In early 2025, nonprofits across the Greater Washington, DC region faced a perfect storm: sudden funding losses, rising demand for services, and deep uncertainty. A July survey of more than 240 local nonprofits found 38% had lost federal funding. Yet, far more, 61%, reported being affected by policy changes overall, showing the impact goes well beyond federal grant dollars. In response, the Greater Washington Community Foundation launched the Community Resilience Initiative to help nonprofits continue their work without disruption. From the outset, the initiative was anchored in flexibility, collaboration, and data. Based on insights from the survey and ongoing conversations with nonprofits, three things became clear early on.

At the corner of North and Cecil Avenues in Central Baltimore sits the newly constructed home of Roberta’s House. The building represents a transformational investment designed to bring new life to a vacant block that was previously occupied by rowhomes. This piece tells the story of lessons from the Greenmount Life, Opportunity, and Wellness (GLOW) Initiative, a new effort to concentrate financial and social investment in select neighborhoods that have long experienced underinvestment.