Baltimore Funders Collaborate to Strengthen Summer Opportunities for Youth
The Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative (SFC) today announced its 2026 summer grant recipients, awarding $4.9 million to 57 programs across 54 organizations serving young people throughout Baltimore City.
The investment reflects a shared commitment among philanthropic partners to ensure young people have access to safe, engaging, and consistent summer experiences that support learning, strong attendance, and healthy development. Funded programs offer a wide range of opportunities including academic enrichment, arts, sports, workforce exposure, and social-emotional supports designed to meet the diverse interests and needs of Baltimore’s youth across the City.
Summer programs help young people stay connected to caring adults, maintain routines, and continue building skills outside the school year. Many of the supported programs take a comprehensive approach, combining enrichment, meals, mentorship, and structured daily engagement that keeps young people active and connected throughout the summer months.
The 2026 funding cycle was highly competitive, with 216 applications requesting more than $20 million in support. Through these investments, an estimated 8,500 young people will participate in programs across the city this summer.
This year’s Collaborative includes 24 participating funders working in alignment to support community organizations delivering high-quality programming, including 18 funders participating for the first time. Baltimore’s Promise serves as the convener of the Collaborative and provides backbone support for coordination, grantmaking, and shared processes among participating funders. The Fund For Educational Excellence also provides administrative support.
“We are pleased to join the Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative for the first time,” said Nancy Hackerman, President of The Hackerman Foundation. “This collaboration shows what’s possible when funders work together around shared goals. It means more Baltimore children and youth will have access to strong, high-quality summer programs.”
“Summer matters. It’s a time for young people to experience joy and belonging, and to continue building academic skills and confidence. Through the Summer Funding Collaborative, we’re able to support programs across Baltimore that do both,” said Joshua L. Michael, Executive Director of the Sherman Family Foundation.
Participating funders include: The Abell Foundation, Aber D. Unger Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, BGE, Blanket Fort Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, CareerBound, CareFirst, Cindy Paradies and Larry Moscow, Family League of Baltimore, FireWol Fund, Goldseker Foundation, The Hackerman Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, The Hinkey-Benson Family Fund, The Kenneth L. Greif Foundation, Jean and Sidney Silber Family Fund, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Lockhart Vaughan Foundation, Nam-Macgill Family Fund, The Richman Foundation, Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, and The Wolman Family.
2026 Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative Grantees
The Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative is proud to support the following organizations during the 2026 summer season:
Active Achievers Inc.
Adelante Latina! at CollegeBound
Art with a Heart
Arts for Learning Maryland
B-360 Baltimore
Ballet After Dark, Inc.
Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare
Baltimore City Public Schools- El Campamento de Teatro
Baltimore Curriculum Project
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Banner Neighborhoods Community Corporation
Beat The Streets Baltimore, Corp.
Bluebird Education Network, Inc.
Bon Secours Baltimore Community Works, Inc. dba Bon Secours Community Works
Breath of God Lutheran Church
Bridges Baltimore, Inc.
BYKE Collective
CHARM: Voices of Baltimore Youth
City Neighbors Foundation
Coach G Academy, Inc.
Code in the Schools
Dance and Bmore Inc.
Dent Education
Family Survivor Network, Inc. (FSN)
Harlem Lacrosse Baltimore
HeartSmiles
I AM MENtality Youth Male Empowerment Project
Intersection of Change
KIPP Baltimore
Little Flowers Early Childhood and Development Center
Maryland Youth and the Law, Inc.
McKim Community Association
MERIT Health Leadership Academy
Middle Grades Partnership
Mindful Mentors Inc.
Own Your Ase
Parks & People, Inc.
R.I.S.E Arts Center of Baltimore Inc.
Requity Foundation Inc.
RICH - Restoring Inner City Hope, INC
Roberta's House
Soccer Without Borders
Springboard Collaborative
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore
The Agoge Project Inc.
The Be. Org
The Loyola School, Inc.
The Y in Central Maryland
Transforming Lives Community Development Corporation
University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc.
University of Maryland Foundation, Inc. (d/b/a UMBC Foundation)
Village Learning Place
Wide Angle Youth Media