Deadline: 01-Aug-20
Applications are now open for the Abell Foundation 2020 grants program.
The Foundation funds nonprofit organizations located and active in Maryland. The focus is on Baltimore City, with more than 95 percent of grants being awarded to organizations in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
The Abell Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life in Maryland, with a focus on Baltimore City. The Foundation is committed to improving the lives of underserved populations by supporting innovative, results-oriented efforts to solve systemic social, economic, and environmental problems.
Areas of Interest
The Foundation’s grants fall into seven areas of interest:
- Education
- Workforce Development
- Health and Human Services
- Community Development
- Criminal Justice and Addiction
- Environment
- Arts
Funding Information
The Foundation awards three types of grants:
- seed funding for start-ups and demonstration programs aimed at finding innovative solutions to recalcitrant problems;
- support for ongoing projects that provide much-needed services; and
- capital grants that support new construction, renovation, purchase of property, and/or capital equipment.
Please note: that the Foundation prefers not to fund ongoing operational expenses. It does not award grants to individuals, sponsorships, deficit financing, or travel.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Foundation accepts requests for programs serving disadvantaged communities, with a particular focus on Baltimore City.
- Nonprofit organizations must be designated by the IRS as 501c3 and 509a organizations.
- Applicants must include a copy of their latest IRS determination letter and federal tax identification number (EIN). While all internet browsers support application, Google Chrome is the preferred browser.
Application Process
- For Grant Requests Greater than $5,000:
- Step 1: Letter of Inquiry
- The Foundation requests that applications for new grants in excess of $5,000 are initiated by providing a letter of inquiry. A letter of inquiry should include:
- Description of the project;
- Amount requested;
- Total budget:
- Population served.
- The Foundation requests that applications for new grants in excess of $5,000 are initiated by providing a letter of inquiry. A letter of inquiry should include:
- Step 1: Letter of Inquiry
- For Small Grant Requests ($5,000 or less):
- The Abell Foundation is dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life in Maryland, with a focus on Baltimore City. The Foundation is committed to improving the lives of underserved populations by supporting innovative, results-oriented efforts to solve systemic social, economic, and environmental problems.
Evaluation Criteria
The Foundation selects projects to be awarded grants based on the following criteria:
- a well-articulated mission;
- demonstration of need and clearly defined goals and objectives;
- potential to take innovative approaches to solving problems;
- ability to demonstrate impact by providing measurable results;
- capacity to advance knowledge base in field;
- enhancement of opportunities for beneficiaries to improve their quality of life;
- enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness of services;
- internal capacity to achieve expected goals; and
- evidence of strong financial stability and ability to leverage other sources of funding.
The Foundation regrets that its resources are limited and that it is not able to support all good ideas and worthy proposals.
For more information, visit https://www.abell.org/applying-funding