About the Guide
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE FOR FUNDING BASIC HUMAN NEEDS
April 2009
We hope the Guide inspires you and informs your next steps.
Our region benefits greatly from a long tradition of thoughtful, innovative, and committed philanthropy. We are certain that funders will build on their experience, aiming to understand the issues, to identify programs that address the most critical needs effectively, to help craft creative responses to keep these programs operational, and to maintain the stability of the safety net.
As a companion to the Guide we have created the Guide for Funding Basic Human Needs website (www.basicneedsguide.org). This website will be updated periodically and houses all the information found in the Guide. Download the PDF version of the Guide here.
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The mission of the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers (ABAG) is to maximize the impact of philanthropic giving on community life through a growing network of diverse, informed and effective grantmakers.
Our members include representatives of more than 140 private foundations and corporations with strategic, ongoing grantmaking programs. www.abagmd.org
For information and assistance on overall grantmaking strategies, please contact the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers at: (410) 727-1205 or info@abagmd.org.
Purpose and Overview
During these challenging economic times, the basic human needs of the residents of Maryland are increasing daily. Maryland's March 2009 unemployment rate, 6.9%, is at a near 17-year high, emergency shelters are full and turning people away nightly, more people are seeking foreclosure prevention assistance, requests for energy assistance have soared, more uninsured are going without physical and mental health services, and the increased need for financial assistance for rent, medicines, and transportation is cited by nearly every service provider.
To inform the funding community about the scale and scope of need among Central Marylanders (Baltimore City and the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford and Howard), the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers (ABAG) has produced this Guide for Funding Basic Human Needs in a Challenging Economy. The Guide focuses on eight areas critical to maintaining self sufficiency which suffer during an economic downturn. These eight areas reflect a constellation of problems that are interrelated, complex, and often rooted in poverty. They are:
- Emergency housing and assistance
- Energy assistance and weatherization
- Financial literacy and empowerment
- Food security
- Health care
- Housing foreclosure prevention and mitigation
- Job training and placement
- Mental health services
For each issue, the Guide offers a brief overview of the problem, relevant statistics, and a variety of entry points for philanthropic action based on need, documented successes, and best practices. Resources for further information, including knowledgeable ABAG members, are also identified.
We also note in the Guide areas where American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or "recovery act") funds may be available and reference sources for more information. ARRA represents the first major influx of federal resources to Maryland in decades and may provide an opportunity for additional funding for critical needs. Click here for further ARRA information.
While the Guide focuses on basic human service needs, some of the general findings, particularly in regard to the needs of nonprofit organizations, may be applicable to other issues being affected by the economy. We recognize that organizations dedicated to education, arts, the environment, and other areas important to our society are feeling the effect of the downturn in the economy and also deserve support.