Baltimore Community Foundation Announces Legacy Forward Grant Recipients Supporting Programming Across Baltimore in Celebration of America's 250th Anniversary

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Apr 08, 2026, 16:19 ET

Nineteen local organizations receive funding for public programs exploring history, civic life, and Maryland's role in the American story

BALTIMORE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF), a nonprofit organization that connects people who are passionate about their community and purposeful in their philanthropy, has awarded Legacy Forward Grants to 19 organizations across Baltimore City and County to support public programming connected to the 250th anniversary of the United States.

A historic Baltimore & Ohio railcar at the B&O Railroad Museum, where Tracks of Unity: America 250 at the B&O! will explore Baltimore’s diverse communities through the lenses of railroading, labor, and civil rights.

An author speaks to a full audience during a public program supported by the Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library, which will host a series of community events, author visits, and a culminating lecture at Goucher College.

Audience members gather for a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performance. Through its America 250 programming, the BSO will explore the nation’s founding and history through music and live performance.

Federal Hill Main Street will host Multiple Voices, Shared Spaces, a guided walking tour series inviting participants to explore local history, community identity, and the meaning of “a more perfect union.”

Children take part in a hands-on activity at the Fire Museum of Maryland, which will present Fanning the Flames of Freedom in partnership with Baltimore County Public Schools through a public festival and youth arts engagement.

The Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River will present a speaker series exploring democracy, freedom, and local contributions to the American story as part of its America 250 programming.

Students gather on stage at the Hippodrome Theatre as part of an education program connected to SUFFS: The Musical, which will engage Baltimore-area youth in learning about civic activism, voting, and the women’s suffrage movement.

An exhibition gallery at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, which will host Maryland at 250: The Values That Shape Us, a public lecture and conversation series exploring Maryland’s role in defining constitutional values.

The Pride of Baltimore sails on the Chesapeake Bay. The organization’s Sail250 programming will connect audiences to Maryland’s maritime heritage and America’s seafaring legacy.

Maestro T. Herbert Dimmock leads Bach in Baltimore, which will present Celebrating the First 250 Years of American Music, including two free public concerts commemorating America’s 250th anniversary through music.

Through the Legacy Forward Fund, BCF designated $250,000 to support historical, cultural, educational, and place-based organizations creating projects and programs tied to America250. The grants support programming that examines history, civic life, and the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the nation and Baltimore's place within it.

"Our country's semiquincentennial should inspire, challenge, and unite us," said Shanaysha Sauls, president and CEO of the Baltimore Community Foundation. "For America's 250th, BCF is proudly supporting local exhibitions, performances, lectures, civic dialogue, public art, festivals, and educational programming that reflect the richness, history, and importance of Baltimore for the United States. Not only is Legacy Forward a moment to reflect on the past and to project a future, this is an invitation to explore who we are, what endures, and what it means to be free, equal, and independent under the law."

Supporting Community Reflection and Connection

Some funded projects focus on Maryland's role in the nation's founding and development, while others examine how different communities have experienced and shaped American history over time. Together, they offer Baltimore audiences a range of ways to engage with the 250th anniversary through local history, public programming, and civic participation.

Legacy Forward Grant Recipients

BCF awarded Legacy Forward Grants to the following organizations:

B&O Railroad Museum for Tracks of Unity: America 250 at the B&O!, which explores Baltimore's diverse communities through the lenses of railroading, labor, and civil rights.
Bach in Baltimore for a 2026 concert season and a special free concert celebrating the first 250 years of American music.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for America 250 programming that explores the nation's founding and history through performance.
Federal Hill Main Street for Multiple Voices, Shared Spaces, a series of guided walking tours exploring the meaning of "a more perfect union."
Fire Museum of Maryland for Fanning the Flames of Freedom, a partnership with Baltimore County Public Schools that includes a public festival and youth arts engagement.
Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library for a series of community events, author visits, and a culminating lecture at Goucher College by an acclaimed author and presidential biographer.
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland for a community block party and intergenerational discussion program commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary.
Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River for a speaker series exploring democracy, freedom, and local contributions to the American story.
Hippodrome Foundation for the SUFFS: The Musical Program Series, engaging Baltimore-area students in learning about civic activism, voting, and the women's suffrage movement.
Maryland African American Museum Corporation for THE LINES WE CROSS: 250 Years of Maryland Forging America, highlighting Black Marylanders who challenged the nation to live up to its founding ideals.
MPT Foundation for Maryland: America in Miniature, a storytelling project collaboration with Maryland-based photographer Carol Highsmith, focused on Maryland's landscapes, communities, and history.
No Boundaries Coalition for a voter engagement program focused on civic participation and storytelling in West Baltimore.
Pikesville Armory Foundation for a public event honoring Maryland Citizen Soldiers and examining Maryland's pivotal role in the origins and defense of the United States.
Pride of Baltimore for programming tied to Sail250 port festivals, offering audiences a connection to America's maritime legacy.
Star Spangled Banner Flag House Association for Maryland's America: 250 Years of American History Through Marylander Eyes, a statewide community art project and museum exhibition.
The Maryland Center for History and Culture for Maryland at 250: The Values That Shape Us, a public lecture and conversation series exploring Maryland's role in defining constitutional values.
The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture for Facing Forward: Baltimore's Civic Dialogues for America at 250, a series examining major themes in American civic life.
Todds Inheritance Historic Site for a Revolutionary War presentation series spanning the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Towson University Foundation for Summer at the Center Arts Festival: Voices of a Nation, featuring performances, exhibitions, and arts programming tied to America 250.

Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond

Legacy Forward is designed to help communities across Baltimore mark this milestone in ways that are historically grounded, publicly engaging, and forward-looking. The funded projects will take place between 2026 and 2027.

To learn more about the Legacy Forward Fund, visit bcf.org/legacyforward.

SOURCE Baltimore Community Foundation