More funders are providing general operating support to BIPOC-led organizations. But is it enough? Our research suggests that acting in true alignment and solidarity with BIPOC communities requires more: that funders begin to fundamentally shift the way they think about and use their resources, power, and privilege
The Prenatal-to-Five (PN-5) Affinity Group was created to help funders who are interested in supporting expectant parents, and children from birth through age five and their families improve their grantmaking by learning more about initiatives, educational research, and best practices. More details about the agenda and speakers will be available soon!
Maryland Philanthropy Network members interested in attending for the first time are encouraged to reach out to Marlo Nash prior to attending a meeting.
Maryland Philanthropy Network's Strategic Frame was a labor of love comprising the work of our board and staff and the feedback of the dynamic community of funders that makes MPN possible. As a membership organization, we rely on our members not just for the vibrancy they bring to our community, but also to hold us accountable to the strategy we set forth. We encourage you to read through the entire Strategic Frame including our updated mission, vision, and north star.
Maryland Philanthropy Network invites the staff and board members of nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations and social enterprises to our recurring program on foundations and the broader landscape of philanthropy in Maryland. This learning opportunity is most appropriate to new grantseekers and to nonprofit organizations in Baltimore and central Maryland. The webinar provides basic knowledge of foundations and other grantmakers and resources for finding funders/funding opportunities.
Join Maryland Philanthropy Network’s evolving Emergent Philanthropy Roundtable, to discuss Darren Walker’s book, From Generosity to Justice: A New Gospel of Wealth. This peer discussion will focus on the first two chapters, which include pages 1 - 48.
Maryland Philanthropy Network invites the staff and board members of nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations and social enterprises to our recurring program on foundations and the broader landscape of philanthropy in Maryland. This learning opportunity is most appropriate to new grantseekers and to nonprofit organizations in Baltimore and central Maryland. The webinar provides basic knowledge of foundations and other grantmakers and resources for finding funders/funding opportunities.
All MPN members are invited to join the Prenatal-to-Five (PN-5) Affinity Group for a conversation featuring the Bainum Family Foundation's WeVision EarlyEd Initiative, which is a catalyst for making the ideal child care real — as defined by those closest to the system: families, educators and administrators. WeVision EarlyEd is designed to guide necessary conversations and test ideal solutions, beginning with the District of Columbia and then influencing other communities across the nation. Attendees will learn details about the initiative, insights and ideas captured thus far, the Foundation’s investments to begin to test ideal solutions, as well as future plans.
This new national research report from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, Colmena-Consulting, and Philanthropy Together explores the transformative impact of collective giving on philanthropy. The report underscores collective giving groups’ role in reshaping philanthropic practices, fostering social connections, and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.
Maryland Philanthropy Network invites the staff and board members of nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations and social enterprises to our recurring program on foundations and the broader landscape of philanthropy in Maryland. This learning opportunity is most appropriate to new grantseekers and to nonprofit organizations in Baltimore and central Maryland. The webinar provides basic knowledge of foundations and other grantmakers and resources for finding funders/funding opportunities.
Join Maryland Philanthropy Network for a virtual conversation to learn about the recovery effort over the past two months including an update from the Governor's Office and on the philanthropic response from the three established funds - Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Key Bridge Fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation, the City of Baltimore’s Key Bridge Emergency Response Fund, and the Bridging the Gap Fund of United Way of Central Maryland. We will also have a data presentation from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council on the regional impact of the Key Bridge collapse and the effects on jobs, transportation, and environmental justice.
“May the dignity of your fellow be as dear to you as your own.”
Racial equity is crucial to effective philanthropy, and lean foundations—those with few or no staff—are uniquely positioned to make a significant impact. Exponent Philanthropy's 2024 publication, “Racial Equity in Lean Foundations: The Lean Funder’s Equity Journey,” delves into how these foundations are incorporating racial equity into their work to drive better decisions, achieve more equitable outcomes, and amplify their philanthropic impact.
With more than 1,430 foundations in Maryland and a growing landscape of corporate funders, donor-advised funds, giving circles, and public charities, the first step to grant seeking is understanding the basic operations of organized giving.
This report explores food procurement processes in state and private higher educational institutions in Baltimore and identifies a range of strategies to more fully realize local purchasing power. The report recommends actions to support local minority business enterprises and small businesses, modifications to procurement processes, and outlines legislative opportunities to connect state agency and institutional purchasing power to businesses in targeted reinvestment areas. Many of the recommendations are applicable not just to food but other services and commodities as well.
Baltimore’s Promise, in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, recently announced a package of 10 grants totaling roughly $525,000 through its Youth Grantmakers Initiative. The effort, which featured a group of 15 Baltimore-area youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 25 in prominent design and decision-making roles, granted funds to 10 local organizations.
Join Maryland Philanthropy Network for a conversation at the nexus of education and health. Together, we will explore how schools are responding to children in mental health crisis, how those students are being supported, what this looks like in practice, and ways the philanthropic community can be supportive.
Grantmakers commonly invest time developing and strengthening relationships with their grantees and community-based partners in their fields of interest.
Nationally, 22 percent of all foundation grants invest in quality private and public education, which makes education second only to health as a grantmaking area.