Columbia Foundation Grants $295K to Howard County Nonprofits

The Columbia Foundation, which raises, manages and distributes funds to support Howard County nonprofits, gave $295,000 in grants to 44 nonprofit organizations in Howard County, according to a statement issued by the organization Monday.

These are the first grant distributions from the foundation’s new community grant program which combines operational and project requests into one funding cycle.

The amount awarded is $89,300 more than was granted last year.

“These grants provide support for nonprofits meeting the needs of our county’s most vulnerable residents as well as those enhancing our lives through arts and cultural programs,” Priscilla Reaver, senior program officer for the Columbia Foundation, said in the statement “This support is crucial during a time when our community needs these organizations the most."

Human Services Grants

The 24 human service grants total $184,500, an increase of $44,500 over last year’s human services awards. These grants support organizations that address critical concerns of the community, including family issues, health care and housing.

Adaptive Living: $1,000 to help a residential and support program for residents with developmental and/or cognitive disabilities.

American Red Cross Chesapeake Region: $5,000 in support training, disaster relief and blood collection services in Howard County.

Arc of Howard County: $11,000 in support of a wide range of services including day services for adults, residential services and family support.

AT:LAST: $10,000 to help people with autism select lower cost mainstream technologies to foster communication, learning, employment and independent living.

Best Buddies Maryland: $5,000 to support friendship match programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Better BedRest: $1,000 in support of assistance programs for women placed on bed rest due to pregnancy complications.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Maryland: $3,000 in support of case-management services for Howard County residents matched in mentoring relationships.

Bridges to Housing Stability: $12,000 in support of housing and prevention programs for the homeless in Howard County.

Camp Attaway: $3,000 in support of a summer therapeutic program for children with serious emotional and behavioral disorders.

Columbia Triathlon Association: $4,000 to support the Learn2Tri youth triathlon education program, which will introduce the triathlon lifestyle into the physical education curriculum of Howard County Public Schools.

Community Action Council of Howard County: $12,000 to support the Dream$avers program, an extensive case management, financial and life skills educational program that helps families save from their earned income.

Domestic Violence Center of Howard County: $15,000 to support counseling, education, shelter and abuser intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

FIRN: $11,000 to support information and referral, immigration counseling, interpreting/translating, and English tutoring services.

FISH of Howard County: $9,000 to help county residents with evictions, utility cut-offs, prescriptions and the provision of food delivered to their homes.

Gilchrist Hospice Care: $8,000 in support of comprehensive end-of-life care for Howard County patients.

Girl Scouts of Central Maryland: $5,000 to support GirlZ Go Fit!, a program which addresses obesity in kindergarten-through-fifth-grade girls.

Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center: $14,000 to support programs such as walk-in counseling, crisis services, shelter programs and the day resource center.

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland: $12,000 to support a home-delivered meal program in Howard County.

NAMI Howard County: $7,500 in support of outreach, education and support programs for individuals and families living with mental illness.

National Family Resiliency Center: $9,000 in support of clinical services and educational programs to help children and adults preserve a sense of family and foster healthy relationships.

Neighbor Ride: $10,000 in support of transportation services for seniors in Howard County.

Salvation Army Howard County Family Service Center: $5,000 in support of crisis intervention services for Howard County residents in need of eviction and utility turn-off assistance, food and clothing.

Special Olympics Maryland Howard County: $7,500 supporting training and competition programs for Howard County children and adults with intellectual or closely related disabilities.

Voices for Children: $4,500 supporting the representation of abused and neglected children in the Howard County court system.

Arts and Culture Grants

The 12 arts and culture grants total $72,000, an increase of $26,300 over last year’s arts and culture grants.

B&O Railroad Museum, Ellicott City Station: $7,500 supporting the programs and educational resources that preserve the physical legacy and experience of American railroading.

Candlelight Concert Society: $10,000 supporting its Chamber and CandleKids Music Series, outreach programs and master classes.

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: $5,000 supporting the free Shakespeare for Kids summer program.

Columbia Bands: $4,000 supporting free concerts and programs in Howard County.

Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts: $1,000 supporting conservatory, theatrical arts productions and outreach programs.

Columbia Festival of the Arts: $15,000 supporting programs and events that build community through shared participation and celebration, engage participants in a broad spectrum of art forms and cultures, and encourage interaction among artists and audiences.

Columbia Orchestra: $10,000 supporting concerts and programs that foster lifelong appreciation of, enthusiasm for and participation in music.

HoCoPoLitSo: $6,000 supporting live programs and events that promote excellence in literary arts.

Howard County Arts Council: $6,000 supporting programs, classes, exhibits and outreach.

Little Patuxent Review: $1,500 supporting a journal and salon series that promote the tradition of written and visual arts.

Sundays at Three: $2,000 supporting its 15th concert season offering public performances of chamber music.

Young Audiences of Maryland: $4,000 supporting arts programs that transform the lives and education of youth through the arts by connecting educators, professional artists and communities.

Education and Community Affairs Grants

The eight education and community affairs grants total $38,500, an increase of $18,500 over last year’s education and community affairs grants.

A-OK Mentoring–Tutoring: $3,000 supporting a mentoring program for Howard County Public School students.

Conexiones: $4,500 supporting work on behalf of Hispanic students in Howard County.

Cradlerock Children’s Center: $3,000 supporting scholarships for immersion programs and preschool for children of recent immigrants.

HC DrugFree: $7,500 supporting programs that help the Howard County community raise drug-free teens.

Howard County Foundation for Black Educational and Cultural Achievement:$2,000 supporting scholarships for African-American students who plan to pursue post-secondary education or training.

Junior Achievement of Central Maryland: $7,500 supporting young people in work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.

Linwood Center: $6,000 for the purchase of an interactive mobile computer to support children and adults with autism.

Pinnacle Empowerment Center: $5,000 supporting career and life coaching, career management training and resource coordination programs for women in transition.

The Columbia Foundation raises, manages and distributes funds to support Howard County nonprofits that address human services, arts and culture, education and community affairs.

The Columbia Foundation’s purpose is to serve as a catalyst for building a more caring, creative and effective community in Howard County by promoting and creating opportunities for personal and corporate philanthropy, managing endowments, anticipating and responding to community needs and strategically granting funds.