Portfolio Areas and Priorities
The WBRF was created to help support community needs in workforce development, mentoring, food access and population health. These program areas are not intended to be siloed. We invite proposals that are cross-cutting and multifaceted within and across these portfolio areas. The WBRF has identified a series of values to guide grantmaking activities including those that:
- Intentionally address racial socio-economic or health disparities.
- Expand and advance technology access for West Baltimore residents.
- Build on existing work and /or create lasting improvements for residents and communities.
Workforce Development
Employment is an important component of family economic stability and the social determinants of health. The WBRF provides support for soft and hard skill development and job training with an emphasis on opportunities that lead to a credential and place participants on a strong path leading to employment and family supporting wages. The WBRF seeks a wide range of workforce development and employment strategies including those that:
- Teach soft skills and job readiness necessary for success.
- Provide the opportunity to achieve a lasting credential, continuing education, or industry recognized certification.
- Support the removal of barriers to employment and connect individuals to aligned services and supports.
- Provide strong opportunities for job placement and a living wage.
Mentoring
Believing in our youth and providing them the supports they need to succeed will build a strong future for West Baltimore. The WBRF provides support for youth mentoring that help build positive relationships, leadership skills and new networks that support their growth and education. The WBRF seeks a wide range of mentoring strategies including those that:
- Promotes educational excellence through curricula and teaching methods that incorporate evidence-based practice and/or trauma-informed approaches.
- Develops and sustains enduring relationships between children and community mentors.
- Supports youth by taking a whole-person approach, identifying each individual’s needs, removing barriers, and providing wraparound services to youth and their families.
- Exposure to Experiential Learning and Diverse Activities.
Food Access
Food and nutritious diets are key factors that not only influence physical and mental health but are also key community building elements. The WBRF supports strategies that build food infrastructure including nutritional and culinary education opportunities to improve health and well-being. The WBRF seeks a wide range of food access strategies including those that:
- Partner with local businesses to enhance healthy food access.
- Provide cooking and food education.
- Blend healthy eating and living including exercising.
- Expand access to grocery stores including cooperatively owned establishments.
Population Health
Improving individual and community health is a key tenant of the WBRF. The foundation provides funding for early intervention services, addressing chronic conditions, trauma, violence and other health conditions through complete wellness services. The WBRF seeks a wide range of strategies including those that:
- Support clinical and or social wrap around programs to improve the health of the community.
- Assist in connecting to and create a continuity for healthcare services including wellness and addressing the social determinants of health.
- Provide financial education, homeownership counseling, foreclosure/eviction prevention services.
- Address trauma and violence.