OSI-Baltimore’s grantmaking during 2023 was focused on providing near-term financial stability to our grantees, providing them with time to plan for longer-term sustainability. The grants were equivalent to at least one to two years of funding and were as flexible as possible. Grants were awarded to current grantees across all the programmatic areas: Safe and Just Communities; Narrative Change and Civic Engagement; Baltimore Community Fellowships Program; Economic Justice; Well-Being and Systems Change; and Education and Youth Development.
OSI-Baltimore ends its engagement in Baltimore with this cohort of vital and effective organizations that are the most recent in our long list of local partners. We hope the philanthropic community and individual donors will continue to support these organizations and others to ensure that OSI-Baltimore’s legacy endures.
A Revolutionary Summer: An intensive critical reading and writing program dedicated to shifting harmful narratives about Black women and girls through literature, art, political education, yoga, and friendship. arevolutionarysummer.com $50,000 over one year to support the academic and personal growth of young Black girls by educating them about Black women in literature and culture in order to improve their critical thinking skills and counteract the impact of negative biases.
American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland Foundation: Empowers Marylanders to exercise their rights and lead their lives without discrimination or unwarranted government intrusion. aclu-md.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
The Association for the Public Defender of Maryland: The nonprofit arm of the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, the statewide agency that represents indigent individuals before Maryland’s criminal and juvenile courts. apdmaryland.org $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
Attendance Works: A national nonprofit initiative that works in Maryland to advance student success and close equity gaps by reducing chronic absence in school. attendanceworks.org $50,000 over one year to advance student success by highlighting the racially diverse impact of truancy policies and developing solutions to close the equity gap.
Baltimore Abortion Fund: Expands access to abortion care throughout Maryland and the region more broadly by coordinating and providing practical support services like transportation, accommodations, and language translation to remove barriers to care. baltimoreabortionfund.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Baltimore Action Legal Team: A group of Baltimore lawyers dedicated to politically conscious lawyering and to using creative, collective solutions to support the Movement for Black Lives in the city. baltimoreactionlegal.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
Baltimore Algebra Project: A youth-run organization with the mission to improve the socioeconomic status of youth in poverty through employment opportunities and to engage youth in advocacy efforts involving school funding, youth employment, and ending the school-to-prison pipeline. 410ap.org $175,000 over one year to provide tutoring and youth organizing to bring about a more equitable Baltimore.
Baltimore Beat: A Black-led, Black-controlled nonprofit newspaper offering free print and digital media with a focus on service journalism and high-impact investigative work. baltimorebeat.com $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition: Connects organizations and individuals to coordinated efforts that advance digital equity and close the digital divide in Baltimore City. digitalequitybaltimore.org $75,000 over one year to bridge the digital divide by providing historically underserved and underrepresented Baltimore residents with a stable internet connection, digital devices, technical support, and training.
Baltimore Entrepreneurship and Leadership Network: A group of leaders of social entrepreneurship and leadership programs that help aspiring and existing entrepreneurs and leaders in underserved communities to develop their knowledge, skills, connections, and access to resources. belnbmore.com $50,000 over one year to staff and support the Baltimore Entrepreneurship and Leadership Network.
Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition: Provides public health services and mobilizes community members for the health, dignity, and safety of people targeted by the war on drugs and anti sex-worker policies. baltimoreharmreduction.org $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Baltimore Immigrant Community Fund: A public-private partnership and funder collaborative committed to increasing Baltimore’s capacity to better serve New Americans in Baltimore. secure.qgiv.com/for/relief4immigrants $300,000 over 18 months to provide resources to build safe and welcoming communities for immigrants and refugees in Baltimore.
Baltimore Safe Haven: Provides Baltimore City trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (TLGBQ) people currently living in survival mode with community space, resources, and opportunities to thrive. baltimoresafehaven.org $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
Baltimore Votes Coalition: A coalition of locally rooted organizations that works to increase voter engagement and turnout across the city as a way to strengthen democracy and increase accountability among public officials. baltimorevotes.org $150,000 over one year to educate the Baltimore public, particularly marginalized communities, on local election administration and information in order to strengthen democracy in Baltimore City.
