discretionary grants underscore our commitment to grassroots, resident-led events that bring vibrance to Greater Baltimore.

Events supported so far in 2024 include:
Bolton Hill Community Association Green Streets Arts Festival
Bolton Hill Community Association Arts in the Park
BRUSH Mural Festival Community Paint Days
Catonsville Rails to Trails Ribbon Cutting
Charm City Land Trust Liberating Roots Sessions
Chesapeake Shakespeare Co Much Ado About Nothing performances
Creative Alliance Great Lantern Parade
Druid Heights CDC Community Revitalization Cleanup Days
Fusion Partnerships InFusion Film Fest
Friends PUSP Trail Clean Up Days
Federated Garden Clubs Plant Swap
Hamilton Hills Neighborhood Association Snowball Socials
Lauraville Business De-Escalation Trainings
Reisterstown Improvement Association National Night Out Celebration
Sparrows Point NPHS Dedication Ceremony
Southeast CDC block parties
Union Square Charm City Circus
WYPR Film Festival

To support more local events in Baltimore and surrounding communities, consider a gift to the BCF Fund for Neighborhoods.

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Would you like printed copies?

Contact John Gilpin at jgilpin@bcf.org to request hard copies of our Personal Estate Planning Kit. Please provide your mailing address and how many copies you would like.

Want even more free resources?

Visit our planned giving website to find additional tools and resources to help your clients.

Visit our Planned Giving Website

Building Stronger Neighborhoods Regionwide

We have a nearly 30-year history of offering grants to resident-led groups and community projects in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. These grants give residents the resources they need to accomplish a small project, get more people involved, and encourage the next generation of neighborhood leaders. We also fund programs that support the development of leaders of all ages who are working to improve their neighborhoods and schools. Our support is intended to help identify, activate, inform and network leaders. And finally, we believe when schools and neighborhoods team up to improve their school and community, meaningful and lasting change can be made. We are interested in funding proposals in which the students and adults in schools collaborate intentionally with community residents, neighborhood associations, and other individuals, groups, and institutions in the area surrounding a school.  

School Leadership

We believe that attracting and retaining effective and diverse school leaders is a key lever for change in Baltimore’s educational landscape, and so we fund school leadership development efforts at the district and individual school level. We are interested in funding proposals that focus on principal coaching, mentoring, peer networking, wellness/self-care, as well as pipelines that identify and develop new leaders. We will also continue to support efforts that build a culture of appreciation and encouragement for school leaders.

How Can We Help?

Melissa McC. Warlow
Director, Baker Fund Grants Program
410-332-4172 x150

Apply for a Grant

Our on-line application system provides applicants with a portal to start a new grant application or to continue updating an application already in process. Please be sure to select the “Save and Finish Later” button when you are finished working on your application in order to save your current session’s work. At any time during the application process you can select the “Contact Us” button in the top right corner of the screen and you will be able to send an email to the Baltimore Community Foundation staff with specific questions. 

To be considered for funding, proposals must be submitted through the online application portal, however, we provide a PDF version of the application along with other useful forms here for your reference:   

When you are ready please select one of the following options:

OPTION 1

I have not applied for BCF funding online in the past.
Select this option if you have never used our website to apply for a grant from BCF.

SELECT OPTION 1

OPTION 2

I previously applied for BCF funding online in the past.
Select this option if you have applied for any of BCF’s grants using our website. Your profile may still be in our system and you may login using your account.

SELECT OPTION 2

Place-based Grantmaking in Selected School Communities

We have allocated funds for two geographical areas that bookend a crucial corridor on the Westside of Baltimore City: Howard Park /Forest Park area (served by Calvin Rodwell Elementary Middle School and Liberty Elementary), and Reservoir Hill/Penn North area (served by Dorothy I Height Elementary). In these three schools and their surrounding neighborhoods, we will support projects and activities designed to make the communities safe, clean, green and vibrant; and improve the quality of the schools. Some projects may be neighborhood-focused, some school-focused and others collaborative projects between the schools and their respective communities.

Early Learning & Judy Centers

High quality early childhood education has a lifelong effect on students. Through our Early Learning grant program, we are interested in system-wide early childhood education proposals that will help Baltimore City and County’s youngest learners, and their families, get the start they need. Nonprofit organizations that offer programs and/or services to Judy Centers are encouraged to contact the centers directly to explore partnership opportunities.

How Can We Help?

John A. Gilpin

J.D., CAP®,AEP®

Director of Planned Gifts
410-332-4171 ext. 132

How Can We Help?

Kate Sam

Communications Officer
410-332-4171 ext. 181

How Can We Help?

Cathy Brill

Executive Director
Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation

Request BCF Documents

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