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Local Philanthropy Headlines
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"The B'MORE Fund and the Change Fund"
Cathy Brill
SmartWoman Magazine
April 2004
Has your charitable giving become a little routine? Are you looking for ways to combine your charitable giving with learning about issues and developing relationships with like-minded individuals? Would you like to see your charitable dollars pooled with those of others to increase your impact on the community?
If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you may want to join a giving circle. My husband and I joined one last year, and are finding it a rewarding experience. We joined the B'MORE Fund, housed at the Baltimore Community Foundation.
Here is the story: About two years ago, a group of young professionals came together to think of a way they could make a difference in Baltimore. What they came up with was the B'MORE Fund, a giving circle sponsored by the Baltimore Community Foundation. The 35 members of the B'MORE Fund pool their dollars and make cash awards to recognize and celebrate individuals contributing to Baltimore.
Not traditional grants to provide services, but a $5000 check made out to the outstanding social entrepreneur, to encourage and honor the work that person does every day. It's a way of saying thank you for exemplary, innovative work, and a way of encouraging others to get involved.
The fund finds people who are doing effective, important work, are taking risks, and using new and creative ways to meet needs. Chuck Morton, co-chair of the Fund, puts it this way: “We look for people making a real difference in the city … people who are not afraid to try something new to improve people's lives.” “By making awards to these kinds of people, we aim not only to celebrate and recognize their achievements, but also to inspire other Baltimoreans to make a difference too. I know that I and others in the fund have already been inspired by them,” he said.
In 2003, the B'MORE Fund inspired us with three dynamic awardees, who were recognized at a gala event on Oct. 23 at the Rotunda Theater. They are: Tisha Edwards, principal of the Baltimore Freedom Academy, which is one of Baltimore's new innovation high schools, focusing on civic engagement and service.
Tisha is an attorney with a passion for involving youth in their communities. This new school aims to help students become critical thinkers with a deep understanding of social and economic dynamics that will help them become effective civic leaders. Fund members particularly appreciated her perseverance and relentless energy in pursuit of her goals.
Joseph Jones, CEO of the Center for Fathers, Families and Workforce Development. Joe works to empower low-income families by increasing the ability of men to be responsible fathers and wage earners. Having turned his own life around, he devotes his days to changing the lives of men with similar struggles. Fund members were impressed with Joe's commitment and drive, and his impressive track record in helping men get and keep jobs and become better fathers.
Sean Smeeton, executive director of the Sylvan Beach Foundation. Sylvan Beach takes an entrepreneurial approach to workforce development for disadvantaged young adult males. Sean gives them a place to live, education, and business experience, and works to foster a community. The Foundation created two businesses – the Sylvan Beach Café and Sylvan Beach Homemade Ice Cream, which are operated and managed by young men enrolled in the program, and by program alumni.
Fund members commented on Sean's strategic, entrepreneurial approach, and his model's potential for replication. If you want to join the fund, now is your chance. The B'MORE Fund is growing.
If you live or work in Baltimore City and want to celebrate those who improve our community -, get involved. The fund requires a two year commitment of $500/year from each member, and you . Members can “share” a membership with a spouse or friend – and have one vote.
Members are helping to shape the direction of the fund and vote yearly on awards. You can find more information about each of these dynamic Baltimoreans, and about the B'MORE Fund itself, on the fund's website, www.bmorefund.org.
The Change Fund, housed at Associated Black Charities, is a giving circle with 28 members, all young African American professionals in Baltimore. It is designed to expand their involvement in philanthropy and to further awareness of social issues. Through its grantmaking activities, The Change Fund exposes members to social, educational, and leadership opportunities to better affect and influence change in the Greater Baltimore area. Members pool their cash (a minimum of $250 a year) to make more sizable donations to charity--and they meet regularly to share ideas, learn about philanthropy and debate which charities to support.
"One of the goals of The Change Fund," says Erika McClammy, Co-Chair of the Education Committee, "is to encourage philanthropy among our peers through education.” The Change Fund made its first grant awards in 2003, awarding $1000 each to three organizations: The Franciscan Youth Center, My Sister's Circle (a mentoring program for girls) and Aunt Hattie's Place (a transitional home for boys in foster care.) ”
As young African-American professionals," says Tanya Jones, one of the founding members of the fund, "we feel it's important to focus our dollars on organizations that address access, education or leadership among our community's youth." In other words, adds co-founder Erik Johnson, they support "the sort of organizations without which many of us wouldn't be where we are today."
The Change Fund's goal is to have 100 members by 2004.
For more information, contact the fund at: ChangeFund@abc-md.org or call 410-659-0000 x206.
One benefit I've found of being in a giving circle is that I think more about where I give my money and why. It's great to get together with others and talk about changing the world, one small piece at a time!
Cathy Brill works as a consultant in Baltimore. She can be reached at brillc@hotmail.com.
Other archived articles from Local Philanthropy Headlines:
"Wealthy Families Set Up New Foundations in Baltimore"
"Foundation's ex-leader defends $1 million salary"
"Culture, business seek agenda for Baltimore"
"Rescuing the Past"
"Abell Foundation Study Critical of Academic Progress at BCCC"
"Changes Pervade Area on Rebound"
"How Do We Know Our City is Improving?"
"A Chain - Letter Reaction: "34 million friends" drive raises $2-million in overseas aid"
B'MORE and Mikulski
"More Wealth to Share"
"CareFirst Fat Grants Help Agencies Promote Health"
"The B'MORE Fund and the Change Fund"
"A Professional Advisor's Guide to Working with Non-Profit Organizations"
"Ad Campaign: Leave D.C., Move to Cheaper Baltimore
"Hunt Valley Game Maker Sensationally Good to Workers"
"Big but Not Easy: As Donors Set Terms, Some Charities Resist"
"Those Bake Sales Add Up, to $9 Billion or So"
"Turning a Traditional Time to Get Into a Lesson in Giving"
2004 Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellows Program
"Gentrification on their Minds"
"An Emerging Philanthropic Trend: The Giving Circle"
"Multiyear Contracts Help Foundations"
"Maryland Stems Charitable Drop"
"Maryland Foundations"
"Jewish Group Creates City Housing Fund"
"Women's Charitable Giving Exceeds Men's, Study Shows"
"As 'Donor Fatigue' Spreads, Nonprofits are Focusing on Showing Better Results"
"What Women Want"
"A New Way to Curb Poverty"
"Baltimore City Tries Cultivating Young Entrepreneurs"
"Philanthropy Should Have Glass Pockets"
"The Consummate Leader"
"Powerful Response To Disaster"
"Ravens Donate 15K to Tsunami Victims"
"Baltimore's Loss: HQ's go Elsewhere"
"A Family That Pays Together"
"The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County"
"How Do We Know Our City is Becoming Cleaner Over Time?"
"Nonprofit Staying Power"
"Charity's New Look"
"Be a Philanthropist Every Day"
"Americans Donate In Ways Old and New To Disaster's Victims"
"Bank of America Donates Up to $450,000 to Baltimore Neighborhood Organizations"
"Family Foundations Set Example for Children's Giving"
"Pinpointing the Progress" - Vital Signs II
"Md. Nonprofit Group to Take Innovative Accountability Program National "
"Jewish groups seek to raise $100 million"
"City Can Count on Them"
"Bank of America Donates $1.5 Million for Tsunami Relief"
"Long, Long' Wait in East Baltimore Ends"
"Biz Eye for Nonprofit Guy"
"Charitable Giving - Local Foundations Show Support for Baltimore School System "
"Nonprofit Growth Creates Quandary"
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