April 2025

Message from the Executive Director

What an exciting month it is here at the Nonprofit Center. The audio visual equipment is being installed this week, new shrubs and trees were planted today, the furniture arrives next week, and - drum roll please - office spaces will be ready May 1st. Our spring fundraising cohort starts April 30th and the deadline to apply is tomorrow. We promise, it is well worth the time. Speaking of funds, the county’s newest grant program offers up to $100,000 to qualified organizations. Check out the details. As always, you’ll find grant information, learning opportunities, and nonprofit spotlights in this month’s newsletter. Please let us know if there is something else you’d like to see. 



-- Jennifer

Considering Working in NPC's New Building? Office Spaces Available May 1st

The unique rooms allow for flexibility to offer spaces that will work best for almost any organization. Office space is $2 - $10 per square foot, which includes a long list of amenities. Details are available on our website. Please contact Jennifer Purcell at expurc99@aacounty.org for a tour, information, and a link to the application. 

If you need meeting and/or event space only, stay tuned. Resident Organizations (those with office space) will have priority when scheduling meeting spaces. We’ll share information about scheduling meeting space soon.

Landscaping is underway.

Reception area with mailboxes.

Screens and other AV equipment is now installed.

Reminder: F&S Cohort - Registration Closes Wednesday April 16th

Spring 2025 C&S Cohort: Registration closes tomorrow, Wednesday April 16th, at noon. Applicants will be notified on Thursday, April 17th. The first class session is on April 30th.

Register Here!

Need Volunteers? Post Your Organization's Upcoming Events on the Nonprofit Events Hub

Upcoming Event Hosted by AA County: Community & Conversations

• Anne Arundel County Office of Equity and Human Rights is holding 6 upcoming sessions where the public are encouraged to provide their lived experiences regarding access, health, prosperity, and safety in Anne Arundel County.

Follow this link to register!

New Grant Announcement: Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission Grant (CRRC)

Registration for the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission Grant is now open and will be available until May 16, 2025 at 12:00pm.

• Grant Eligibility and Priorities
• Grants are open to both registered 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofit groups with a fiscal sponsor. Organizations and community groups serving low- to moderate-income households are encouraged to apply.
• Priority will be given to applicants serving residents in the following Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIAs), identified based on historical impacts of cannabis criminalization: 21060, 21061, 21113, 21122, 21144, 21225, 21401, 21403, 20724, and 20755.

• Eligible programs must address one or more of the strategic priorities identified by the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission:
• Mental health and substance abuse services
• Education, youth enrichment, and after-school activities
• Housing and homelessness prevention
• Workforce development and employment training

In The Spotlight: Blacks of the Chesapeake

The Blacks of the Chesapeake (BOC) Project began in 1984. In 1999 the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation was founded by Vincent O. Leggett. Library of Congress in 2000 designated the Blacks of the Chesapeake as a Local Legacy Project.

African-Americans who have worked and continue to work in the maritime and seafood processing industries in the Chesapeake Bay region are an integral part of this area's rich culture and heritage.

In 1994, the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation began to document this aspect of Americana. The foundation serves the community with a broad range of historical, cultural and educational activities.

Blacks of the Chesapeake (BOC) runs the following programs: 

• Lectures and Presentations: BOC have been working with the Harriet Tubman Organization for more than twenty-five years. The BOC’s "Chesapeake Underground Research Project" highlights Harriet Tubman’s use of the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries to aid enslaved people to freedom.

• Arts and the Humanities: BOC has served as historical consultants on several multimedia projects. Dr. Joan Gaither, Fiber Artist, Maryland Institute of Art collaborated with the Blacks of the Chesapeake in the fabrication of the Black Watermen of Chesapeake Documentary Story Quilt and Steve Torriano Berry consulted with the BOC in the production of the Black Watermen of the Chesapeake Documentary Film.

• Environmental Programs: Environmental Education and Conservation organizations such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Living Classrooms Foundation, The Chesapeake Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay Trust have sought out the expertise of the BOC around issues of diversity and inclusion.

Blacks of the Chesapeake runs projects in the areas of Research, Exhibits, and Special Studies. You can watch some of their work documenting the history and heritage of African Americans on the Chesapeake bay, watch their Five Minute Histories.

To learn more about this organization, please visit their website. Stay up to date with their events and community involvement by following Blacks of the Chesapeake on Facebook!

In The Spotlight: Annapolis Immigration Justice Network

"Equal justice for all people,

irrespective of citizenship status."

Founded in April 2017, AIJN is a volunteer supported organization dedicated to connecting asylum seekers and other vulnerable immigrants to quality legal counsel and direct case management support. Our partners include law schools, legal firms and legal defense groups, faith organizations, and the business community.

To volunteer, visit their page on their Accompaniment Program. Stay up to date with their events and community involvement by following Annapolis Immigration Justice Network on Facebook!

