Mayor’s Office Commits $7.3M in ARPA Funds to Nonprofits to Support Families, Vulnerable Communities, and Young People Throughout Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MD. (Wednesday, July 6, 2022) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the first round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant awards from the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs to nonprofit organizations. The awards – totaling $7.3 million – span the Scott Administration's priority pillars outlined in the Mayor’s Action Plan, including building public safety, equitable neighborhood development, prioritizing our youth, and clean and healthy communities.

The grant funding announced today increases the total amount of funding awarded to nonprofit organizations to over $25 million from the City’s $641 million ARPA allocation. City and quasi-government agencies that have already made ARPA awards to nonprofits for either direct economic relief or specific initiatives include: the Baltimore Civic Fund, the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, and the Baltimore City Health Department. In addition to ARPA, the City of Baltimore has provided support to nonprofits through other federal funding sources meant to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency, such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

"The work being done through Baltimore’s diverse nonprofits is critical to the wellbeing of our residents. These organizations fill in the gaps and support our communities in ways that government cannot," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "Here in Baltimore, we recognize the value of their work. That is why it is so important that we support our nonprofits as we prepare to emerge on the other side of the pandemic stronger than ever."

The selected nonprofit recipients are as follows:

• Baltimore City Community College Foundation will receive $500,000 to support Baltimore’s youngest refugees’ and asylees’ academic needs.

• Baltimore Corps will receive $371,000 to support workforce development activities including career navigation, training, and identifying placement partners with a focus on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and female-identifying residents.

• Bikur Cholim will receive $285,000 to support continued operation of their COVID-19 vaccination clinic and provision of food, financial, and transportation assistance to all patients in need.

• B’More Clubhouse will receive $500,000 to assist individuals with mental illness maintain recovery and stability, and lessen their use of public behavioral health resources, especially emergency services.
• FreeState Justice will receive $470,000 to support a person-centered network of health and housing providers to provide young LGBTQ Baltimoreans with equal access to high-quality healthcare, housing, and resources.
• Ministers’ Conference Empowerment Center CDC will receive $1,200,000 to create a Cradle to Career Pipeline. The Pipeline will provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction, enrichment experiences, job shadowing, workforce training, job placement, and opportunities for career advancement in the railway, maritime, and other tech careers
• The Pride Center of Maryland will receive $1,300,000 to address the issue of increased violence, particularly among sexual and gender minority populations (SGM) through community outreach, individualized assessments, benefits navigation, physical and mental health referrals, education assistance, enrichment activities and employment programing.
• Urban Strategies, Inc. will receive $2,300,000 to support Baltimore City residents impacted by the redevelopment of Perkins Homes by enrolling individuals in case management that will provide opportunities for economic mobility, youth development, education and health assistance.
• Wide Angle Youth Media will receive $450,000 to support more than 200 Baltimore youth (ages 10-24) participation in WAYM’s core programs, where students learn to use state-of-the-art technology, embark on a pathway toward career readiness, and receive wrap-around supports.

"The COVID-19 pandemic tested the limits of Baltimore’s nonprofit community. Amid a global crisis, our city’s nonprofits demonstrated their ability to support our most vulnerable residents and stepped up to the plate to help our city rebuild better and stronger," said Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human Services Faith Leach. "They are shining examples of our city’s grit, resilience, and commitment to building a better Baltimore and, under the leadership of Mayor Scott, we will ensure we acknowledge their efforts and strengthen partnerships across the sector."

This is the first announcement of awards from the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs to nonprofits. Nonprofit organizations submitted 322 proposals that were eligible for ARPA funding. The proposals received totaled $719 million-more than the City’s total ARPA allocation through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). Additional announcements of awards to nonprofit organizations will be made in the coming months.

"Nonprofit organizations are important partners in the City’s recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Baltimore City is one of the few recipients of ARPA funding that directly solicited proposals from nonprofit organizations," said Chief Recovery Officer Shamiah Kerney. "We look forward to working with the selected organizations to create more equitable outcomes for Baltimore City residents."

About the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided $641 million to the City of Baltimore in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. Mayor Brandon M. Scott has established the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs to transparently and effectively administer this funding on behalf of the City. For the most up to date information regarding proposals, funded projects, and project progress visit our ARPA Reporting center at arp.baltimorecity.gov/dashboard.