Baltimore’s Promise: A citywide collaborative of public, business, higher education, nonprofit, community, and philanthropic leaders serving as a catalyst for organizing efforts and resources to provide Baltimore youth with a safe, healthy, and successful educational path from cradle to career. baltimorespromise.org $134,000 over one year to aid in facilitating B’More Invested, an initiative focused on supporting BIPOC-led institutions implementing alternative approaches to community safety and well-being.
Black Butterfly Initiative (Ingoma Foundation): Ingoma Foundation serves as the steward for Baltimore’s Black Butterfly Business Initiative, developed to support and elevate Black businesses in Baltimore. ingomafoundation.net $175,000 over one year to implement the Black Butterfly Initiative, a publicly accessible technical platform that aims to promote collaboration, expand resources and increase supports for Baltimore Black-owned businesses by providing free resources, training, educational materials, one-on-one and peer support.
Black Girls Vote: A nonpartisan organization representing the concerns and interests of Black women and ensuring that Black women are empowered to advance education, economic development, quality health care, and improved outcomes. blackgirlsvote.com $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
The Black Male Yoga Initiative: Promotes health equity and mental well-being among men of color through yoga and mindfulness and works toward a future where social determinants like gender and race do not have an impact on an individual’s health. bmyi.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Black Mental Health Alliance: Develops, promotes, and sponsors culturally relevant educational forums, trainings, and referral services that support the health and well-being of Black people and their communities. blackmentalhealth.com $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Black Yield Institute: A Pan-African power institution based in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, serving as a think tank and collective action network that addresses food apartheid. blackyieldinstitute.org $50,000 over three months to serve as a think tank and collective action network that addresses food apartheid and insecurity.
The Bloom Collective: A coalition of experienced and passionate perinatal and reproductive health practitioners that provides holistic support to birthing persons throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey. wearebloomcollective.com $50,000 over three months to provide holistic support to birthing persons throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey.
Bmore Empowered: Empowers women and girls of color through mindfulness and entrepreneurship and provides workshops, trainings, and gatherings to support Black and Brown girls in Baltimore City. bmoreempowered.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support. $125,000 over one year to enhance the capacity of Bmore Empowered to provide fiscal sponsorship services to Black-led grassroots organizations in Baltimore.
Bowie State University Philanthropy Fellowship Program: Provides practical skills and experience for master’s degree candidates who will be future leaders, serving as a pipeline to diversify the fields of nonprofit management and philanthropy. bowiestate.edu $125,000 over one year to place a fellow in a management-level practicum within a nonprofit or philanthropic organization with the goal of providing hands-on experience for future leaders and diversifying the fields.
Bronze Girl Collective: Offers tailored resources, enriching experiences, and a transformative community to address the diverse needs of Black women over 40. bronzegirlcollective.org $10,000 over one year to provide mental health resources and other support services to Black women over 40.
Business Volunteers of Maryland: Strengthens the community by making strategic connections between people, businesses, and nonprofits and serving the corporate social responsibility needs of the business community. businessvolunteersmd.org $160,000 over three months to provide general support.
BYKE Collective: An after-school program devoted to the development of Baltimore’s kids by providing empowerment through experiential learning opportunities, community involvement, and the power of bicycles. bykecollective.org $50,000 over one year to develop personal and professional skills in young people in Baltimore through learning bicycle mechanics, practicing safe ridership, and building community.
Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth: A national nonprofit that leads efforts to ban juvenile life without parole and other extreme sentences for children and support survivors of youth violence, those incarcerated as children, and their respective families and communities. cfsy.org $75,000 over three months to provide general support.
CASA de Maryland: The foremost immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core supports necessary for full participation in society. wearecasa.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
Charm City Care Connection: A drop-in center and harm reduction service program serving East Baltimore by promoting health, self-determination, and self-advocacy for individuals and communities affected by drug use, stigma, poverty, and inequities. charmcitycareconnection.org $175,000 over three months to provide general support.
