Baltimore Civic Site

Building and investing in public, private and community partnerships to improve education, job opportunities, health and neighborhoods for Baltimore City’s youth and families.

Since our move to Baltimore in 1994, we’ve had a special interest in the well-being of the children and families in our hometown and are committed to improving the outlook for many of the city’s youngest residents and their parents, who face some of the same challenges we’ve encountered in our work throughout the nation.

Baltimore City outstrips the state and nation in a number of areas, includingkids living in poverty or with unemployed parents, those receiving free or reduced-price meals in school and its dropout rate.
More than one-third of city third-graders score below proficient on state reading tests — nearly double the state percentage.
With high unemployment and housing vacancies and low median household income and educational attainment, the picture for adults is equally troubling.

We seek to improve schools, health, economic opportunities and neighborhoods for local kids and their families.

Developing a new community-based school for kids from birth through middle school.
Providing coordinated academic, health and family services in five East Baltimore schools for pre-K through middle school students and their parents — and helping change attitudes about education, attendance and parent involvement.
Improving third-grade reading scores citywide.
Connecting low-income city residents, youth and parents to financial coaching, training and public benefits such as the earned income tax credit and jobs that allow them to support their families.
Reducing the city's infant mortality rate and improving the health and care of babies and their mothers.
Strengthening resident leadership and communities' ability to organize and advocate for themselves.
Rehabbing homes, building new housing and bringing commercial development to East Baltimore.
Through the Baltimore Direct Services Grants Program, supporting local summer programs that offer academic, cultural and athletic enrichment, as well as life-skills training, for disadvantaged city youth.

A new $53.9 million community-based educational complex for kids from birth through middle school opened in East Baltimore in early 2014 with the capacity to serve more than 700 children.
The city was selected as an All-America City for its efforts to improve student reading proficiency.
Since the B’more for Healthy Babies initiative launched in 2009, Baltimore City’s infant mortality rate has dropped by nearly 30%.
Over a decade, East Baltimore has seen more than $22 million in updates and improvements to utilities, streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure, 260 new or rehabbed homes and a steady stream of new commercial development.
Our demolition protocols in East Baltimore have been adopted as citywide practice.
The work of the Baltimore Integration Partnership, Job Opportunities Task Force and other partners led to a Baltimore law to ensure more local residents are hired for city-funded projects, and a state executive order and new law to promote more job-training opportunities for Marylanders.
City residents received about $10 million in public benefits such as tax credits and assistance for utilities, health and nutrition.

We strive to build a safe, stable and economically diverse East Baltimore community and to invest in collaborative strategies citywide that help kids succeed in school and families care for their children.

To do this, we work with civic, education, nonprofit and business partners to:

strengthen the city’s network of programs and organizations serving children and their parents.
provide high-quality education and comprehensive services.
increase access to economic opportunity for East Baltimore parents and other residents and help low-income individuals there and throughout Maryland become financially stable and able to support their families.
take a responsible approach to neighborhood development that emphasizes resident involvement, safety, long-term stability, access to work and job training and the creation of a mixed-income community in East Baltimore.
build up resident leaders to drive community change.
support policies to bolster job training and education for adults and remove barriers to employment.

This Casey Connects post highlights East Baltimore Development Inc.’s work to help connect local residents with jobs, training and newly developed housing in the neighborhood.
What's the real East Baltimore? The East Baltimore Development Inc. video series gives viewers an up-close and current look at developments throughout the community.
How is Baltimore supporting young readers? Learn more about the city's campaign to increase the number of students reading at grade level.
Responsible Redevelopment: Relocation Road Map 1.0 outlines some of the major challenges faced when low-income families and their children are displaced by redevelopment projects and suggests alternative standards and practices that result in better outcomes for residents.
The Greater Baltimore region has significant untapped assets that could translate into more job opportunities. This Brookings Institution report features recommendations on ways to build on that potential, create more quality jobs and help low-income people access employment.
Where can city residents find job training and explore their career options? Train Baltimore has answers.

We work closely with the city and state as well as several public, private and community partners. Just some of these partners:

From the Blog

In the foreground, a young Asian woman wearing a mask and a nametag listens intently in a lecture setting. A young Black man sits behind her, also listening intently.

Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative Announces 2024 Grantees

The Casey Foundation has joined other institutions in awarding grants to summer programs for Baltimore’s youth. Learn more.

Violence Prevention Index Provides Scorecard for Cities

A new report assesses 100 municipalities with the highest rates of gun violence. Read more about the report and its recommendations.

Violence Intervention Leadership Academy Graduates First Class

The Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy's first cohort recently graduated. Read about their violence reduction work.

Baltimore Civic Site

Building and investing in public, private and community partnerships to improve education, job opportunities, health and neighborhoods for Baltimore City’s youth and families.

From the Blog

Baltimore Summer Funding Collaborative Announces 2024 Grantees

Violence Prevention Index Provides Scorecard for Cities

Violence Intervention Leadership Academy Graduates First Class

Increasing Opportunities for Baltimore Kids and Families

Summer Grants Program

A New School

Elev8 Baltimore