FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: John Rodenhausen,
President & CEO, CFAAC
john@cfaac.org | 410.280.1102

CFAAC’s Fund for Anne Arundel Grants Record Amount of More Than $574,000 to 16 County Nonprofits

(Annapolis, MD, June 4, 2026) The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s (CFAAC) Fund for Anne Arundel (FFAA) recently awarded a record amount of $574,250 to 16 local nonprofits — the largest grant cycle the FFAA has awarded. Since it inception, CFAAC has distributed 65 grants to 36 unique nonprofits totaling $2,294,428.64 through the Fund for Anne Arundel.

The Fund for Anne Arundel prioritizes the physical, mental, and behavioral health of children and families; homeless prevention programs and initiatives; mental wellness programs and initiatives; and school and after-school programs.

“The high amount of nonprofits applying for this grant, along with the findings from our latest Community Needs Assessment Report, highlights the depth of need and challenges that our community is currently facing,” said John Rodenhausen, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. “Thanks to our generous donors who pool their monies together through our Fund for Anne Arundel, 16 nonprofits can now continue their important work to address these needs.”

Although CFAAC awarded more funding than in previous years, the demand for support continues to grow. This year brought a record number of grant applications, highlighting the urgent and increasing needs in our community. Continued support is essential to ensure that fewer worthy causes go unfunded.

The grants allow the following organizations to continue their essential programs and launch new initiatives so that all residents have access to them.

Here is a brief description of the 2026 Fund for Anne Arundel grantee projects and programs:

• Annapolis Kappa Scholarship Fund will use the grant to cover the cost of registration, travel, and lodging for 30 students to attend regional and national leadership workshops (15 each), and will support bi-weekly materials, books, meals, storage, uniforms, clean-up supplies, and transportation for college tours and enrichment activities.
• Anne Arundel County Food Bank will use its funds to launch a pilot farmers market-style produce and essential foods distribution in South County through an expanded partnership with Miracle Temple. The program will provide free healthy food to approximately 1,000 households through 15 bi-monthly (twice per month for seven months) distributions.
• BeMoreCaring, Inc. will use the grant to fund structured street outreach in Anne Arundel County, providing essential resources, consistent engagement, and pathways into recovery and workforce development for individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Board of Childcare dba Everstand will use its grant funding to expand access to prevention and early intervention services for Anne Arundel County youth beyond its current Medicaid population by implementing evidence-based Botvin LifeSkills Training and Seven Challenges Program groups. This initiative will allow them to serve approximately 56 youth annually.
• Change the Conversation, Inc. (CTC) will use its grant to fund a community match for CTC's current Blueprint award to provide 300 Turn the Talk presentations addressing child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention to 6,500 middle and high school students in Anne Arundel County. This grant will also provide 225 counseling sessions for 15 AAC residents who have experienced CSA.
• Charting Careers, Inc. will use its grant to partially fund the supervision and oversight of Maximizing Master of Social Work Internships, providing 1,200 hours of trauma‑informed, relationship‑centered support to youth and families. It will also partially fund its Community Impact Team members.
• Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools will use the funds to expand its mentorship program to support more students, eliminate the barriers to volunteer mentors to participate, and expand the number of opportunities for mentors and mentees to participate.
• Eta Eta Lambda Foundation will use its grant to support the nonprofit’s Alpha Academy Mentorship & Wellness Program. The program provides enhanced mentorship and mental wellness programming for a focused group of 30 young men at Annapolis High School.
• Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake will use its funds to provide up to 150 girls in grades 3–8 from Title I and under-resourced schools access to a positive after-school program that builds confidence and supports their social, emotional, and physical well-being at a critical stage before adolescence.
• HOPE For All will use its grant to fund its Turning Houses into Homes Program. This program addresses the critical gap many face when moving into permanent housing: empty homes lacking the necessities needed for a safe, healthy, and dignified living environment.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Anne Arundel County, will use the funds to increase operational staffing and provide the resources they need to further their work. This will allow NAMI AAC to continue to provide completely free education and support for individuals and families coping with mental health issues.
• Rise and Shine Bakery, LLC will use the grant to make its Employment Resource Manager's position full-time and hire a part-time Administrative Assistant. This will allow the nonprofit to place more graduates in jobs, increase employer partnerships, provide six months of supportive employment, manage an alumni network that tracks job data, and create a new volunteer program.
• Seeds 4 Success, Inc. will use the grant money to strengthen its capacity to permanently institute and sustain a second day of weekly mentorship and academic enrichment for up to 80 vulnerable youth in pre-K through post-graduate. Funding will permit them to more than double their annual output to an expected 160 sessions.
• Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) – Annapolis, Inc. will use the grant to support the continuity of One-on-One Literacy Intervention for Children Reading Below Grade Level and provide for expansion of twice-weekly, one-on-one literacy tutoring and mentoring to serve 160 first and second grade students.
• The Light House Homeless Prevention Center will use the grant to expand its Family Homeless Prevention and Stabilization program for families at risk of eviction.
• Together We Rise, Inc. will use the funds to allow its Chief Mentor, Program Coordinator, and Program Director to devote more time to the Together “WE” Rise Mentoring Program.

Those wishing to contribute to the Fund For Anne Arundel can:

• Make a secure, tax-deductible online donation through CFAAC.org.
• Mail a check payable to “CFAAC” with “Fund for Anne Arundel” in the memo line to CFAAC, 900 Bestgate Road, Ste. 400, Annapolis, MD, 21401.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. Our mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributes $6-$9 million annually to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Learn more at www.cfaac.org.

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