Citizens Policing Project: Educates and trains Baltimore residents in effective advocacy to ensure public safety and help community organizations and members leverage their voices in the process of reforming the Baltimore Police Department. cpproject.org $150,000 over one year to educate, engage, and provide resources to Baltimore residents most impacted by over-policing.
CLLCTIVLY: A social change organization centering Black genius, narrative power, social networks, and resource mobilization to end the fragmentation and duplication of programs and be a resource for the Greater Baltimore community that seeks to fund and partner with Black social change organizations. cllctivly.org $6,000,000 over three years to launch the Maryland Black Futures Fund, which will deploy capital to Black power-building and movement-based organizations in Maryland. $4,000,000 over two years to implement the Social Impact Institute to support a healthy ecosystem of Black leaders and deepen the impact of Black-led organizations.
Communities United: Organizes and empowers low-income Maryland residents to achieve transformative change by providing opportunities for policy education, discourse, and action. marylandcu.org $180,000 over one year to strengthen organizing movements in Maryland and support leadership development and capacity building.
Daniel Carl Torsch Foundation: Serves and supports individuals and their families who are struggling with substance use and in need of mental health resources by offering charitable aid and community harm reduction services, including overdose prevention and response programs. dctfoundationinc.org $75,000 over three months to provide general support.
Disability Rights Maryland: Advances the legal rights of people with disabilities and provides free legal services to Marylanders with all types of disabilities (developmental, intellectual, psychiatric, physical, sensory, learning, traumatic brain injury), who live in facilities, in the community, or who are homeless. disabilityrightsmd.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Equity Matters: A network of innovators who help clients and communities evolve and change in a transformative way by offering a variety of supports and organizational strategies for getting voices heard and improving their impact in a group or community. equity-matters.org $250,000 over one year to provide thought leadership and support to criminal justice reform coalitions and to leverage capital for communities of color.
Family Support Network: Builds relationships and community among those with a strong personal stake in bringing home people serving life or long sentences in Maryland, with a central focus on racial justice and Black women and embedding this community in the advocacy landscape. thefamilysupportnetwork.org $125,000 over one year to engage in community-building, education, and social services that aim to support people serving long sentences, particularly life sentences, and their families.
Fight Blight Baltimore: An economic, environmental, and social justice initiative led by the community and informed by data to address the issue of blight across Baltimore. fightblightbmore.com $50,000 over one year to remediate blight in Baltimore City by implementing a mobile application to track and report hazards, educating the community about the impact of blight, and supporting homeowners to remain in their homes.
Forward Justice Maryland: A project of March On Foundation, which works to increase civic engagement; champion first amendment rights; and amplify the voices of the underrepresented, marginalized, and oppressed in order to empower and support communities. futureincubator.org/current-projects $50,000 over one year to engage in education and organizing to reduce the number of people serving long sentences in Maryland prisons.
Fund for Educational Excellence: Works to close the equity and opportunity gaps for all students in Baltimore City Public Schools by partnering with the school district, students and parents, funders, advocates, and local nonprofits. ffee.org $25,000 over three months to provide general support.
Fusion Partnerships: A catalyst for social justice and peace that nurtures small, innovative organizations and initiatives and works through collaborative action, including fiscal sponsorship, facilitation, and community grantmaking. fusiongroup.org $75,000 over three months to provide general support.
Healing City Baltimore: A sustained movement of neighbors, united as a citywide community, to engage in honest dialogue, learn from diverse perspectives, embrace differences and commit to healing together as a foundation to pursuing a racially, socially, and economically just and thriving Baltimore for all. healingcitybaltimore.com $125,000 over one year to ensure that a consistent focus on violence, poverty, and educational inequity is maintained in the execution of the Elijah Cummings Healing City Act.
