Baltimore City Community Grants Program: Capital Grants - Housing

Baltimore City Community Grants Program

This program was created to provide support to small nonprofits with an annual operating budget of $500,000 or less that provide direct services to low-income individuals and families in Baltimore City. Eligible organizations may apply for up to $20,000 to assist with general operating expenses, program, or capital costs, including equipment purchases, capacity building (e.g., evaluation and audit costs), and other eligible expenses.

Housing

Stable housing provides a foundation for individuals, children, and families to lead healthy and productive lives. Without a place to call home, individuals and families cannot put themselves on a path to a healthy, stronger future.

Priorities

• Housing With Supportive Services: The Foundation supports nonprofit housing development to accelerate the production of affordable housing that integrates into the broader community and includes services to help people achieve and maintain stability.
  • Examples of appropriate projects:
  • Permanent supportive housing developments or units serving people who are exiting homelessness.
  • Working capital for predevelopment of supportive housing or to build nonprofit developers’ capacity to create more housing, such as expanding their real estate development teams.
• Community-Led Development: The Foundation supports innovative, community-driven efforts that preserve affordable housing for generations. Projects should have the potential for replication or expansion and enable residents to live and thrive in their home communities.
  • Examples of appropriate projects:
  • Community land trusts primarily in Baltimore and Hawaiʻi that prioritize people experiencing housing instability.
  • Models for community ownership or community wealth building to prevent resident displacement.
  • Mixed-income housing integrated into the community that is designed by and for individuals who are often marginalized, such as people with disabilities, youth, and residents of rural areas.
• Coordinated Responses to Homelessness: The Foundation supports projects to improve collaboration across public systems and organizations that serve people without housing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Projects should involve individuals who have been homeless to inform planning and implementation.
  • Examples of appropriate projects:
  • Partnerships to coordinate services across organizations that address homelessness. Projects should demonstrate how the work improves the lives of people served.
  • Leadership development and other opportunities for people who have experienced homelessness to participate in planning and decision making about programs designed to serve them.
  • Models for sustainable funding of supportive services that help people maintain housing.

More information is found here.

Capital Grants

Capital grants fund the purchase, construction, and/or renovation of a building; the purchase of major equipment; home modifications for low-income homeowners; and select technology projects.

To qualify for capital grant consideration, the proposed project must meet the following criteria:

• Specific, confirmed plans, including value-engineered drawings and confirmed total project costs.
• At least 50% of project costs have been raised (either pledged or received).
• Direct services provided as a result of the project should align with the Foundation’s funding priorities in its focus areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Aging.

The Foundation’s charter also sets a threshold for the total funding that it can provide to any one capital project at a maximum of 30%. However, grants are often approved for lower amounts.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• Nonprofits that receive a grant under this program may reapply each year, provided all eligibility and reporting requirements are met.
• Geographic Focus Areas:
  • The Baltimore City Community Grants program is only available to organizations in Baltimore City.
• To be considered for funding, an organization must meet several requirements:
  • Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status; or have a fiscal sponsor that has 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
  • Provide direct services to low-income and vulnerable populations.
  • Have audited financial statements or external financial reviews.
  • Have been in operation for at least three years.
• To be considered for funding, an organization must meet several prerequisite requirements:
  • An organization seeking funding may be engaged in advocacy but primarily must provide direct services.
  • Organizations must also submit the following documents:
  • A letter from their professional leader on the organization’s letterhead outlining the specific request for funding along with a summary of the organization (not to exceed two pages).
  • The letter should include the following information:
  • A copy of the organization’s mission statement demonstrating a commitment to providing direct services to low-income people in Baltimore City.
  • Population served and total estimated number of unique individuals served annually.
  • Specific purpose of grant request, including how the organization will use the funds, including the area of focus—Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, Aging, or other (if other, please describe).
  • Any previous contact with the Weinberg Foundation.
  • Specific dollar amount requested (up to $20,000).
  • Total organizational budget, not including any in-kind funds.
  • Specific contact information for one person from the organization, including name, title, phone, address, and email address.
  • Proof of 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor.
  • A copy of the organization’s most recent 990 filing.
  • If the organization is only required to file a 990-N with the Internal Revenue Service, please submit the 990-N along with a completed and signed 990-EZ or 990.
  • The Foundation will not accept a 990-N alone.
  • A copy of the organization’s budget for the current and previous year, including confirmation that the annual operating budget is less than $500,000.
  • A list of the organization’s board of directors and staff.

Ineligibility

• The Foundation does not fund advocacy work.
• An organization seeking funding may not be a current grantee through either the Small Grants Program or the regular grants process.
  • However, nonprofits funded through the Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative may be considered under this program.
• The Foundation does not fund the following interests/entities:
  • Individuals
  • Arts and culture
  • Postsecondary scholarships
  • Debt reduction
  • Colleges and universities
  • Religious institutions and facilities (including churches, congregations, mosques, synagogues, and temples)
  • Think tanks
  • Endowments
  • Political action groups
  • Annual appeals (in most cases)
  • Publications
  • Academic or health research
  • Fundraising events