Grant Criteria

Grants are awarded to non-profit organizations whose projects and services promote self-sufficiency for women and their families.

Grants are awarded to organizations whose activities are directed toward supporting women of all ages and their families to live healthy, safe, and productive lives. Grants will focus on assisting those who are economically disadvantaged. 

Projects addressing housing, addiction, financial literacy, education, health services, parenting, life skills, mentoring, workforce development, legal services, and violence prevention are examples of the types of projects funded. This list is not intended to be inclusive.

Geographic Focus

Projects must demonstrate that Giving Circle funds are used primarily in Baltimore City or Baltimore County.

Organizations Eligible for Funding

An applicant must qualify as a not-for-profit organization, or have a fiscal agent which qualifies as a not-for-profit organization, under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The following are not eligible for funding:

  • Organizational endowments
  • Capital improvements, fixtures, furniture and equipment, except for items that directly benefit program participants
  • Purchase of event tickets or event sponsorships
  • Deficit reduction
  • Annual drives or annual giving campaigns
  • Political activities or political action committees
  • Programs requiring adherence to or acceptance of a particular religious belief, or programs requiring participation in a religious service or activity.

Grant Awards

Grants are awarded in amounts up to $25,000. Awards are made for a grant cycle beginning on July 1 of the award year and ending on June 30 of the following year. All grant funds must be expended during this time period. This restricted grant may be used only for the purpose stated in the grant application. If a funded project is not implemented, grant funds must be returned to the BWGC. If a project is discontinued during the grant period, unexpended funds must be returned to the BWGC.

Apply for Grant Awards

An organization may submit only one grant proposal per grant cycle.
There are two exceptions to this policy:

  1. Large “umbrella” organizations, such as universities that have multiple independent, discrete entities, each of which is under separate executive leadership (such as a school or agency). Such independent, discrete entities may submit grant proposals for the same year.
  2. Independent, discrete entities that have separate executive leadership and are linked only by sharing the same fiscal agent. Any such entity may submit a grant proposal for a particular year, regardless of whether another entity sharing the same fiscal agent also applies for a grant.

Reapplying for Grant Awards

An organization that receives a grant cannot be funded two years in a row. Organizations that receive funding may reapply after the following conditions have been met: (1) the funds granted have been spent as specified in the grant application; and (2) the organization has complied with all other conditions of the grant, including participating in site visits and/or interviews and submitting the final report.

For example, assuming the above conditions have been met, an organization receiving a grant beginning July 2021 would be eligible to receive another grant beginning July 2023.  An organization that did not receive a grant in a funding cycle is eligible to reapply for a grant for that same project or any other project within the organization during the next grant cycle.

There are two exceptions to this policy

  1. Large “umbrella” organizations, such as universities that have multiple independent, discrete entities, each of which is under separate executive leadership (such as a school or agency). Such independent, discrete entities that have received funding for a project may not reapply until the conditions outlined above have been met. A different entity may apply for a grant regardless of the funding status of the other entities under the same umbrella organization.
  2. Independent, discrete entities that have separate executive leadership and are linked only by sharing the same fiscal agent. An entity that has received funding for a project may not reapply until the conditions outlined above have been met. A different entity may apply for a grant regardless of the funding status of other entities using the same fiscal agent.

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