WGC Grants

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

We've been part of the Howard County community for 19 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts, and have given over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. Since we formed in 2002, the WGC has granted over $750,000 to our nonprofit partners in Howard County.

In 2021 we plan to give at least $110,000 to our nonprofit partners in Howard County. To date, we've provided over $75,000 in grants.

2021 Grants Snapshot to Date: $75,000+

• Leadership U Scholarship: ($1,000) 
• Young Women's Giving Circle/Youth in Philanthropy: ($5,000) 
• JA Rising Women: ($20,000) 
• HCC Continuing Education: ($7,750) 
• ERN Matching Grants: ($2,500) 
• HopeWorks: ($1,100)
• Columbia Community Care: ($10,000)
• Bridges to Housing Stability: ($1,000)
• Community Action Council: ($1,000)
• Grassroots: ($1,000)
• JustLiving Advocacy: ($1,000)
• Howard County Autism Society: ($1,600)
• United Way of Central Maryland Family Center ($5,000) 
• The 3rd: ($5,000) 
• Community Foundation of Howard County: ($4,000) 
• Black Philanthropy Month: ($1,000) 
• Changemaker Challenge: ($10,000)

Coming Soon:

• HoCoRespond: ($3,000)
• Social Justice Grants for Women and Girls: ($20,000) 
• Upcoming Grants: ($10,250)

2020 Grants Snapshot:

In 2020, the WGC gave a total of $124,000+ to our nonprofit partners in Howard County. We gave $29,550 as part of our planned grants to programs that benefit women and girls, $44,500 through our Emergency Response Network, and $50,000 through our HoCoRespond partnership.

In March 2020 the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland and Women's Giving Circle of Howard County announced new emergency funds and actions to support community members affected by COVID-19, and established HoCoRespond.com to support Howard County nonprofits on the frontline of support, focusing on assisting with food security, housing, childcare and healthcare.  To date we have collectively given 46 grants to 34 organizations for a total of $608,500 in HoCoRespond COVID-19 Emergency Funds to Howard County nonprofits since March. 

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WGC Grant Focus

The WGC’s grant focus is on programs that increase the life skills of women and girls, encourage the healthy development and personal authority of young girls and raise the awareness of gender disparities in our community. 
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• WGC does not accept grant proposals. Instead, WGC proactively identifies issues it wants to address and invests grant dollars in projects and programs for maximum impact.
• WGC works in partnership with nonprofit organizations and other organizations to advance its mission and address the needs of women and girls, as well as making grants to fund programs.
• ​Education-based philanthropy is the cornerstone of the WGC’s grantmaking, thus WGC sponsors and co-sponsors programs, events and activities that advance understanding of the issues affecting women and girls in Howard County.

PHOTOS

Grant Highlights

​Since we formed in 2002, the WGC has granted over $750,000+ to our nonprofit partners in Howard County.