BCF awarded more than $19 million to the community in 2019. Many of our grants come from donor-advised funds that are not open to requests for funding. However, some donors also give unrestricted gifts to BCF, or gifts restricted for a particular purpose such as education, arts, human services, or neighborhoods. These gifts support BCF’s strategic grantmaking, which promotes the success of Baltimore’s young people by supporting effective public schools and equipping neighborhoods with the resources they need.
BCF Grants to Strengthen schools
& communities
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Generally speaking, our grantmaking committees meet quarterly so most proposals receive a decision within three months. Proposals must serve the residents of Baltimore City and/or Baltimore County. While we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the nonprofit sector and some modifications are necessary to traditional school and community work, our long-term goals of strengthening schools and neighborhoods remain the same.
We fund proposals that address the following areas
Building Stronger Neighborhoods Regionwide
Early Learning & Judy Centers
School Leadership
Place-Based Grantmaking in Selected School Communities
Other Grant Opportunities
BCF hosts a number of other funds and grant programs that accept applications for specific purposes, including funds established to benefit public agencies.
The Baker-King Foundation was incorporated in 1954 by John T. King, Jr., M.D., a Baltimore physician, and his wife Charlotte Baker King. Generally, the fund has supported non-profits operating in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. Particular emphasis is on medical, educational and child welfare organizations. Grants awarded range from $500 to $2,500. To apply, please send a letter and supporting documents with your request via e-mail to bakerkingfundbcf@gmail.com
Areas of interest: Medicine, education, and child welfare.
The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund was established in 1964 by Mary S. Baker in memory of her husband. Awarding grants that range from $1,500 to $45,000 the Baker Fund continues its founders’ civic-minded philanthropic tradition benefiting the residents of the greater Baltimore area.
Areas of interest: Arts and culture.
Baltimore City has long struggled with many challenges, including outdated or problematic structural issues. BFP seeks organizations who have been historically left out of traditional funding streams and whose organizations are taking on BOLD structural reform campaigns. These campaigns should be radical and visionary in nature, and have the ability to shift power from the people who have it to the communities who need it.
Areas of interest: Promote self-sufficiency for women and their families.
Eligibility: Organizations (or their fiscal agents) serving the Baltimore area that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Programs primarily serving serve women and their families living in Baltimore City or Baltimore County.
Areas of interest: Arts, education, and health (HIV/AIDS and cancer).
Eligibility: Organizations (or their fiscal agents) serving the Baltimore area that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, serving the Baltimore area that do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, color, physical handicap, gender or sexual orientation.
Areas of interest: Funding for camperships that give disadvantaged and disabled metropolitan Baltimore children the benefits of a summer camp experience.
Eligibility: Organizations (or their fiscal agents) serving the Baltimore area that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, that operate a day or residential summer camp program.
The Mitzvah Fund for Good Deeds provides mini-grants to nonprofit organizations serving Baltimore City to facilitate their good works in neighborhoods and schools. Apply for a project whose budget is no more than $10,000.
Areas of interest: Programs in mental health, aging, health, and higher education.
Eligibility: Organizations (or their fiscal agents) that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, color, physical handicap, gender or sexual orientation.
With recent funding received from Facebook, BCF has designed a grant program for nonprofits providing programs or services that directly support the resiliency of Black people and communities, with a preference for nonprofits that are Black-led and geographically located within the focus neighborhoods
