France-Merrick Foundation’s Grant

Deadline: 1-Sep-21

The France-Merrick Foundation concentrates its grant making within the state of Maryland with a primary focus on the Greater Baltimore area.

The Foundation favors one-time, project-oriented requests which have defined beginnings and endings, as opposed to annual giving or ongoing operational support. Funding is targeted to organizations that already demonstrate the ability to sustain their work and are looking to the Foundation to provide one-time funding to enhance the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission over time. The Foundation’s funding is aimed at increasing capacity of organizations to have a positive impact on lives and communities.

Focus Areas

Civic & Culture: The Foundation has had a consistent commitment to supporting the region’s civic and cultural vitality believing that is a key component for a healthy, livable community. Within the civic arena, priority is placed on projects that reinforce civic pride amongst residents, improve livability for residents, promote Baltimore as a strong and vibrant city, and help attract tourism to Baltimore.
Community & Economic Development: The Foundation has a history of supporting neighborhoods and communities with a legacy focus on East Baltimore. The foundation prioritizes workforce development, economic development and neighborhood stabilization.
Environment: The Foundation has been dedicated for decades to supporting organizations that are involved in preserving and protecting the waters and natural areas in the State of Maryland. The continued increase of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is leading to global changes in the climate.
Education: The Foundation’s education funding is its largest area of focus, representing over 40% of annual grants. The Foundation supports K-12 public education, independent private school education and higher education, including these priority areas of interest:
- K-12 Education/Out-of-School Time (OST)
  - Public/OST: The Foundation supports projects directed toward improving educational quality and equity in Baltimore City with the understanding that education is a prerequisite to a strong civil society and an employed workforce—two keys to a better Baltimore.
  - Private: The Foundation funds independent private schools for both capital projects and scholarships. The scholarship support is intended to help increase diversity and inclusion as well as provide positive educational experiences to qualified students, regardless of income.
- Higher Education
  - Post-Secondary Student Success: The Foundation aims to increase the number of students who access and complete two- and four-year colleges and universities – especially low-income and working class, first generation, and underrepresented students in the Greater Baltimore area. One way to accomplish this is reducing cost as a barrier to college entry and completion.
  - Anchor Institutions: The Foundation has always been interested in the role that colleges and universities play in their surrounding communities. More explicitly than in the past, the Foundation aims to leverage the intellectual and economic capital of higher education anchor institutions to positively impact their surrounding communities by assisting with strong community engagement, neighborhood revitalization, local hiring, career pathways and other economic development partnershipss
Health & Human Services: The Foundation’s grants in this area often assist people that face multiple disadvantages, and funding has evolved to support programs that focus on helping individuals improve their own lives. Funding in this area has grown over time, and has been especially informed by the Foundation’s work in East Baltimore.
Historic Preservation: The Foundation’s focus on historic preservation is firmly grounded in Robert G. Merrick’s original interest in the built environment and his belief in the value and importance of preserving the best from the past. The Foundation funds projects aimed primarily at restoring and maintaining sites and properties of historical and architectural significance in the Baltimore region and in Maryland.

Eligibiliy Criteria

The France-Merrick Foundation concentrates its grant-making within the State of Maryland and primarily within the greater Baltimore area.
Applicants must be a non-profit organization holding 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code.
The Foundation favors one-time, project-oriented requests which have defined beginnings and endings, as opposed to annual giving or ongoing operational support.
Applicants must have the financial stability to sustain the project for which funding is being sought.
In addition, applicants are expected to demonstrate adequate administrative capacity, financial stability and program effectiveness, including the ability to describe evaluation criteria, methods and expected outcomes in their requests.

Ineligible

The Foundation does not provide funding for: