Friday, September 29, 2017

South Baltimore Gateway Partnership Announces $1.4 Million for Parks and $650,000 in Community Grants

This week, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) announced $650,000 in grants to support community projects across South and Southwest Baltimore, along with a separate investment of $1.4 million toward local parks and public spaces.

SBGP is a new community benefits district that has been formed to accomplish the goals outlined in the South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan, which was adopted in 2015. The SBGP includes the neighborhoods of Barre Circle, Carroll-Camden Industrial Area, Cherry Hill, Federal Hill, Lakeland, Mount Winans, Otterbein, Pigtown, Ridgely’s Delight, Riverside, South Baltimore Neighborhood, Sharp-Leadenhall, Saint Paul, and Westport.

The SBGP is funded by the casino Local Impact Grants from Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, Maryland Live, and MGM Grand National Harbor. For every dollar lost in a slot machine by a gambler at those three casinos, the state will get roughly $.50. The majority of that money will go into the Maryland Education Trust Fund. Less than 2% will go to the gaming commission and 5% will go to Local Impact Grants. The Local Impact Grants generated by the three casinos are put into a pool and divided evenly to the communities surrounding the three casinos in South Baltimore, Anne Arundel County, and Prince George’s County.

Previously, the Local Impact Grants from Horseshoe were given to the City of Baltimore and the LDC advised the City on how to spend the money. Now, Baltimore’s share of impact funds from the three casinos is divided evenly between the LDC and SBGP. In Fiscal Year 2018, which runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, the SBGP and LDC are estimated to each have $7-million budgets. SBGP was given $1.1 million in Local Impact Grants by the LDC in Fiscal Year 2017 to get the benefits district up and running.

SBGP is now led by Executive Director Brad Rogers, who was previously hired as a consultant by the City to assist with the creation and implementation of the SBGP. He is a joined by a team of three staff fellows from Baltimore Corps. Otterbein resident Jason Israel serves as chair of SBGP, which is a volunteer position. The SGBP includes board members from all of the member neighborhoods as well as South Baltimore businesses.

SBGP operates out of its office space at Betamore in Federal Hill.

SBGP has three key areas where grant funds will be spent: 20% will go to Community Grants, 30% to Enhanced Services, and 50% to Transformational Projects.

SBGP will spend the next 90 days touring South Baltimore parks to determine areas of need before deciding how to spend the $1.4 million. The Enhanced Services funds will go towards enhancements, maintenance, and programming at the parks.

SBGP will announce how it will allocate $2 million towards transformational projects later this year. These will be long-term projects that will be years in the making and will be designed to bring partners to the table.

Community Grants will be awarded twice each year by the SBGP. The board selected the following winners for these grants in this round:

Tier 2 & 3 Recipients 

Youth Resiliency Institute
Program: Cherry Hill Arts and Music Festival
Grant Amount: $100,000

Stage / Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts
Program: Center Stage in the Park
Grant Amount: $100,000

Living Classrooms Foundation
Program: School Leadership in Urban Runoff Reduction Project (SLURRP)
Grant Amount: $90,000

Westport Community and Economic Development Corporation
Program: Westport Community Land Trust Phase I: Formation
Grant Amount: $50,000

Cherry Hill Community Development Corporation
Program: Capacity Building Grant Amount: $50,000 United Way
Program: United Way Homelessness Prevention Program Grant Amount: $50,000

Habitat for Humanity
Program: Habitat for Humanity Pigtown / Mt. Winans
Grant Amount: $50,000

South Baltimore Partnership
Program: South Baltimore Partnership Sustainability Program
Grant Amount: $10,000

Tier 1 Recipients

God’s Best Family, Inc.
Program: South Baltimore Youth Football Team
Grant Amount: $5,000

Ridgely’s Delight Association
Program: Rededication Celebration & Ping Pong Tournament
Grant Amount: $1,400

Restoring Inner City Hope (RICH)
Program: Prayer Walk
Grant Amount: $5,000

Southwest Baltimore Charter School
Program: 21st Century Auditorium
Grant Amount: $5,000

Citizens of Pigtown
Program: COP Main Street Festival
Grant Amount: $5,000

Cherry Hill Community Development Corporation
Program: Cherry Hill Information Exchange
Grant Amount: $5,000

Pigtown Community Garden
Program: Solidifying Pigtown Community Garden
Grant Amount: $5,000

Federal Hill South Neighborhood Association
Program: TreeUp South Baltimore
Grant Amount: $5,000

Lakeland Coalition
Program: Community Green and Clean Team / Junior Green Team
Grant Amount: $5,000

Citizens of Pigtown
Program:Citizens of Pigtown Movies in the Park
Grant Amount: $4,500

Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts
Program: Middle Branch Park Public Art
Grant Amount: $5,000

Fishes and Loaves
Program: Fishes and Loaves Mobile Pantry
Grant Amount: $5,000

Leadenhall Baptist Church
Program:Community Eat Together
Grant Amount: $4,000

Southwest Baltimore Charter School / Chesapeake Center for Youth Development
Program: Sowebo Landmark 5k
Grant Amount: $5,000

GiveFit / Lakeland Recreation Center
Program: Free Group Fitness Classes Building a Healthy Community
Grant Amount: $4,700

Lakeland STEAM Center
Program: Community Zumba Classes
Grant Amount: $4,500

Greater Purpose in Christ Ministry
Program: Sit and Fit arts and crafts program
Grant Amount: $5,000

Digital Harbor / Federal Hill Community Association
Program: Project RELATE
Grant Amount: $5,000

Federal Hill South Neighborhood Association
Program: Parking Pass Pickup Event
Grant Amount: $5,000

Citizens of Pigtown
Program: Marketing Support and Outreach
Grant Amount: $5,000

Live Baltimore / Federal Hill Prep
Program: Federal Hill Prep “Riding to School” Video Support
Grant Amount: $400

Federal Hill Main Street
Program: Federal Hill Main Street Media Project
Grant Amount: $5,000

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via http://southbmore.com/2017/09/29/south-baltimore-gateway-partnership-announces-1-4-million-for-parks-and-650000-in-community-grants/

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