Holistic Life Foundation: Improves social, community, educational, and emotional outcomes in low-income, underserved communities by providing multifaceted programming that empowers youth, families, and adults through yoga, mindfulness, and human and environmental health. holisticlifefoundation.org $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Homeless Persons Representation Project: An organization working to end homelessness in Maryland by providing free legal services, including advice, counsel, education, representation, and advocacy, to low-income persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. hprplaw.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Jews United for Justice: Mobilizes Jews and the Jewish community to move the region closer to social, racial, and economic justice by advancing campaigns for immediate and concrete improvements in people’s lives. jufj.org $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
Job Opportunities Task Force: Works to eliminate educational and employment barriers for low-wage workers by transforming the systems and policies that create and perpetuate those barriers. jotf.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
Justice Policy Institute: Develops workable solutions to problems plaguing juvenile and criminal justice systems by researching and analyzing effective programs and policies and disseminating its findings to the media, policymakers, and advocates. justicepolicy.org $100,000 over three months to provide general support.
Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle: A grassroots think tank dedicated to creating transformative public policy and drastically improving the conditions of Black people in the Baltimore-Metropolitan Region. lbsbaltimore.com $250,000 over one year to engage in research, community organizing, community education and leadership development that supports civic engagement of Black residents and builds Black institutions.
Life After Release: An organization led by formerly incarcerated women in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area that organizes to build a post-conviction movement where impacted community members have the right to challenge their convictions and the system responsible for convicting them in the first place. lifeafterrelease.org $100,000 over one year to engage in policy advocacy, community engagement, and education to reform Maryland’s justice systems.
Mandala Enterprise Corporation: Provides education and support to people serving long prison sentences and their families and opposes overly restrictive parole policies. mandalaenterprise.org $125,000 over three months to provide general support.
Maryland Center on Economic Policy: A nonpartisan organization that advances innovative policy ideas to foster broad prosperity and help the state be the standard-bearer for responsible public policy. mdeconomy.org $100,000 over three months to provide general support.
Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative: Home of the Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition, which works to ensure that all Marylanders have access to quality, affordable health care coverage. healthcareforall.com $50,000 over one year to support the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative’s social welfare activities.
Maryland Justice Project: A leader of the state’s “Ban the Box” campaign to reduce employment barriers for returning citizens and educate and inform both ex-offenders and employers about legislation relative to this cause. marylandjusticeproject.org $100,000 over one year to reduce mass incarceration and advance social justice, with a focus on women and girls who have had contact with the criminal justice system.
Maryland Peer Advisory Council: A peer-run advocacy, outreach, and training program for individuals, families, allies, faith-based community members, and supporters who advocate on local and national levels to address and influence social change related to drug policy, recovery, and harm reduction. marylandpeeradvisorycouncil.org $160,000 over one year to provide education and support to certified peer recovery specialists in Maryland.
Maryland Philanthropy Network: A membership association that connects a growing community of donors across Maryland and partners with nonprofits and community leaders working to advance the impact of the social sector as a whole. marylandphilanthropy.org $25,000 over one year to provide fiscal sponsorship services to programs in Baltimore.
Maryland Prisoners’ Rights Coalition: A coalition governed by the directly impacted that works to improve conditions of confinement for adults and juveniles confined in Maryland state prisons, jails, and detention centers. mdprisonersrights.org $125,000 over one year to bring home people serving long-sentences, particularly people serving life sentences, through education, support, and service.
Mental Health Emergency Fund: Provides mental health stipends to marginalized individuals experiencing a crisis and offers a directory of vetted therapists and resource guides. mentalhealthemergencyfund.org $100,000 over three months to provide general support.
MOMCares: A postpartum doula program that supports Black mothers in the NICU and their families by providing support, self-care opportunities, and healing experiences designed to strengthen the family unit with the matriarch at the center of its work. momcares.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Maryland Chapter: Provides education and policy advocacy to ensure persons affected by the disease of addiction and their families have access to resources, support systems, and services critical in accessing treatment and sustaining recovery. ncaddmaryland.org $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
No Boundaries Coalition: A resident-led advocacy organization that mobilizes residents from seven different neighborhoods in West Baltimore to challenge the culture of, and the issues created by, Baltimore’s long history of racial and economic segregation. noboundariescoalition.com $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Organizing Black: A grassroots, member-led organization dedicated to fighting for the liberation of all Black people and building local power through transformational Black direct action organizing, political education, and participatory governance practices. organizingblack.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
OSI-Baltimore Fellows Collective: Developing sustainable systems of communication among the fellows network and creating momentum for an independent network. $50,000 over one year to focus on developing sustainable systems of communication among the fellows network and creating momentum for an independent network.
