The Community Foundation of Howard County (MD)

Through the Mini-Grant program, funding is provided to support smaller nonprofits, projects that are time-sensitive, first-time applicants, nonprofits less than five years old, school enrichment programs that are not funded through the district budget, and nonprofits not eligible for grants through the Community Grant program.

The Mini-Grant program provides funding in the following categories:

HCPSS Enrichment Programs may be one-time or ongoing programs or extracurricular activities designed to enhance Howard County Public School students’ learning, not covered by the HCPSS budget.

Equipment Purchases may be small-scale purchases that meet a critical organizational priority or for technology enhancements.

Organizational Improvement may be for board or staff education, program evaluation, shared training resources or collaborative planning efforts with other organizations.

Project Support may be for an established program, to adapt a proven program to a new situation, discover whether an approach is viable, or that help enhance an organization’s mission.

Operational Support is unrestricted income to help an organization carry out its goals without imposing the requirement to develop activities directly attributable to the grant.

The Foundation allocates funding to the Mini-Grants program each November and may provide grants of up to $5,000.

The Community Foundation of Howard County administers a number of scholarship programs established by individual donors and organizations to assist Howard County students in pursuing higher education.

The Foundation awarded $36,500 in scholarships for the 2016.

The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.

The Relief Fund was established by the Community Foundation of Howard County to help address needs in the aftermath of a disaster or tragedy within Howard County. The CFHoCo Board uses several factors to decide when to activate the fund, including the severity of the incident, impact on the community, the needs of residents and businesses, and the availability of resources. We are currently providing assistance to community members impacted by the Ellicott City Flash Flood on July 31, 2016.