The Baltimore Community Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the Black Philanthropy Circle. The Black Philanthropy Circle is a nonprofit 501(c)3 donor-advised fund focused on charitable giving to nonprofits that directly support Black people and communities in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Founded by a group of more than 30 Black business and civic leaders, the Black Philanthropy Circle was established to cultivate an inclusive philanthropic community, to build the capacity of Baltimore’s Black nonprofits, and to impact Greater Baltimore’s Black community at large.

Baltimore City depends on nonprofits to provide services, particularly in Black and low-income communities. A reliable contract with the city can allow a nonprofit to expand, serve more residents, and build the employment base of the city. However, longstanding delays in contracting and payment of city partners leave some non­profits asking if the barriers to accessing city funding are worth the effort. This Abell Report asks what causes the delays in the City's contracting process with nonprofits and how can those delays be fixed?