Background
Eddie and Sylvia Brown are active philanthropists in the Baltimore metropolitan area. The Brown Family Foundation was established at the Baltimore Community Foundation in 1994 as a vehicle for the family to support charitable organizations addressing needs in the areas of health, the arts, and K-12 education.
The Brown Family Foundation will consider grants that have direct impact on the African American community in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
Eligibility
Organizations (or their fiscal agents) serving the Baltimore area that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, color, physical handicap, gender or sexual orientation.
Typical Grants
$2,500
Guidelines
The Brown Family Foundation will focus its grantmaking in three general areas: the arts, K-12 education, and health (HIV/AIDS and cancer). The foundation’s grantmaking will support programs that:
Provide opportunities for youth involvement in meaningful art experiences. This can include support for arts organizations or youth serving organizations that have developed programs which expose young people to the arts. Programs that infuse the arts as a tool for leadership development, academic enrichment, and are built on strong youth development principles are encouraged to apply.
Provide access to educational opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth. This can include local organizations that work to improve K-12 public education and to offer enhancement and enrichment opportunities to Baltimore City students. Educational opportunities are defined in the broadest sense to include, but are not limited to: afterschool programs, mentoring, alternative education, computer technology, scholarship support, as well as traditional in-school K-12 programs;
Address the impact of HIV/AIDS on the African American community. Programs that provide direct services and intervention including testing and counseling, case management strategies, and access to treatment will be considered.
Address the prevention and treatment of cancer. This can include local organizations that provide cancer screening, prevention education, and treatment modalities.
Arts and education programs that serve a core group of children and/or youth over an extended period of time rather than a large number of youth for a short period of time are encouraged to apply. Organizations with a proven track record and clear programmatic outcomes will be competitive.
The Foundation does not make grants for:
Start-up organizations or new programs within established organizations.
Capital campaigns, building construction, renovations or other capital projects
Individuals
Multiple years
Institutions of higher education
Organizations outside the Baltimore region
Deadline
October 6, 2021
Special notes
Requests are reviewed on an annual basis and prior funding does not guarantee future funding. An organization may be funded for up to three consecutive years. Once an organization has been funded for three consecutive years, it may not apply for funding for the next two years.
How to apply
Click here If you are starting a new Brown Family Foundation application.
Click here If you are returning to work on an existing Brown Family Foundation application which you started during a previous session but did not fully submit.