United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) has served Greater Baltimore and the surrounding counties for more than 100 years — since 1924. In November 2025, UWCM launched the United For Good: Community Relief Fund in response to the federal government shutdown, which left 34% of Maryland's federal employees in the region without paychecks and put SNAP benefits for 692,000 Marylanders at risk. CEO Franklyn Baker: "This is when we all need to join together."
UWCM operates on three tracks: grantmaking to nonprofits across the region, direct service programs in high-need communities, and convening organizations to work on shared problems. The 211 helpline is the public-facing entry point — call 211, describe what you need, and a specialist connects you to the right organization. In 2025, when the federal shutdown and SNAP disruptions drove a sharp increase in need, 211 Maryland became a critical routing mechanism for families who had never needed assistance before.
The ALICE report data UWCM cites (39% of Maryland households "can't make ends meet") helps explain why a region as wealthy as Greater Baltimore has persistent food insecurity, housing instability, and financial precarity. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — people who are working but earning wages that don't cover basic costs. This is the population United Way serves most directly.
Launched November 2025 in response to the federal shutdown. Provides emergency relief for families, bolsters overwhelmed nonprofits, and expands 211 capacity. Jumpstarted by Dr. Freeman and Jackie Hrabowski (UMBC president emeritus).
Free, confidential helpline connecting Marylanders to food, housing, financial assistance, employment, and mental health resources. Call 2-1-1 or visit 211md.org. Available 24/7. UWCM expanded capacity during the 2025 shutdown to handle increased call volumes.
$2,500–$10,000 grants to community organizations with budgets under $500,000. In 2025: $776,000 to 80 organizations. Since 2021: 333 grants totaling $3.1 million. 70% of recipients are organizations led by people of color.
Affordable childcare and resources at school-based family centers to help parents work and complete education. Includes the Excel Academy in West Baltimore. Addresses childcare as a family stability issue, not just an education issue.
Connects young men of color with mentors, college preparation, and financial support. Addresses the structural barriers that make Baltimore's opportunities particularly unequal by race and ZIP code.
Rental assistance and case management to prevent homelessness. Includes Howard County's Rental Assistance Program for Seniors and an initiative for Baltimore City residents. Housing stability is UWCM's framing for most downstream issues — education, employment, health.
Held every two years. In FY2024: 177 applications, 51 finalists given $1,500 stipends to develop ideas, 31 Changemaker Awards totaling $445,000 across Baltimore City, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, and Howard Counties. Next scheduled for FY2026.
UWCM partners with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to connect volunteers with nonprofits. Sign up at uwcm.org/volunteermd. Nonprofits can post requests for help at uwcm.org/nonprofitmd.
When the federal government shutdown stretched into November 2025 — threatening SNAP benefits for 692,000 Marylanders and cutting income for federal workers who make up 34% of Central Maryland's federal workforce — UWCM moved quickly. The United For Good: Community Relief Fund launched within days, with the Hrabowski leadership gift announcing UWCM's intent to cover the gap between what SNAP and federal programs provide and what families actually need.
UWCM released a 24-page resource guide for Marylanders needing immediate help, expanded 211 capacity to handle the surge in calls, and announced a rental assistance initiative for Baltimore City residents. The organization was direct about what it was seeing: "people left with limited or no income, vulnerable families cut off from the support they rely on to survive, and more individuals forced to make impossible choices that push them into crises." That's an institutional acknowledgment that this wasn't a normal caseload fluctuation.
Donate at uwcm.org. UWCM is a 501(c)(3) — donations are tax-deductible. Workplace giving through your employer is one of the most effective ways to give to United Way: many Maryland employers match United Way contributions, and the payroll deduction model makes consistent giving easy. Check with your HR department if your company runs a United Way campaign.
For larger gifts or corporate partnerships, contact UWCM directly through uwcm.org. Corporate partners can also sign up employees to volunteer through the Maryland emergency management portal.
Last updated May 2026. Organization data from uwcm.org. Neighborhood Grants $776K/80 orgs/333 grants/$3.1M from Nottingham MD (March 2025). United For Good fund details from Baltimore Times (November 2025). 34% federal employees / 692,000 SNAP / 39% households ALICE from Maryland Daily Record (November 2025) and Baltimore Times. Franklyn Baker quotes from Baltimore Times. Changemaker Challenge FY24 data from Cause IQ. EIN from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. We are not affiliated with UWCM and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]