Black Philanthropy Circle Marks Five Years of Collective Giving with $250,000 in New Grants

The grants mark BPC's fifth consecutive year of giving and bring its total investment in the Baltimore community to $1.25 million. Members are now working to secure $2.5 million in gifts and pledges toward a permanent endowment by the end of 2026, creating a lasting source of support for Black communities in Baltimore for generations to come.

"Five years ago, we created the Black Philanthropy Circle to make collective giving a lasting force for Baltimore," said Alicia Wilson, Esq., co-founder of the Black Philanthropy Circle and vice president for civic engagement and opportunity at Johns Hopkins University. "Our members are not simply writing checks. We are building relationships, making decisions together, and directing meaningful resources to organizations that understand and serve our communities. Reaching $1.25 million demonstrates what is possible when Black donors combine their resources and act with shared purpose."

Established in 2022, BPC brings together Black business and civic leaders who pool their charitable resources and collectively determine how funding is distributed. Each year, the Circle awards $250,000 to organizations that are Black-led, based in Black communities, or that directly support Black people throughout the Baltimore region.

The following organizations will each receive a $25,000 grant in 2026:

• Arena Players Incorporated
• Baltimore's Promise
• CollegeBound Foundation, Inc.
• Harbor City (MD) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
• Health Care for the Homeless, Inc.
• KIPP Baltimore, Inc.
• Mentoring Mentors
• Next Up Music & Culture Inc.
• Reading Partners
• Rebuilding Together Baltimore, Inc.

"We have the privilege and responsibility of learning from organizations doing essential work across Baltimore," said Savonne Ferguson, Esq., co-founder of the Black Philanthropy Circle, chief compliance officer of T. Rowe Price Mutual Funds, T. Rowe Price Associates, and T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc., and vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. "These grants reflect the breadth of what it takes for communities to thrive—from education and health to housing, mentoring, arts and culture. We are proud to invest in their leadership and help expand the impact they are already making."

"As the oldest continuously operating African-American community theater in the United States, Arena Players has produced an artistic season every year since 1953. As a small, community-based organization, however, we often do so on a shoestring budget." said Catherine Orange, board member. "We are thrilled that this year's season will be supported by the Black Philanthropy Circle. With this support, we will continue to nurture and give growth to new, emerging, and established artists, and we will be able to produce the season that our cast, crew, and audience deserve - including sustainably paid musicians, high-quality set design, and modern A/V and lighting technology."

Kevin Lindamood, president & CEO of Health Care for the Homeless said, "Every year, thousands of predominantly Black and Latine Marylanders are denied safe, healthy homes and seek care at Health Care for the Homeless. This grant from Black Philanthropy Circle will help adults and kids experiencing homelessness to get the health care with dignity and housing we all deserve."

"The Black Philanthropy Circle grant will impact Next Up Music & Culture's ability to provide quality instruments to talented music students in Baltimore City Schools," shared Marsha Green, board President of Next Up Music & Culture. "It will help remove financial barriers that prevent students from owning a quality instrument, empower them to pursue their passion for music and expand opportunities for Music Master Classes and enriching musical experiences."

Celebrating Black Philanthropy, History, and the Arts

BPC recently celebrated its 2026 grantees and five years of giving at the Walters Art Museum. The celebration was co-sponsored by Gamma Boulé, the Baltimore member chapter boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and a supporter of BPC since its inception. Gamma Boulé and BPC share a longstanding commitment to advancing Baltimore's Black community through service, philanthropy, and civic leadership—a partnership rooted in the shared belief that communities can do well and do good by investing their collective resources, relationships, and expertise.

The event featured a conversation between Kate Burgin, Andrea B. and John H. Laporte Director and CEO of the Walters Art Museum, and acclaimed jewelry artist Douriean Fletcher. Burgin and Fletcher discussed how philanthropy and art both draw on the past to shape what a city becomes, and the responsibility that comes with that kind of influence.

"Black philanthropy has always been part of Baltimore's civic strength," said Shanaysha Sauls, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Baltimore Community Foundation. "The Black Philanthropy Circle is demonstrating what happens when donors come together with intention, trust local organizations, and build a structure for sustained investment. BCF is proud to provide a philanthropic home for this work and to support the Circle as it builds an endowment that can carry its impact forward for generations."

The endowment is meant to give BPC's giving a permanent base — money that keeps working for Baltimore's Black communities well past this five-year mark. The Circle welcomes new members as well as donors who want to support its mission. Members participate in collective decision-making alongside Black business and civic leaders, while donors can contribute without becoming voting members.

To learn more about the Black Philanthropy Circle, its grant recipients, and opportunities to support its work, visit bcf.org/black-philanthropy-circle.

About the Black Philanthropy Circle
The Black Philanthropy Circle is a donor-advised fund focused on charitable giving to nonprofit organizations committed to supporting Black people and communities within the Baltimore metropolitan area. Members pool their charitable resources and collectively award grants in areas including arts and culture, economic opportunity, education and youth development, community organizing, environmental initiatives, human services, and health and wellness. The Black Philanthropy Circle Fund is managed by the Baltimore Community Foundation.

About the Baltimore Community Foundation
For more than 50 years, the Baltimore Community Foundation has connected people who are passionate about their community and purposeful in their philanthropy. BCF amplifies donors' philanthropy through strategic grants, impact investments, special initiatives, and advocacy that strengthen schools, neighborhoods, and the Baltimore region. Visit bcf.org to discover meaningful giving opportunities, invest charitable funds wisely, and join a diverse community working for a better Baltimore.

SOURCE Baltimore Community Foundation