AIJN runs the following programs:

• Case Management: Their case management team supports clients as they pursue pathways to legal status. Immigration cases can take many years and we provide ongoing case management throughout the process. For those in need of help, their bilingual case manager Jenny O’Neill can be reached at 410-357-1050.

• Accompaniment Program: AIJN volunteers in their accompaniment program provide transportation, companionship, and assistance to our immigrant neighbors as they pursue pathways to legal status. The lack of access to transportation can be a major barrier to legal representation. Volunteers help address this and help ensure safe and reliable transportation for federal immigration hearings, Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-ins, and legal consultations and appointments.

• Legal Fund: Their legal fund provides financial assistance to families and individuals who need attorney representation to pursue legal status. They believe in the right to due process.

To read about this and other nonprofits in our county,

visit In The Spotlight on NPC's website and follow us on Facebook!

"The way you get meaning into your life is to

devote yourself to loving others,

devote yourself to your community around you,

and devote yourself to creating something

that gives you purpose and meaning."

-Mitch Albom,

American author, journalist, and musician

Free Professional Development Resources

Free Webinars by Nonprofit Learning Lab

☆ Cultivating Relational Connections that Lead to Co-Laboring

• Meeting regularly to stay connected and learn about everyone’s work is one thing. It’s quite another for those connections to translate into working together to solve real problems in your community. What is necessary for the emergence of deep trust and sustained engagement?
• April 29, 2025 12:00 pm ET Register

☆ Getting Started with AI in Teams: Foundations, Ethics, and Practical Prompts

• Through discussions and hands-on activities, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of AI, uncover its ethical challenges, and learn to create effective prompts for ChatGPT to support your mission-driven work.
• May 7, 2025 12:00 pm ET Register

☆ 2025 Grants Trends and Projections

• This presentation cover grants projections for 2025 and analyzes trends from the previous year. Our time is primarily focused on regulatory changes to watch, addressing uncertainty for government grants, and the actionable steps organizations can take to protect their work and communities while we navigate the current turmoil. We also include tips for relationship building and strategies for sustainability.
• May 27, 2025 12:00 pm ET Register

Articles by Nonprofit Learning Lab

☆ Prevent Burnout: How Managers Can Support Staff in Self-Care

☆ How to Plan, Scope and Define A Project: Best Practices for Managing a Project

☆ Guide to Instructional Design & Curriculum: Developing Training Programs

☆ From Onboarding to Supervision: Employee Development Plans for Staff Management

Grant Opportunities

☆ Arts Council: Community Arts Grants

Annual Community Arts Grants provide general operating support to 501(c)(3) arts organizations that are based in and provide programming in Anne Arundel County.

Application Available: April 1- April 30, 2025

☆ The Fund for Anne Arundel, CFAAC

In 2025, the Fund for Anne Arundel will make grants to programs that prioritize the health of children and families. This includes access to physical, mental, and behavioral health programs. Programs for which the grant will apply must be used to serve only Anne Arundel County residents.

Application Deadline: April 22, 2025

☆ Arts Council: Mini Grants

Mini Grants support arts programming by nonprofits or community organizations that will benefit an underserved audience or fill a community need. Partnerships are highly encouraged, and a 1:1 cash match is required.

Application Available: May 1 - May 31, 2025

☆ 2025 BGE Community Safety Grant

Currently seeking projects that foster safe and vibrant community environments, support spaces that promote emotional well-being, and enhance community disaster preparedness and resilience.

Application Deadline: May 16, 2025

☆ The Campbell Foundation

A family foundation that believes in strategic infusions of funding, we dedicate nearly 100% of our grant dollars to the environment. As citizens of the planet, we are compelled to participate in the protection of natural resources in the communities where we live. The maximum amount you can request for an unsolicited grant is $25,000.

Application Deadline: August 29, 2025

☆ The Pathfinder - Generative AI Award, through Amazon.com

The Pathfinder — Generative AI award will provide support for a highly innovative, mission-critical project that leverages generative AI. This project will have the potential to produce a scaled, repeatable solution that directly accelerates mission achievement and may impact an entire industry or field.

Round One Applications Accepted: April 14 - June 2, 2025

Career Opportunities: Open Positions with Local Nonprofits

This new section of our newsletter is intended to assist in connecting small AA County nonprofits with potential candidates for open positions.

☆ Open Position: Executive Director

Organization: On Our Own of Anne Arundel County, Inc. (OOOAA)

☆ Want to list a position here?

Email nonprofitcenter@aacounty.org with the Position, Organization, and a link with additional information to have an open position listed in the NPC monthly newsletter.

Did you know we post new events, grant opportunities, and other resources specifically for local nonprofits on our Facebook page? Follow us HERE!

The Nonprofit Center is a program of Anne Arundel County government. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Each NPC-sponsored event includes information about how to request an ADA Accommodation.

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