Olszewski Announces Nonprofit Recovery Grants Opportunity

TOWSON, MD — Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced the availability of $2.3 million for new recovery grants for nonprofit organizations in Baltimore County.

The new program, funded through the County’s allocation of Maryland Recovery Now funds from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, aims to support organizations that have struggled financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our nonprofit organizations play a critical role in our County’s communities, supporting our residents in myriad ways,” Olszewski said. “With these grants, we support them as they recover from the pandemic so they can continue providing service and support for years to come.”

The County will partner with the Baltimore Community Foundation to administer the grant program.

"The Baltimore Community Foundation is honored to partner with County Executive Olszewski's administration and put our relationships and expertise to use making sure these funds reach high-impact organizations," said Shanaysha M. Sauls, President and CEO of the Baltimore Community Foundation. "As challenging as this past year has been for local nonprofits, it has shone a bright light on their innovation - and how vital they are for families' and communities' survival." 

The online application for the Nonprofit Recovery Grants program will open May 24, 2021, and any nonprofit organization with a physical address or service location in Baltimore County and in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) may apply. The funds may be used to cover revenue reductions or operating expense increases, or both, that have occurred since March 1, 2020 due to the pandemic.

Grant sizes will range from $10,000 to $100,000, as follows:

• Nonprofits with annual operating budgets above $1 million may request up to $100,000.
• Nonprofits with annual operating budgets at or above $250,000 and below $1 million may request up to $75,000.
• Nonprofits with operating budgets below $250,000 may request up to $25,000.
• Minimum grant request is $10,000.

A webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 26, at 2:00 p.m. for interested applicants. Applicants can register in advance here.

This is the second time Baltimore County has partnered with BCF to distribute grants to County organizations.

The Baltimore County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, administered by BCF, was created in March 2020 to respond to the evolving crisis, and was funded through the generous donations of individuals, corporations, and other private philanthropic donors. In July 2020, fifty local community-based organizations received the first grants from the fund, totaling $400,000.