Media Contact: Imany Dye, Communications & Marketing Coordinator Iadye@mdnonprofit.org | (443) 238 2336
Baltimore, Maryland: “With Maryland having a $4 billion plus budget surplus, no Marylander should be in need. Nonprofits should not be struggling to keep their doors open.” Says Maryland Nonprofits President & CEO Heather Iliff. On January 19, 2021, 300 nonprofits and nonprofit leaders submitted a letter to Maryland executive and legislative leaders calling for $1 billion of Maryland’s $4+ billion budget surplus be used to “Put People First” and partner with the nonprofit sector.
Maryland’s 37,000 nonprofit organizations employ 13% of the state’s non-governmental workforce and provide essential services including healthcare at every hospital in Maryland, pre-k through higher education and workforce development, arts and culture, environmental stewardship and animal rights, a wide array of human services and religious services. Maryland Nonprofits’ COVID-19 and Racial Equity Survey indicate that nonprofits led by people of color, those best connected to some of Maryland’s most historically disadvantaged communities, have faced disproportionate funding cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Collectively, as the nonprofit sector, we have shown up and we have provided food; we have [encouraged testing and vaccinations]; we have provided transportation; we have trained people searching for jobs [while] their entire industry collapses; we have assisted those in need of shelter; we have supported survivors of abuse; and we have helped people mourn the loss of loved ones and the loss of life,” said Tiffany Turner Allen, Executive Director of Nonprofit Prince George’s County.
“The immigrant community has the added challenges of trust and language,” reports Veronica Cool, Co-Founder and Chair of Maryland Latinos Unidos. “We are asking the hardest hit members of our community to give what they don’t have, over and over and over. This is why the pandemic continues.”
To respond to immediate circumstances and instill long-lasting change, we must direct the greatest resources to those areas where there is the greatest need. In addition to those recommendations stated above, other recommendations in the letter include:
- Expanded workforce training to fill direct care jobs that are vacant now, plus to meet the workforce needs of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.
- Greater input into government programs from the affected communities.
- Improved systems for managing government grants, contracts, and payments to nonprofits.
- rant and loan programs for nonprofit enterprises similar to those provided to for-profit businesses.
Putting People First Letter to State Leadership
Signers as of January 28, 2022
Rev. Keron R. Sadler |
Dr. Gabriela D. Lemus |
Laura Howell |
Tiffany Turner-Allen |
Jade Nicole Neverdon Merritt |
 Ruth Toomey |
Marceline White |
 Ande Kolp |
Theresa Clark |
 Kim Jones CEO Nonprofit Village |
Claudia Wilson Randall |
Linda Raines |
 Lesley MacDonald Executive Director Nonprofit Montgomery |
 Jennifer Pollitt Hill Interim Executive Director Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence |
Lisae C. Jordan, Esq. |
 Kimberly Lennon Weiner President Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Maryland Chapter |
 Angela Martin Executive Director Maryland Community Action Partnership |
 Francine Baker President The Maryland Public Health Association |
365 Diversity
A Healing House, Inc.
Accessible Resources for Independence Incorporated
Adoptions Together
African Institute of Arts, Science & Technology, Inc.
AfriThrive Inc.
Allegany County HRDC
Allegany County United Way
Always In His Footsteps
America’s Hauling for Hope
Ameriglef
Anne Arundel County Food Bank
Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council, Inc.
Araminta Freedom Initiative
Ark of God International Ministry Inc.,
Asociacion Guatemaltecos Sin Fronteras inc
Audubon Naturalist Society
Baltimore Community ToolBank
Baltimore county Association of Senior Citizens Organizations, Inc.
Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc
Baltimore Fashion Alliance
Baltimore Outreach Services
Bay Community Support Services (Bay-CSS)
BCAUSEICAN INC
Be.orecaring, Inc.
BEACON House, Inc.
Bemorecaring, Inc
BIAMD
BioTechnical Inst of MD
Blacks In Government
Brain Injury Association of Maryland
Breakthrough Strategies, Inc.
BTST Cares Inc.
CALMRA, Inc
CASA of Baltimore County, Inc.
CASA of Western Maryland
Cedar Ridge Children’s Home & School, Inc.
Center for Convention On Democratic Integrity lnc
Center of Help Inc.
Charitable Choices
Charting Careers
Child Justice, Inc.
Children’s Theatre of Annapolis, Inc.
Clean Beauty for Black Girls
Climate Communications Coalition
Clinica Medica Primaria de Rising Sun
CLLCTIVLY
Common Cause Maryland
Community Assistance Network
Community Bridges
Community Reach of Montgomery County
Community Solutions, Inc.
Community Support Systems, Inc.
CommunityNexus Consulting LLC
Compass
Comprehensive Housing Assistance Incorporated
CONCERN
Cornerstone Community Housing, Inc.
Cornerstone Montgomery
Diamond Life Inc
Disability Rights Maryland
Discovery Station at Hagerstown, Inc.
Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Inc.
Dream Queen Foundation
Dyslexia Tutoring Program
Education Reform Advocates, LLC
ELCN
ElevateHER
Empowering the Ages
EveryMind
Faith in Family Community Center Inc
Family League of Baltimore
For 3 Sisters
Friendship Outreach Center
Fuel Fund of Maryland
Future Harvest
Garrett County Community Action
Garrett County Lighthouse, Inc.
Greater Washington Urban League
Hampden Family Center
Harvest Resources in Anne Arundel Co.
Healing church of Christ
Hearts and Homes for Youth
Heart’s Place Services, Inc.
HeartSmart Foundation
Helen J. Serini Foundation
Historical Society of Baltimore County
Hoffberger Family Philanthropies
Home Based Medical Inc
HopeWell Cancer Support
Horizon Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Hosea Housing Resource Center
Hospice of the Chesapeake
Howard County Autism Society
HTP Homes, Inc
In Reach, Inc.
