WGC's 2025 Grants To Date - Investing in Our Community

The WGC is a fund that gives grants … it’s what we do!

• We have been part of the Howard County community for 23 over years. We are proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County.
• We have given over $1,200,000 to our nonprofit partners in Howard County since our inception.
• Learn more about WGC's grantmaking here.
• Learn more about the WGC's Emergency Response Network here.

WGC's Grants Committee recommends our grantmaking each year based on our long-standing nonprofit partnerships, as well as new partners - all under our six funding areas as developed in The WGC's State of Women and Girls in Howard County:

• Demographics and Diversity 
• Work and the Economy 
• Education and Educators 
• Health and Wellbeing
• Safety and Justice 
• Leadership and Political Participation

"We are proud to support our nonprofit partners on the ground focusing on women, girls, and families in our community." 

​- Candace Dodson-Reed, 2025 WGC Grants Committee Chair

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2025 WGC Grants To Date

Demographics and Diversity 

• Luminus: WGC Big Give support for vital services for women and girls in need of immigration related legal services - $5,000
• Service Never Sleeps: To support follow-up and allyship training for the “Elevating to Evolve” report - $6,000
  
  

Education and Educators

• Downtown Columbia Partnership: Support for Books In Bloom and the Spilled Milk Motherhood Event - $5,000
• ​Howard Community College (HCC): HeadStart Educational Empowerment Scholarship - $3,250
• Howard Community College (HCC): “Women’s Giving Circle” Scholarship - $5,000 
• Howard Community College (HCC): WGC “Dream Fund” for books - $250
• MakingChange: WGC Big Give Support for financial education for women at Highland House and women who are incarcerated at the Howard County Detention Center - $5,500
• Ohana of Howard County: WGC Big Give support training for female program mentors - $500
• Thomas Viaduct Middle School PTA: WGC Big Give support for an after school STEM program for girls - $500

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​Health and Wellbeing 

• Ballet After Dark: WGC Big Give support to expand curriculum trainings and child abuse prevention tools to Howard County - $500
• Girls on the Run of Central Maryland: WGC Big Give support to provide equipment and resources to GOTR coaches - $500
• LindaBen Foundation: WGC Big Give support to fund Girls Grow Healthy which will engage at least 200 girls and women throughout Howard County in youth-led nutrition, wellness, and hunger relief efforts - $1,000
• Sobar: Support for WGC's Sobar Certification - $500
• Voices for Children: WGC Mini Give support to provide feminine hygiene products for one year to 40 girls and young women ages 11-25 in the foster care system - $5,000​

Leadership and Political Participation 
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• Howard County Leadership U: Scholarships for Female Participants - $2,000

Safety and Justice ​
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• Bridges to Housing Stability: WGC Big Give support for women with education and career support, transportation, child care assistance and translation services - $1,000
• Columbia Housing Center: WGC ERN support for a female client in need - $1,000
• Columbia Housing Center: WGC Big Give support for one-time emergency rent assistance for HCC students in their rent subsidy program who experience a temporary loss of income - $500
• Ethiopian Community Empowerment Center: WGC Big Give support for staffing, materials, transportation, and space for the activities of the EmpowerHer Howard program - $500
• HopeWorks: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,100
• HopeWorks: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,000
• Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center: WGC Big Give support for two cohorts of Rooted Conversations: A Circle Series for Women Learning to Transform Suppressed Anger; one for women and one for girls age 14 and up - $1,000
• Rebuilding Together: WGC Big Give support for a female-led, all female volunteer repair team providing repairs on the home of a 68 year old female HoCo resident - $500
• TurnAround: WGC Big Give support building anti-trafficking programming in Howard County - $10,000

  
​Work and the Economy 
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• Community Foundation of Howard County: WGC Porch Naming - $4,000
• Howard Community College (HCC): WorkForce Development Trades Center Building/Capital Campaign - $1,000 

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2024 WGC Grants - Over $88,000 Invested in Our Community

Demographics and Diversity 

• The 3rd: “elevate” Leadership Development Program - $6,000

Education and Educators

• Connexiones: College Sponsorships for Female Students - $2,000
• Girls on Fire: Support for Elementary School Girls - $1,000
• Howard Community College (HCC) HeadStart Educational Empowerment Scholarship - $3,000
• Howard Community College (HCC) “Women’s Giving Circle” Scholarship - $5,000 
• Howard Community College (HCC) WGC “Dream Fund” for Books - $500
• Philanthropy Together: We Give Summit - $500

​​​​Health and Wellbeing 

• Autism Society of Maryland: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,000
• Community Ecology Institute: General Support for Health and Wellness Programs - $1,000
• Get on the Bus: Support for Girls to Participate - $1,500
• Girls on the Run: WGC Big Give Support for Sneakers and Equipment for Girls - $4,000
• Girls on the Run: Curriculum for Middle School Aged Girls - $3,000
• JustLiving Advocacy: ERN Support for Female Clients in Need - $1,00
• JustLiving Advocacy: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,260
• JustLiving Advocacy: Support for "Listen to Your Mother" Event - $3,000
• Sobar: Certification for Inclusive Events - $500

Leadership and Political Participation 
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• Howard County Leadership U: Scholarships for Female Participants - $2,000

Safety and Justice ​
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• Bridges to Housing Stability - ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $2,600
• Columbia Housing Center: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $2,304
• Columbia Housing Center: WGC Big Give Support  - $10,000
• Grassroots: WGC Big Give Support  - $6,000
• Grassroots: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,700
• HopeWorks: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,400
• ​HopeWorks: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $2,000
• HopeWorks: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $2,000
• HopeWorks: Supporting Women Survivors - $1,000
• Leora Dorsey Community Resource Center: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $650
• Leora Dorsey Community Resource Center: ERN Support for a Female Client in Need - $1,000
• Neighbor Ride: Rides for Senior Women - $1,000
• Tuerk House: WGC Big Give Support  - $4,000
• TurnAround: Fighting Sex Trafficking - $2,000

  
​Work and the Economy 
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• Business Women’s Network: Lifelong Learner Scholarship - $1,500
• Community Foundation of Howard County: WGC Porch Naming - $4,000
• Howard Community College (HCC) WorkForce Development Trades Center Building/Capital Campaign - $1,000 
• Junior Achievement of Central Maryland: JA Rising Women - $10,000
• JustLiving Advocacy: WorkHER Program - $3,500