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.
An effective youth strategy depends on consistent opportunities, delivered by local organizations. The Baltimore Children & Youth Fund provides long-term funding and professional development to strengthen these organizations' capacity.
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Federal legislation passed last year has made a record amount of public funds available.
The Maryland State Arts Council has contracted with SocialRx (formerly Art Pharmacy) to establish an arts prescribing program in Maryland. Join MPN’s Arts and Health Funders Affinity Groups to learn more about social prescribing, the work plan for Maryland, and how it will benefit arts and cultural organizations as well as residents. A San Diego-based funder involved in this work will also share their experience.
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View Materials for "Baltimore's Promise Update – March 2019."
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View Materials from Prenatal to Five Impact Collaborative June Meeting
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Maryland Philanthropy Network members are invited to join Julia Baez, Executive Director of Baltimore’s Promise and Danielle Torain, Director of Open Society Institute - Baltimore, to hear about and discuss Baltimore Invest, a unique collaborative funding opportunity.
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Program resources from "Baltimore City's Children and Youth Fund Update"
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View materials from Housing Funder Huddle - February 2026.
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View materials from "Fundamentals of the Maryland Total Cost of Care Model and Current Priorities".
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Program Resources for A Conversation with Dr. Karen Salmon, Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools
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View Materials from Funders Together to End Homelessness – Baltimore Meeting - November 2021
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View program materials from "A Conversation with Dr. Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Schools 2019"
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View materials from "A Conversation with Dr. Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Schools"
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View materials from Food for Health at all Ages.
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I had the great pleasure of working with Maryland Philanthropy Network on the Next Generation Project this winter. Working closely with Betsy and Adam, I served as overall project manager. It was a wonderful way to connect my experience with Maryland Philanthropy Network as member of a local family foundation and my work as a social enterprise consultant.
The philanthropic sector is an ecosystem: a web of interdependent actors, infinitely variable, striving constantly to build something greater than the sum of its parts. Philanthropy is also getting organized and reorganized. Funding collaboratives, unionized labor, new governance structures — individual actors are making moves, coming together to cause change on a broader scale. As ideas and methods gain attention, they introduce yet more dynamism to the environment. Today, we see this push-pull at work. In 2023 and beyond, we’ll see how it plays out. Check out the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy's 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2023 Report to help you anticipate and embrace what’s next.

