News Release, Charles County Charitable Trust
The Charles County Charitable Trust has announced awarding grants to 28 nonprofit organizations for the fiscal year beginning July 1. With a total of $784,100 in grant funds to distribute, allocations ranged from $3,000 to $55,000.
“This is the fourth cycle we have handled,” said Vivian Mills, Trust executive director. “This year as in previous ones, our Board of Directors was faced with the tough decision of how best to distribute the funds, especially since the total amount requested was close to two million dollars.” The county government is the source of the grant money, which is provided to the Trust under the terms of an agreement with the County Commissioners.
In managing the Nonprofit Grant Award Program, the Trust is committed to standards of fairness, balance, and transparency. Mills added that grant-seeking is competitive by nature and the amount available often does not stretch far enough to meet all the requests. This year the Trust limited the maximum size of requests to $65,000 but no organization got an award reaching that level. Several nonprofits are receiving lower amounts than in the previous year.
The preponderance of grant funds are going to nonprofits that provide essential services to county residents across a broad spectrum of needs, including health and dental care, shelter, job training, and education. Basic requirements to qualify for consideration include IRS-conferred status as a 501c3 charitable organization, good standing as a nonprofit corporation in Maryland, and evidence of the ability to carry out the intended services described in the application.
The system in place for determining the awards involves multiple reviews of the applications through small-team discussions and then analysis and consensus by the Trust’s board in a plenary session lasting several hours. Nonprofits that got turned down in this cycle are invited to ask for feedback to help them understand where their application fell short.
During the next twelve months the Trust will carry out site visits to the recipient nonprofits, which will be required to submit mid-year and end-of-year reports. Planning is already under way for the grant cycle for Fiscal Year 2021.
The deadline for submitting applications using an online process is expected to be announced this fall. Mills said that the County government’s financial support for the work of the local nonprofit sector meets real needs that cannot be met without such a source. Unlike many jurisdictions, Charles County is not home to sizable private foundations, whose mission focuses specifically on grant-making.
The amount of grant funds available for distribution in the Fiscal Year 2020 cycle came to $784,100. Out of 46 applicants, the following 28 nonprofits were awarded grants by the Board of Directors of the Charles County Charitable Trust.
Even if regional in scope, nonprofit organizations awarded a grant are required to use the funds solely for the benefit of Charles County residents.
Arc of Southern Maryland (The)
Grant Award: $20,000
Purpose: Support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families that face financial hardships with academic and pre-employment services, transportation, summer camps and traditional respite/provider care.
Bay Community Support Services, Inc.
Grant Award: $27,500
Purpose: Implementation of “YOUniversity”, a technology-driven training ladder for direct service professionals that includes clinical certifications, innovative techniques in patient care, professional development courses, and financial incentives.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc.
Grant Award: $50,000
Purpose: Support for Angel’s Watch Shelter, which provides emergency shelter and supportive services for single women and families experiencing homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence.
Center for Children, Inc.
Grant Award: $50,000
Purpose: Provision of child psychiatry and substance abuse services for children who are without insurance.
Charles County Arts Alliance
Grant Award: $9,600
Purpose: Provision of supplies and funds for arts programs for students in kindergarten through high school, music clinicians to work with middle and high school students, and arts programs for senior centers.
Charles County Children’s Aid Society, Inc.
Grant Award: $30,000
Purpose: Provide backpacks and school supplies for students in need.
Charles County HARC, Inc.
Grant Award: $20,000
Purpose: Provide specialized camp opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Charles County Literacy Council
Grant Award: $15,000
Purpose: Implement sustainability initiatives for the recruitment and training of tutors and expansion of services for adult learners.
Charles County Meals on Wheels
Grant Award: $30,000
Purpose: Support to assure continuity of meals and Telephone Reassurance Service to homebound senior citizens.
Chesapeake Choral Arts Society
Grant Award: $5,000
Purpose: Support for series of choral concerts for residents of Charles County.
Christmas in April Charles County dba Rebuilding Together Charles County
Grant Award: $40,000
Purpose: Support the repair of homes for low-income seniors, disabled individuals, and veterans.
Community Crisis & Referral Center, Inc. dba Center for Abused Persons
Grant Award: $55,000
Purpose: Maintenance of the 24-Hour Crisis Hotline operations and related services.
Community Support Systems, Inc.
Grant Award: $10,000
Purpose: Expand self-sustainability services in Waldorf for low-income (especially ALICE families) by providing food, rental, mortgage, medical and other survival costs, as well as financial education and workforce development.
Conservancy for Charles County, Inc.
Grant Award: $5,000
Purpose: Support for continuance of land protection and preservation services.
Health Partners, Inc.
Grant Award: $55,000
Purpose: Provide dental services to underserved people by deploying the Transportable Dental Unit, expanding hygiene services in Nanjemoy, and providing financial assistance for those unable to afford treatment.
LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc.
Grant Award: $55,000
Purpose: Provide Charles County’s emergency hypothermia shelter services for homeless persons through the Safe Nights program as well as homeless services year-round.
Lions Camp Merrick
Grant Award: $21,000
Purpose: Provide underprivileged children from the Nanjemoy area with the opportunity to attend a one-week overnight summer camp to help them develop skills and gain independence and provide Saturday picnics with structured activities for children and their families throughout the summer.
Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc.
Grant Award: $30,000
Purpose: Provide legal representation and victim advocacy for victims of all types of crime in Charles County.
Mattawoman Creek Art Center, Inc.
Grant Award: $3,000
Purpose: Support Charles County home-schooled youth by providing opportunities to learn about and explore visual art forms, art history, art culture, and art exhibits.
Melwood Horticultural Training Center, Inc.
Grant Award: $50,000
Purpose: Enrich the lives of children, youth, and adults through accessible, high-quality recreational programs that promote inclusion for individuals of all abilities.
New Horizons Supported Services, Inc.
Grant Award: $50,000
Purpose: Increase access to recreational, volunteer, and employment opportunities for low-income adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Our Place Waldorf, Inc.
Grant Award: $10,000
Purpose: Support the healthy, nutritious meals program by adding a third night during the week, where Charles County residents in need are provided a meal at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Waldorf.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.
Grant Award: $5,000
Purpose: Expand the program that provides access to physical and mental health services through fly fishing for disabled veterans in Charles County.
Promise Resource Center (The)
Grant Award: $27,000
Purpose: Provide intensive in-home parenting support for at-risk families in order to facilitate family reunification and prevent foster care placement for children living in the home.
Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy
Grant Award: $35,000
Purpose: Provide court advocacy and legal representation for Charles County victims of crimes of domestic, dating, and sexual violence and stalking.
Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living, Inc.
Grant Award: $16,000
Purpose: Provide out-of-pocket expenses for disabled individuals with a need for durable medical equipment or for equipment modifications allowing them to be independent and safe.
Southern Maryland Community Network
Grant Award: $5,000
Purpose: Assist individuals with serious mental problems find employment.
Spring Dell Center, Inc.
Grant Award: $55,000
Purpose: Provide specialized transportation for individuals with disabilities for access to community-integrated employment, volunteer opportunities and social and educational activities.
The amount of grant funds available for distribution in the Fiscal Year 2019 cycle came to $784,100. The following nonprofits were awarded grants:
- ARC of Southern Maryland, Inc. (The)
- Bay Community Support Services, Inc.
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc.
- Center for Abused Persons
- Charles County Arts Alliance
- Charles County Children’s Aid Society
- Charles County HARC, Inc.
- Charles County Literacy Council , Inc.
- Charles County Meals on Wheels, Inc.
- Chesapeake Choral Arts Society
- Christmas in April Charles County DBA Rebuilding Together Charles County
- College of Southern Maryland Foundation
- Conservancy for Charles County
- Greater Baden Medical Services, Inc.
- Health Partners, Inc.
- LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc.
- Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc.
- New Horizons Supported Services, Inc.
- Our Place Waldorf, Inc.
- Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.
- Promise Resource Center (The)
- Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy
- Southern Maryland Community Network, Inc.
- Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee, Inc.
- Spring Dell Center, Inc.
- United Way of Charles County, Inc.
The amount of grant funds available for distribution in the Fiscal Year 2018 cycle came to $784,100. The following nonprofits were awarded grants:
- Catholic Charities
- Center for Abused Persons
- Center for Children
- Charles County Children’s Aid Society
- Charles County Freedom Landing
- Charles County HARC
- Charles County Literacy Council
- Charles County Meals on Wheels
- Christmas in April Charles County
- Farming4Hunger
- Health Partners
- The Humane Society of Charles County
- Indian Head Center for the Arts
- Life Journeys Writers Guild
- LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation
- Our Place Waldorf
- The Promise Resource Center
- Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy
- Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living
- Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee
- Spring Dell Center
- Tri-County Youth Services Bureau
- United Way of Charles County
- Western Charles County Community Association
The amount of grant funds available for distribution in the Fiscal Year 2017 cycle came to $784,100. The following nonprofits were awarded grants:
- ARC of Southern Maryland
- Bay Community Support Services
- Catholic Charities
- Center for Children
- Charles County Children’s Aid Society
- Charles County HARC
- Charles County Literacy Council
- Charles County Meal on Wheels
- Christmas in April Charles County
- Greater Baden Medical Services
- Health Partners
- Jude House
- LifeStyles of Maryland
- Lions Camp Merrick
- New Horizons
- Our Place Waldorf
- Promise Resource Center
- Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy
- Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee
- Spring Dell Center
- Tri-County Youth Services Bureau