Beyond the Big Give: Meet the Nonprofit Partners Supporting Women and Girls in Howard County

Following the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County’s Big Give 2026, we have been asked by donors and community members for more information about the nonprofit partners who submitted proposals this year and how they can continue to support their work.

We are proud to share this list of organizations whose work is strengthening the lives of women and girls across Howard County and beyond. While Big Give participants collectively directed $26,000 in funding through the WGC's Big Give 2026, we know the need and opportunity for support continues well beyond one evening of grantmaking.

Each of these nonprofit partners is doing meaningful work in our community, and there are many ways to help. Community members can make a donation, volunteer, attend an event, share their work with others, connect them to new supporters, or simply take time to learn more about the challenges they are addressing and the impact they are making.
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The Big Give is about more than grantmaking. It is about learning, connecting, and building a stronger community of informed and engaged philanthropists. We hope this list serves as a resource for anyone interested in supporting organizations working every day on behalf of women, girls, and families in our community.

2026 Big Give Proposal Highlights:

• The Arc of Howard County – Supporting scholarships and professional development opportunities for women Direct Support Professionals serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Athelas Institute – Providing a women’s empowerment program for adult women with intellectual and developmental disabilities focused on confidence, wellness, and self-advocacy.
• Ballet After Dark, Inc. – Offering trauma-informed menstrual health education and sewing workshops where participants create reusable menstrual products.
• The Black Executive Directors Network – Supporting wellness and leadership programming for Black women nonprofit leaders through the TheraTea Wellness & Leadership Series.
• Bridges to Housing Stability – Providing direct financial assistance to help single female-headed households remain safely and stably housed.
• Center for Creative Life and Learning – Expanding Girls on Fire leadership and parent mentorship programming for girls and families in Howard County.
• Columbia Housing Center – Helping women and families using housing vouchers afford move-in and housing stabilization costs.
• Community Action Council of Howard County – Supporting the development of the Cornerstone of Opportunity campus combining food assistance and early childhood education services.
• Ethiopian Community Empowerment Center – Providing tutoring, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for immigrant girls and young women.
• Get On the Bus, Inc. – Expanding free soccer, mentorship, tutoring, and wellness programming for girls at Howard County Title I schools.
• Gilchrist Hospice Care – Providing compassionate hospice charity care for under-resourced women at the Gilchrist Center Howard County.
• Girls on the Run of Central Maryland – Expanding access to confidence-building, mental wellness, and physical activity programming for girls across Howard County.
• Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center – Providing gas cards and transportation assistance for women and female-headed households in crisis.
• A Home of Our Own Howard – Furnishing homes with essential household items and furniture for women and families transitioning to stable housing.
• Homewood Center (HCPSS) – Supporting leadership, life skills, wellness, and mentorship programming for adolescent girls.
• HopeWorks – Supporting survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence through wellness resources, holistic health grants, and trauma-informed care.
• Howard Community College Educational Foundation – Expanding the Jill of All Trades program introducing young women to careers in the skilled trades.
• Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Foundation – Providing educational forums and resources focused on menstrual and reproductive health for adolescent girls.
• Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) – Supporting afterschool enrichment opportunities for girls and childcare assistance for working mothers.
• Leadership Howard County – Providing scholarships and leadership development opportunities for young women through Leadership U.
• Luminus Network – Offering immigration legal services and support for immigrant women, girls, and families.
• MakingChange, Inc. – Delivering financial literacy, counseling, and economic empowerment programming for women and girls.
• Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center – Launching a restorative leadership and conflict resolution program for middle school girls.
• My Covenant Place – Providing trauma-informed healing, wellness, and support services for women affected by violence and trauma.
• Neighbor Ride – Expanding transportation access and caregiver support for senior women in Howard County.
• Ohana of Howard County – Offering emotional wellness, mentorship, and leadership development programming for high school girls.
• Rebuilding Together Howard County – Completing critical home repairs and accessibility improvements for a low-income senior woman through the She Builds program.
• Respite Retreats – Providing therapeutic retreat experiences for women living with Stage IV cancer.
• Sacral Roots – Training peer support doulas and expanding maternal mental health support for postpartum mothers.
• Sisters for Health – Empowering girls of color through fitness, nutrition, wellness, and leadership programming.
• Springboard Community Services – Expanding mental health access and direct assistance for women facing barriers to care.
• Touch Stones Financial Wellness Services – Providing culturally responsive financial education and counseling for women and girls.
• Trinity Maternal Wellness – Expanding prenatal and postpartum education, maternal wellness support, and essential resources for mothers and families.
• TurnAround, Inc. – Supporting survivors of violence and human trafficking through direct services, emergency assistance, and reentry support programming.
• The Village in Howard – Creating intergenerational wellness and connection opportunities for women through the HER Circle initiative.
• Voices for Children, Inc. – Providing household essentials and communication tools for girls and young women transitioning out of foster care.
• Winter Growth, Inc. – Offering respite care scholarships and adult day care subsidies supporting women caregivers and older adults.