Out for Justice: An organization of individuals both directly and indirectly impacted by the criminal legal system advocating for the reform of policies and practices that adversely affect successful reintegration into society. out4justice.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
Positive Schools Center: Creates positive, supportive, and mindful learning communities where students and staff connect, develop, and grow by providing coaching and staff development, community school programming, and policy recommendations for Maryland schools. positiveschoolscenter.org $100,000 over one year to train educators and students in Baltimore City public schools to use restorative and complementary practices to improve school climate.
Power Inside: A holistic harm reduction organization for women in Baltimore that co-creates safe spaces where women celebrate their strengths, heal from violence, and work toward justice. daretobepowerful.org $150,000 over three months to provide general support.
Progressive Maryland: A statewide advocacy organization promoting racial, social, economic, and environmental justice that leads the fight for progressive change in Maryland through grassroots organizing and public education. progressivemaryland.org $250,000 over three months to provide general support.
Progressive Multiplier: Works to shift the progressive movement toward scale, self-determination, and sustainability by creating a high-leverage investment opportunity for philanthropy to strengthen the independent financial position of movement groups. progressivemultiplier.fund $225,000 over one year to provide training and support to organizations in Baltimore to increase their fundraising capacity and sustainability to enable them to achieve their missions.
Public Justice Center: Uses legal tools to challenge poverty and racial inequity in Maryland and beyond by representing people who are standing up for their rights, advocating to change the systems that keep people down, and empowering communities to build a just society. publicjustice.org $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Restorative Response Baltimore: A conflict resolution and community building organization that provides ways for people to collectively and effectively prevent and resolve conflicts and incidents ranging from bullying to auto theft to assault. restorativeresponse.org $200,000 over three months to provide general support.
Restorative Schools Maryland: Works to build the policy and funding necessary to implement research-based restorative practices in all public schools in Maryland, which aim to improve interpersonal and community relationships through a focus on maintaining, improving, and healing relationships. restorativeschoolsmaryland.org $200,000 over one year to build the policy, funding, and capacity support needed to implement restorative practices in schools in Maryland.
Revolve Fund: A philanthropic initiative that uses grant funding to provide patient, interest-free capital to Black/African American, Latinx, Native American, and other people of color (POC)-led businesses, nonprofit organizations, financial intermediaries, and venture funds. revolvefund.org $300,000 over one year to provide capital to Black/African American, Latinx, and Native-American-led businesses, nonprofit organizations, financial intermediaries, and venture funds.
St. Luke’s Church on the Avenue: Runs The Avenue Drop-In Center, which provides a safe space and harm reduction services for individuals in active drug use. churchontheavenuehampden.org $50,000 over three months to provide general support.
Strong Schools Maryland: A network of grassroots supporters that monitors the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and advocates for legislative and regulatory policy changes to further educational equity. strongschoolsmaryland.org $100,000 over one year to support policy advocacy to ensure the equitable implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
Uplift Alliance: A fiscal sponsor host organization that supports the creation and development of nonprofits seeking to transform Baltimore and beyond and connects with community leaders for the development of local partnerships. upliftalliance.org $50,000 over one year to support the launch of Uplift Alliance and to enhance its capacity to provide fiscal sponsorship services to organizations in Baltimore.
Women Entrepreneur Leadership Lab: A network of Black-women entrepreneurs and leaders who are building a community where they support and learn from one another, grow businesses that create wealth, and push the boundaries on their dreams. thewellnetwork.us $175,000 over three months to provide general support.
Youth As Resources: A youth-led grant making, community organizing, and leadership development nonprofit organization that helps youth address their most critical community and institutional challenges on their terms. youthasresources.org $75,000 over three months to provide general support.
