The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHoCo) has announced its 2023 community grant awards supporting nonprofits throughout Howard County, Maryland. A total of $200,000 will be distributed across 49 organizations to improve the lives of residents across the community.
“The Community Foundation of Howard County is pleased to support so many outstanding nonprofits directly benefiting the lives of people in our community,” said Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the foundation. “With a mission of inspiring lifelong giving and connecting people, places and organizations to worthy causes across Howard County, our donors trust us to be the hub for philanthropic connections to ensure financial resources get in the hands of the nonprofits that can provide the greatest impact. We believe that local giving means better living for all of us.”
The 2023 grants were part of an open grant application process in which any eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit in Howard County could submit a request for funding. The CFHoCo community grants allow for flexible use of the funds for operating or programmatic needs.
A grants committee, comprised of CFHoCo board members and community volunteers, painstakingly reviewed every grant request. A total of 64 grant applications were received for consideration.
“The Community Foundation of Howard County carried forward its tradition of awarding a large number of grants supporting the range of community impact activities,” said Jim Sanders, CFHoCo Board of Trustees member and chair of the grants committee. “The community model means that the focus is to acknowledge and support the diversity of interests and talents in the community. The community grant program is one of the many CFHoCo programs focused in building capacity, recognizing impact and highlighting progress.”
“I think it’s important for the community to realize how certain individuals led an effort to increase the pool of money available for Community Grants program this year,” said Dan Flynn, director of development, marketing and communications at CFHoCo. “In addition to unrestricted dollars budgeted for Community Grants, members of our Board of Trustees, our foundation staff, a few individual donors and one of our corporate community partners, BGE, all stepped up in a big way to provide funds for our Community Grants.”
Below is a summary of each of the 49 organizations who will receive community grants from the Community Foundation of Howard County:
A Home of Our Own Howard, $3,000, providing furniture and household items to individuals, veterans, and families in Howard County Maryland who are transitioning from homelessness.
AOK Mentoring & Tutoring, Inc., $2,500, providing tutoring and support to Howard County elementary and middle school students in order to enhance their academic, social, and emotional development.
Asian American Healthcare Center, Inc., $1,000, providing culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible screening, treatment and healthcare services to Howard County Asian residents.
Association of Community Services of Howard County, $4,000, to support organizational operations.
Bridges to Housing Stability Inc., $5,000, supporting organization’s housing and homelessness prevention programs.
Building Families for Children, $5,000, providing mental health services and support to families and foster families in Howard County.
Camp Attaway, $4,000, supporting one-of a-kind Howard County therapeutic recreation program for children ages 7-13 with complex emotional and behavioral disorders.
Candlelight Concert Society, $4,000, supporting community outreach services and concert performances.
Columbia Area Mothers of Multiples, $1000, supporting families of multiples in Howard county with support, education and advocacy.
Columbia Festival of the Arts, $5,000, supporting the world class Howard County celebration of the arts and entertainment in efforts to continue as a diverse and accessible to all community festival.
The Columbia Orchestra, $4,000, supporting community outreach services and concert performances.
Community Action Council of Howard County, $5,000, supporting program areas of early child education, energy assistance, homeless prevention, and food assistance.
Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY), $1,000, supporting LGBTQ+ students, staff and families in Howard County Public Schools through community partnerships and allies.
Down Syndrome Association of Maryland, $5,000, supporting individuals with Down Syndrome and their families, with information, support and advocacy.
Merriweather Arts and Culture Commission, $5,000, supporting enrichment opportunities for students to engage with and learn from professional touring musicians who focus on social justice and support community building.
Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park, $5,000, supporting accessible, adaptive programming at Patapsco Valley State Park and promoting sustainability, preservation and restoration of the natural resources.
Friends & Foundation of the Howard County Library System, $5,000, supporting Howard County Library youth educational programming.
Fuel Fund of Maryland, $4,000, providing financial assistance through utility crisis intervention programs to vulnerable Howard County families for heat and home utility needs.
Get on the Bus, $1,000, supporting access and transportation to after school programming and recreational activities for Title 1 school students in Howard County.
Girls on the Run Central Maryland, $4,000, supporting physical activity-based after school youth development programs for 3rd-8th grade Howard County girls.
Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, $4,000, supporting 24-hour crisis intervention services including shelter, housing and mental health services.
HC DrugFree, $5,000, to provide substance abuse and behavioral health education/prevention services to the Howard County community.
HopeWorks of Howard County, $5,000, supporting services for people in Howard County affected by sexual and intimate partner violence.
Howard Community College Educational Foundation, $5,000, supporting scholarships, grants and programs that benefit students at Howard Community College.
Autism Society of Maryland, $5,000, supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families, with information, support and advocacy.
Howard County Conservancy, $5,000, supporting the nature and environmental programs and services.
Howard County Poetry and Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo), $3,000, supporting cultivation and appreciation for contemporary poetry and literature, for culturally diverse literary heritages, and to broaden exposure to the literary arts in Howard County.
Howard EcoWorks, $4.000, supporting Howard County workforce development and environmental programs that strengthen the local environment and climate-focused community leadership.
Humanim, Inc., $4,000, supporting the Howard County programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, $4,000, Supporting experiential learning in the areas of financial literacy, workforce development and entrepreneurial skill building for Howard County students.
JustLiving Advocacy, $4,000, supporting services for Howard County single mothers to increase economically self-sufficiency and improve family health and educational outcomes.
Leadership Howard County, $4,000, supporting the educational and experiential leadership programs offered to Howard County youth and adults.
Maryland Coalition of Families, $5,000, providing peer support services for Howard County individuals and families with someone experiencing mental health, substance use or problem gambling challenges.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, $4,000, supporting home-delivered meals for home-bound Howard County seniors.
NAMI Howard County, $5,000, providing support, education and advocacy for those living with mental illness and their families in Howard County.
National Family Resiliency Center, $5,000, supporting the counseling, education and support programs provided for Howard County families experiencing crisis.
Neighbor Ride, $5,000, supporting transportation services for Howard County seniors.
Oakland Mills United, $3,000, providing support for Oakland Mills students, schools, and community through education, enrichment, and student well-being.
Rebuilding Together Howard County, $4,000, supporting the volunteer-based home repair program for Howard County’s vulnerable populations.
Respite Retreats, $4,000, providing retreats of respite to cancer patients, their caregivers, and families in Howard County.
Sobar, $3,000, providing a variety of innovative non-alcoholic beverage options to Howard County by hosting alcohol-free bars and events and working to reduce the stigma of choosing not to drink alcohol.
Special Olympics Maryland, $5,000, supporting a variety of unified, Olympic-type sports programs with training and athletic competition for Howard County individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The Arc of Howard County, $5,000, supporting full community life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Howard County.
The Community Ecology Institute, $5,000, supporting Freetown Farm and programs focusing on and benefiting the environment, education, equity, and health in Howard County.
The Village in Howard County, $4,000, providing mutual support, services and activities, and coordinating with public and private resources to enable Howard County residents 55 and older to actively age in place.
Touch Stones Financial Wellness Services Company, $2,500, supporting low to moderate income families and individuals through financial counseling and literacy education programs.
Voices for Children, $5,000, supporting volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) services for Howard County youth in foster care.
Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, $5,000, supporting the Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center, a permanent supportive housing program for individuals who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Winter Growth, Inc., $5,000, supporting assisted living, adult daycare and community transportation for seniors and disabled adults in Howard County.