Interfaith Works
Intersection of Change
ISS-USA
It Takes A Village Collaborative
J&S Brown Urban Housing Developers
James’ Place Inc.
Jessilove.org
Joe’s Movement Emporium
JOTF
Justice Jobs of Maryland, Inc.
KD Leslie LLC
Key Point Health Services Inc
Kindness for Kidneys International, Inc.
Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc.
Literacy Council of St. Mary’s
Little Deeds, LLC
Love Wins Movement
Loving Care Senior Services
Management Counsel, LTD & LLC
Manna Food Center
Marian House
Martin Pollak Project Inc
Martin Pollak Project Inc.
Maryland Citizens for the Arts
Maryland Coalition of Families
Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center
Maryland Humanities
Maryland Hunger Solutions
Maryland Rare
Maryland Symphony Orchestra
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service
Matthew2816
MdPHA
MHCF Foundation
Mid Shore Community Mediation Center
Minority Access, Inc.
Mobile Healthcare Services International Corp
Monterey Institute of Natural Medicine
Montgomery County Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Inc.
Movement Disorder Education and Exercise, Inc
MSBC 5 Star Program, Inc. CDC
NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore, Inc.
National Great Blacks In Wax Museum
NCIA
New Day Maryland, Inc
Nueva Vida
On Our Own of Frederick County
One Source Wellness Center
OnTrack Washington County
Outcast Food Network
PapasLand Family Educational Advancement International Foundation Inc.
Parent’s Guide Cord Blood Foundation
Park Heights Saints Community Center, Inc.
Partnerships for Sustainable Development, Inc.
Passion and Compassion, INC.
Phillips Wharf Environmental Center
Phoenix International Incorporated
Prince George’s Child Resource Center, Inc.
Professional Development and Research Center International (PDRC International)
Public Justice Center
Pure Play Every Day, Inc.
Purpose Parenting, Inc
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County
Redstart Creative
ROC Global Network
Saltzberg Consulting
SciTech2U
securitynextgen.org
Seeds of the City, Inc
Shared Support Maryland, Inc.
Sharp Dressed Man
Shifting Power Workgroup
Sisters Saving the City
Stella’s Girls Inc
Strategic Music Partnerships
Student Support Network
Susanna Wesley House
Sustainable Earth Eating
Tanyimor Foundation Inc
The Arc Baltimore
The Arc Montgomery County
The Arc NCR
The Arc Prince George’s County
The Arc Southern Maryland
The Board of Child Care
The Board Room Chess Inc
The Coordinating Center
The Global Z Recording Project
The Harford Center
The Harford Center, Inc
The Hearing and Speech Agency
The Ivy Community Charities of Prince George’s County, Inc.
The National Center for Children and Families-NCCF
The Webb Group Inc. Educational Learning Center
Toiletry and Company
United Way of Cecil County
United Way of Frederick County
United Way of Kent County, Inc.
United Way of Southern Maryland
United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore
United Way of the National Capital Area
Upward Thrive Academy, Inc.
Victory of Hope Outreach Ministry, Inc.
Water 2 Wine Consulting Group
We Care and friends
Westminster Rescue Mission, Inc.
Wide Angle Youth Media
Wilcome Human Services, Inc.
Willow Oak Therapy Center
Winter Growth, Inc.
Women Veterans United Committee, Inc.
Women with Initiatives, Inc.
Yellow Ribbon Fund
Youth Sports Collaborative Network
Individuals
Susan Elizabeth Atwood
Jamar P Barnes
Ms. Kimberly Becker
Neil Bergsman
Jill Anne Berry
Laurie Bezold
Trezur Kapri Black
Tonisha Boyd
Michelle Boyle
Lois M Brown
Ericka Burke
Sarah J Clark
Dana Cole
Veronica Cool
Melissa Curtin
Carl J DeLorenzo
Dr Gregory W Diachenko
Levietta DuBerry
Carol A Duvall
Imany Dye
Mr Justin Fair
Lauren Feingold
Mr Kevin Fitzgerald
Cesiah Fuentes
Elizabeth Gatti
Steven J. Gray
Monica Guerrero Vazquez
Vinicio Guzman
Valeri Hampton
Mr John D Herron
Mrs. Anginette Holmes
Kate Hull
Ms. Yvette Hynson
Heather Iliff
Jabari Jackson
Mr Warren Jones
Christine Keppel
Erica Lancaster
Peter Lane
Keichel Lewter
Charisse Lue
Doug Mann
Ana-Astrid Molina
Ms. Jessica Morgan
Lauren Munson
Nancy Newman
Duc Ntsomi
Cynthia O’Neill
Julia Pierson
Leanna Powell
Todd Powell
Kimberly W. Raikes
Alicia A Richardaon
Marie Schell
Ronald Shelley
Mr. Guffrie Matthews Smith Jr.
Susan Kendall Sorenson-Clark
Dr. Kristin Sullivan
Pattie Tingle
Nyah Vanterpool
Kenika Walker
Anne Wallestad
Mrs. Elsie B Watts
Jennifer Williams
Conner Wolfe
Scott Wolgamuth
Ruby Zhang
About Maryland Nonprofits
Home to more than 1,300 members, Maryland Nonprofits is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit associations, with the mission to strengthen organizations and networks for greater quality of life and equity. The association has 30 years of experience and expertise and provides a range of programs and services that help organizations build their capacity, operate more efficiently, engage in cross-sector dialogue fostering collaboration, and advocate for key policy issues. Maryland Nonprofits offers the Standards for Excellence®, a nationally replicated accreditation program that enhances governance, management and the public’s trust in the nonprofit sector, and is also home of the Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth and Maryland Latinos Unidos.
