On a Mission in Baltimore: How the Goldseker Foundation Approaches Philanthropy

There are numerous foundations focused on the city of Baltimore, Maryland, including the T. Rowe Price Foundation, the Aaron Straus and Lillie Straus Foundation, and the David and Barbara B. Hirschhorn Foundation. Another Baltimore-centric foundation that’s important for local grantseekers to know is the Goldseker Foundation, which has been making grants in the area since 1976.

Here are some key details about the Goldseker Foundation and how to connect with this funder for support.

Three goals for Baltimore

Overall, the Goldseker Foundation has broad goals for its home city of Baltimore that involve supporting a socially and economically healthy future for local residents. But three more specific goals are especially important to this funder and drive its grantmaking — education, community development and strengthening the nonprofit sector.

The Goldseker Foundation is interested in making Baltimore a great place to live, learn and invest. It wants to help attract talented and educated people from around the world to Baltimore. And it wants to develop opportunities for the growing middle class population that lives there.

Typical grants awarded

In a recent fourth-quarter board meeting, the Goldseker Foundation approved 29 grants totaling $2,742,751. Many of its recent grants are $5,000 to $25,000 in size.

Here are some sample grantees to give you a sense of what this foundation likes to support:

Conscious Venture Lab Novella Center for Entrepreneurship – early-stage business accelerator
Homeless Persons Representation Project – free legal services to help end homelessness
Project JumpStart – apprenticeship construction job training program
UpSurge – a convening of local leaders to encourage more start-ups in Baltimore
We Rise — mentorship and neighborhood revitalization program

How to apply for funding

Prospective grantseekers should know that the Goldseker Foundation is primarily a source of short-term funds and that the foundation greatly values administrative capability and financial stability in its grantees. This is not a funder to approach with requests for arts and culture grants, needs for specific disabilities or diseases, building campaigns or publications.

The foundation welcomes phone inquiries throughout the year, so it’s a smart idea to make a phone call to staff before submitting any application materials. The foundation board reviews requests four times per year at quarterly meetings, and grants are steadily rolling out on a frequent basis. A big part of the foundation’s current strategy is its Management Assistance Grants Program, which is a resource for getting nonprofits the consulting experience they need for strategic planning, program evaluation and other development and sustainability efforts.

Read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Goldseker Foundation, which is part of our Maryland funding guide.

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