ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today announced the inaugural grant awardees of the Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments, and Households (ENOUGH) initiative, a first-of-its-kind, community-based strategy to address concentrated child poverty in Maryland. The $13.1 million in grants will fund 27 entities across all 12 statutorily eligible counties, part of the historic $20 million in total investment to support communities most in need as they work in partnership to develop solutions to deeply rooted challenges.

“We know that there are many root causes of child poverty – and the solutions are unique to the challenges on the ground,” said Gov. Moore. “So we are directly partnering in the work to create safe and thriving communities; support healthy and economically secure families; and ensure access to high-quality education. Because partnership produces progress – and nothing else does.”

Bridging a diverse set of organizations, awardees include partnerships made up of community-based organizations, local government actors, community schools, and other local entities. Grantees span western to eastern Maryland, representing rural, urban, and suburban communities. Recipients will work with a coalition of partners across the public and private sectors.

“ENOUGH brings together government, philanthropy, and community in an effort to build meaningful partnerships to address the critical challenges faced by too many families across the state,” said Governor’s Office for Children Special Secretary Carmel Martin. “Governor Moore made clear his vision to leave no one behind, and the Governor’s Office for Children is thrilled to work with the Children’s Cabinet to ensure an all of government approach to providing support and resources to the inaugural grantees as we collectively work to eradicate child poverty and create a better, more equitable future for all of Maryland’s children."

ENOUGH grantees were selected through a competitive process. Each application was independently scored using objective rubric criteria including quality community engagement; coordination and partnership experience; strength of governance structure; progress monitoring capacity; quality and feasibility of proposed activities; evidence-based strategies; and sustainability. 

“Child poverty is a public policy choice and today’s announcement marks a major milestone in the fight against child poverty. Too often, children living in under-resourced neighborhoods face enormous barriers to success and their futures are discounted simply because of the ZIP code from which they come from,” said Harlem Children’s Zone Founder and President and William Julius Wilson Institute Founder Geoffrey Canada. “I applaud Governor Moore and the Maryland legislature for recognizing that the community organizations who will receive funding and resources will take an important step to ensure that children are better positioned to succeed in adulthood. Maryland’s children cannot afford to wait.”

ENOUGH has three separate development tracks. As communities continue to engage in grant-funded work, they will have the opportunity to apply for subsequent, higher level tracks in future funding cycles.

Track 1: Partnership Development
Grantees will receive a grant and technical assistance from Local Management Boards to build their capacity to address the root causes of poverty at the community level. Funded activities may include building capacity to do place-based work; strengthening community engagement; and creating cross-sector partnerships in education, health, workforce, housing, public safety and community development issue areas, united in the common goal of ending childhood poverty. 

Five million dollars has been allocated to Local Management Boards to support this effort.

Track 2: Plan Development
Grantees will work with partners including non-profits, anchor institutions, schools, local governments, unions, philanthropy, residents to conduct community asset mapping and needs assessments, building a neighborhood action plan to end child poverty tailored to local needs and assets.

Track 3: Implementation
Grantees will launch approved strategies that address the three ENOUGH pillars—cradle to career education, healthy and economically secure families, and safe and thriving communities—and engage in ongoing progress monitoring, community engagement and continuous improvement. Grantees will also develop plans to secure and leverage additional funding streams to support their strategic vision.

“I am grateful for the vision and courage of Governor Wes Moore, and for the hard work of the Governor’s Office for Children in bringing to life this great investment in self-determination for Maryland’s communities,” said Cherry Hill Strong Founding Executive Director Zeevelle Nottingham-Lemon. “This award will support implementation of the community’s plan for transformation, helping to sustain the years of groundwork necessary for our success. Most importantly, it allows us to do this work in a way that is true to our values. We will center Cherry Hill residents–working together to make sure neighbors are not displaced as the community improves, but that our neighbors are able to benefit from the community’s transformation.”

