Program Overview

Eddie and Sylvia Brown are active philanthropists in the Baltimore metropolitan area. The Brown Family Foundation was established at the Baltimore Community Foundation in 1994 as a vehicle for the family to support charitable organizations addressing needs in the areas of health, the arts, and K-12 education.

The Brown Family Foundation will consider grants that have direct impact on the African American community in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Applications will be accepted from July 1 – September 30, 2026.
Final decisions and notifications will take place within 6 – 8 weeks of application deadline.

Link to Application

Eligibility

Organizations (or their fiscal agents) serving the Baltimore area that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, color, physical handicap, gender or sexual orientation.

Grant Amount: Typical grant award: $5,000

Application Guidelines

The Brown Family Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the following areas: mental health, cancer, the arts, and K-12 education. The foundation’s grantmaking will support organizations and their programs that:

• Addresses mental health in the African American community. Programs that provide direct services and intervention including testing and counseling, case management strategies, and access to treatment will be considered.
• Address the prevention and treatment of cancer. This can include local organizations that provide cancer screening, prevention education, and treatment modalities.
• Provide opportunities for youth involvement in meaningful art experiences. This can include support for arts organizations or youth serving organizations that have developed programs which expose young people to the arts. Programs that infuse the arts as a tool for leadership development, academic enrichment, and are built on strong youth development principles are encouraged to apply.
• Provide access to educational opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth. This can include local organizations that work to improve K-12 public education and to offer enhancement and enrichment opportunities to Baltimore City students. Educational opportunities are defined in the broadest sense to include, but are not limited to: afterschool programs, mentoring, alternative education, computer technology, scholarship support, as well as traditional in-school K-12 programs;

Arts and education programs that serve a core group of children and/or youth over an extended period of time rather than a large number of youth for a short period of time are encouraged to apply. Organizations with a proven track record and clear programmatic outcomes will be competitive.

The Foundation does not make grants for:

• Start-up organizations or new programs within established organizations
• Capital campaigns, building construction, renovations or other capital projects
• Individuals
• Multiple years
• Institutions of higher education
• Organizations outside the Baltimore region

Questions?

For questions about the Brown Family Foundation Fund grant program, please contact Maya Smith, Program Administrator, [email protected]