The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHoCo) has announced its 2024 Community Grants awards supporting nonprofits throughout Howard County, Maryland. A total of $185,500 will be distributed across 50 organizations to improve the lives of residents across the region.
“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 2024 grants were part of an open grant application process in which any eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit serving 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 72 grant applications were received for consideration.
“The Community Foundation of Howard County delivered on its tradition of awarding a large number of grants supporting the range of community impact activities,” stated Barbara Rishel, chair of the CFHoCo Board of Trustees. “The community model means that the focus is to acknowledge and support the diversity of interests and talents in the community. While the annual Community Grants program only represent about 10 percent of all of our annual grant awards, the Community Grants are 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 the Foundation’s Community Grants program again this year,” said Dan Flynn, director of development, marketing and communications at CFHoCo. “In addition to unrestricted dollars budgeted for Community Grants, 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 program.”
Below is alphabetical summary of each of the 50 grants recipients:
A Home of Our Own Howard, $1,500, providing furniture and household items to individuals, veterans, and families in Howard County Maryland who are transitioning from homelessness.
AOK Mentoring & Tutoring, Inc., $1,500, providing tutoring and support to Howard County elementary and middle school students in order to enhance their academic, social, and emotional development.
Association of Community Services of Howard County, $5,000, to support organizational operations that strengthen the nonprofit community supporting Howard County.
Autism Society of Maryland, $5,000, supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families, with information, support, and advocacy.
Best Buddies, $2,500, supporting the volunteer programing of One-to-One Friendship, Integrated Employment, and Leadership Development for Howard County individuals with and without disabilities.
Bridges to Housing Stability Inc., $4,000, supporting housing solutions, advocacy services, and homelessness prevention programs.
Building Families for Children, $4,000, supporting mental health services and support services to families and foster families in Howard County.
Camp Attaway, $4,000, supporting one-of a-kind Howard County therapeutic recreation program for 7-13-year-old youth with complex emotional and behavioral disorders.
Center for Creative Life and Learning, Inc., $4,000, supporting education and leadership programing to develop resiliency skills for 14-17-year-old Howard County youth.
Columbia Festival of the Arts, $4,000, 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.
Down Syndrome Association of Maryland, $1,500, supporting individuals with Down Syndrome and their families, with information, support and advocacy.
Ethiopian Community Empowerment Center, $1,000, supporting services strengthening well-being and self-sufficiency for Howard County community members of Ethiopian descent.
Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park, $4,000, 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.
Generation Teach Inc., $5,000, supporting high quality summer learning opportunities for Howard County elementary and middle school students at the GT STEAM Academy.
Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, $4,000, supporting 24-hour crisis intervention services including shelter, housing and mental health services.
HC DrugFree, $2,000, to provide substance abuse and behavioral health education/prevention services to the Howard County community.
HopeWorks of Howard County, $4,000, supporting services for people in Howard County affected by sexual and intimate partner violence.
Howard County Conservancy, $5,000, supporting the nature and environmental programs and services.
Howard County Historical Society, $5,000, supporting the facilities, research, collections, and presentations of the primary historical repository for Howard County.
Howard County Poetry and Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo), $3,500, 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., $5,000, supporting the Howard County programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Islamic Leadership Institute of America, $4,000, supporting educational and leadership programs focused on 14-17-year-old Howard County youth with social, economic, or educational challenges.
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, $5,000, supporting experiential learning in the areas of financial literacy, workforce development and entrepreneurial skill building for Howard County students.
Korean American Senior Association of Howard County, $1,000, supporting educational, social, and cultural programing to enhance the lives of Korean American Seniors living in Howard County.
Leadership Howard County, $5,000, supporting the educational and experiential leadership programs offered to Howard County youth and adults.
Luminus, $4,000, supporting the Luminus Network for New Americans providing resources, information, and direct assistance for immigrants in Howard County.
MakingChange, Inc., $4,000, supporting client focused financial education and financial services for low-to-moderate income Howard County community members.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, $4,000, supporting home-delivered meals for home-bound Howard County seniors.
Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center, Inc., $5,000, supporting accessible and affordable conflict resolution services and education for Howard County community members.
Merriweather Arts and Culture Commission, $4,000, supporting enrichment opportunities for students to engage with and learn from professional touring musicians who focus on social justice and support community building.
Misako Ballet Company, $1,500, supporting classical ballet and Japanese-themed cultural performances for the Howard County community.
NAMI Howard County, $4,000, providing support, education and advocacy for those living with mental illness and their families in Howard County.
National Family Resiliency Center, $2,000, supporting the counseling, education and support programs provided for Howard County families experiencing crisis.
Neighbor Ride, $5,000, supporting transportation and supportive services for Howard County seniors.
Ohana of Howard County, Inc., $4,000, supporting Howard County students to overcome barriers and achieve self-defined success through mentorship and building diverse community connections.
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, $2,500, 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, $4,000, 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 Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, Inc., $4,000, supporting youth education through the arts by creating theatrical experiences for special needs and at-risk youth 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 Iris Music Project, $1,000, supporting community-embedded musicianship in residential and healthcare communities serving older adults in Howard County.
Touch Stones Financial Wellness Services Company, $1,000, supporting low to moderate income families and individuals through financial counseling and literacy education programs.
Voices for Children, $4,000, supporting volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) services for Howard County youth in foster care.
Winter Growth, Inc., $5,000, supporting assisted living, adult daycare and community transportation for seniors and disabled adults in Howard County.
About the Community Foundation of Howard County
For more than 50 years, the Community Foundation of Howard County has served as a knowledgeable, trusted partner that forges connections between donors and nonprofit organizations to provide impactful investments in Howard County. In 2023 the foundation awarded a total of more than $1.7 million across 423 grants and scholarships to organizations delivering human services, arts and cultural, educational and civic programs. Funds to support grant programs comes primarily from income generated by the foundation’s endowment supported by more than 400 funds established by Howard County businesses, families and individuals. For more information, visit CFHoCo.org or call 410-730-7840.