Grantees will launch their efforts with the support of the Governor's Office for Children and partnership organizations in early January. The Governor’s Office for Children will coordinate a range of support for the ENOUGH communities, including hands-on coaching with local and national experts. State agencies will also support ENOUGH communities through additional funding opportunities and technical assistance. 

"We believe in a Frederick County where everyone can thrive while enjoying a strong sense of place and belonging," said Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. "By giving us better tools to fight concentrated poverty, the ENOUGH initiative will take us one step closer to making that vision a reality for all of our residents."

“I am thrilled to congratulate our Baltimore City community based organizations including Cherry Hill Strong, South Baltimore Community Land Trust, and Park Heights Renaissance on being a part of the first cohort of the ENOUGH initiative from Governor Moore and the Governor’s Office of Children,” said Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter. “This is a transformative step forward—what began as a tragedy has now become a powerful movement for change. These funds will fuel our continued work to create safer, stronger, and more resilient neighborhoods. Together, we are turning pain into progress and building a brighter future for our children and families.”

Select communities and ENOUGH grant awardees include:

Implementation Award Recipients (approximately $3 million each):

1. Cherry Hill Strong (Cherry Hill, Baltimore City)
2. Park Heights Renaissance Inc. (Park Heights, Baltimore City)
3. San Mar Family & Community Services (South End, Hagerstown, Washington County)

Planning Award Recipients ($300,000 each)

1. Anne Arundel Partnership for Children, Youth and Families (Pumphrey / Brooklyn Park, Anne Arundel County)
2. Child First Authority (Druid Heights, Upton and Westside, Baltimore City)
3. Elev8 Baltimore, Inc. (Sandtown Winchester and Harlem Park, Baltimore City)
4. South Baltimore Community Land Trust (Brooklyn and Curtis Bay, Baltimore City)
5. The Central Baltimore Partnership, Inc. (Greater Greenmount, Baltimore City)
6. The Y in Central Maryland (Waverly, Baltimore City)
7. Moving Dorchester Forward Inc (Cambridge / South Dorchester, Dorchester County)
8. Frederick County Local Management Board (Route 40 “The Golden Mile”, Frederick County)
9. CHEER - Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (Long Branch, Montgomery County)
10. Identity, Inc. (Central Gaithersburg, Montgomery County)
11. Latin American Youth Center (East Riverdale / Adelphi, Prince George’s County)
12. United Communities Against Poverty (District Heights and Suitland, Prince George’s  County)

Partnership Award Recipients ($65,000 each)

1. City of Cumberland (South Penn and John Humbird, Allegany County)
2. One Annapolis, Inc. (Bay Ridge Gardens, Anne Arundel County)
3. Greater Mondawmin Coordinating Council (Greater Mondawmin, Baltimore City)
4. Tendea Family Inc. (McElderry Park, Baltimore City)
5. Urban Strategies Inc. (Perkins Somerset Oldtown, Baltimore City)
6. We Our Us (Upton & Druid Heights, Baltimore City)
7. Community Assistance Network (Essex, Baltimore County)
8. Caroline Human Services Council, Inc. (Federalsburg, Caroline County)
9. LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc. (Waldorf, Charles County)
10. Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford and Cecil Counties (Edgewood, Harford County)
11. CASA, Inc. (Langley Park, Prince George’s County)
12. Prince George's Department of Social Services (Hillcrest Heights and Marlow Heights, Prince George’s County)

“This amazing grant opportunity recognizes the unique needs facing diverse communities, such as our rural neighborhoods in Hagerstown, Maryland. We've been waiting a long time for a day like today,” said San Mar Family Community Services President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Fanjoy. “ENOUGH will enable San Mar Family and Community Services to deeply address root causes of poverty such as housing and difficult living conditions. Today is about recognizing the quiet persistence and grit of parents who everyday work to open doors of opportunity for their children. And those in the community who listen and sacrifice greatly to join them to break down those barriers to access.”

For more information about ENOUGH, visit www.goc.maryland.gov.