Give Now

Baltimore City Community Grants Program

Follow BCF on Social Media

Grant applications open on June 1, 2026 and close at 5:00pm on September 30, 2026.

Program Overview

The Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) is proud to administer the Baltimore City Community Grants Program in partnership with The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. These grants are designed to support nonprofits that provide direct services to low-income Baltimore City residents, with a focus on creating paths to stability and opportunity. 

Through this program, we aim to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations aligned with the Weinberg Foundation’s five focus areas: Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Aging.

Apply Now

Program Guidelines

To be considered for a Baltimore City Community Grant, applicants must: 

  • Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or have a fiscal sponsor that has 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status 
  • Serve residents of Baltimore City 
  • Have a total organizational budget of $500,000 or less 
  • Deliver programming that aligns with at least one of the following focus areas: 
    • Housing: Improving stability by promoting the development of safe and affordable housing 
    • Health: Promoting health and well-being 
    • Jobs: Creating paths to jobs and careers 
    • Education: Helping youth succeed in school and beyond 
    • Aging: Ensuring individuals are able to age with respect, dignity, and support. 
  •  

Organizations that have an open grant with the Weinberg Foundation are not eligible to apply.

  • Typical grant award: $20,000
  • Grants are one-time, unrestricted or project-based depending on organizational needs and proposed use
  • Applications will be reviewed for alignment with focus areas, organizational capacity, community impact, and sustainability
  • Organizations may only submit one application during the cycle
  • Grantees will be expected to submit a brief report on use of funds and impact by the end of the grant term

The application portal for the 2026 grantmaking cycle will be open from June 1 – September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EST.

APPLY NOW

Organizations are strongly encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and prepare all necessary documentation in advance.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation strives to fight poverty and build strong, vibrant communities where everyone can thrive. Collaborating closely with both the Jewish and general community, the Foundation provides grants to nonprofits in the United States and Israel that equip people to secure safe and affordable housing; lead healthy lives; obtain and keep good jobs; engage in high-quality educational and developmental opportunities; and, later in life, remain independent and age with dignity.

LEarn More

Questions?

Have questions about the Baltimore City Community Grants Program?

Please contact Program Administrator Maya Smith.

Email Maya
Give Now
Fund Portal

Stay Connected

How Can We Help?

David Kanter

Donor Services Officer

How Can We Help?

Nanyamka Hales

Donor Services Officer

How Can We Help?

Dara Schnee

VP of Philanthropy

Contact Dara Schnee, VP of Philanthropy, for a confidential, in-depth consultation about these and other giving options, tax benefits of each and how they can help to achieve your financial and charitable giving goals.

How Can We Help?

If you need assistance with Donor Central, please fill out the form below or call (410) 332-4171 with any questions you have and we will respond as soon as possible.

Select all that apply:

How Can We Help?

BCF Community Investment Team is here to help. Please fill out the form below with any questions you have and we will respond as soon as possible.

A New Look

[insert page='a-new-look' display='content']

Please Download

[wpdm_package id='19503']
[wpdm_package id='19509']

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

Please fill out this form and select the documents you are requesting.