The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) announced over $728,700 in funding for Community Grants to support 23 projects across South and Southwest Baltimore.
This grant funding is provided by Local Impact Grants from video lottery terminals at Maryland Live! Casino in Arundel Mills, MGM National Harbor Casino, and the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.
Since its inception in 2016, SBGP has committed over $39 million of core funds to projects across the SBGP District. These projects range from small community grants of up to $2,000 to large capital projects of up to $100,000. Approximately 76 percent of core program funding so far has been given to historically underserved communities and communities of color within the District, which comprises the neighborhoods around the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.
“This funding will help So What Else to continue revolutionizing food access to our South Baltimore neighbors and transcend barriers to get community members what they need. With this grant, we’ll be able to distribute an extra 5,000 pounds of rescued food and other necessities to vulnerable communities in South Baltimore,” says Allie Bonney, Director of Development at So What Else, an organization working to support families and neighbors with emergency food support and free out-of-school time programming.
Another organization benefitting from this funding is Dream BIG, which will use their funding to support students and families. They support the education component of Cherry Hill’s holistic transformation initiative. The initiative is led by residents and facilitated by Cherry Hill Strong, an effort that focuses on high quality, affordable housing, wellness, economic well-being, and education.
“We are deeply grateful to SBGP for their confidence in and support for the transformative work now underway in Cherry Hill,” said Veronica Nolan, executive director of Dream BIG. “By underwriting programs that are bringing families into the life of our two 21st Century schools, they are strengthening the fabric of the entire community.”
Legacy home-ownership programming also received funding this summer. “Making sure community members have access to resources is an important part of maintaining a ‘healthy’ neighborhood,” said Bob Pipkin, president of Healthy Neighborhood. “This funding will help long-term homeowners in Lakeland age in place and increase wealth through home improvements. In addition, this grant will aid us and partners in providing access to projects like ‘My Home My Deed My Legacy’ to raise awareness about estate planning and provide legal support to families.”
Other programs that will receive funding from this round of Community Grants include the GBF All Seasons Youth Program, which provides year-long, cross-generational programs to foster a sense of belonging (God’s Best Family, Inc.); the Adult Recovery Court program, which offers rehabilitative support for those convicted of nonviolent crimes related to substance abuse (The Baltimore Station, Inc.); the EJ in South Baltimore project, which focuses on youth education, community outreach, and scientific engagement to help South Baltimore communities tell their own environmental injustice stories (Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative), and more.
To see the full list of Community Grants awards, click this link.
A new round of SBGP Community Grants will be available in winter 2025. To learn more and apply, visit this link.
