Abell Foundation

Our mission is to advance and elevate the Maryland community through grants to organizations and direct investments in innovative companies. We would never solicit personal information. Only organizations that apply to the foundation are considered for funding.

In the Baltimore region, there are motivated residents who want to work but lack reliable transportation. Through coordinated policy action and public-private partnership, we can connect people to jobs – no matter how they get there. Learn more: abell.org/publication/li…

Baltimore City currently requires driver’s licenses for 261 of its 572 job classifications. But, of those jobs, only 175 really need a license for essential job duties. The city and other employers should reexamine their license requirements. abell.org/publication/li…

A city resident without a car may spend 2 hours each way on buses and trains to reach a suburban job. This is a problem for employers and potential employees. Learn more about why and how we can fix it: abell.org/publication/li…

Thousands of Baltimore jobseekers struggle to secure and retain employment because they do not pos­sess reliable personal transportation. Working together, we can address transportation barriers. Read our latest report: abell.org/publication/li…

New year, new leadership! Today, we welcome Fagan Harris as our President and CEO. We’re excited for this next chapter in our story.

Maryland should rethink the way it handles charging young people as adults. Not only is the current system inefficient, it risks creating harm by drawing youth unnecessarily into the adult system. Learn more: abell.org/publication/ba…

Firearm possession among Baltimore City youth is on the rise. City and state leaders should invest in efforts that persuade young people that they can be safe without carrying a gun. See more findings from our latest report: abell.org/publication/ba…

Data around juvenile crime are hard to parse. We need more coordinated and complete data to understand how to advance youth justice goals. Take a deeper dive: abell.org/publication/ba…

Among the key findings of a report set to be released Monday by a Baltimore nonprofit is a claim that data on juvenile justice in Maryland is “frustratingly incongruent” across agencies, causing analysis of youth crime and how prevalent it is to be “contentious and disputable.” “Beyond the Headlines: What We Know and Don’t Know About Baltimore Youth Crime and Justice,” which was funded and published by the Abell Foundation, concluded that inconsistency in data “makes it challenging — if not impossible — to track and compare trends across the system.” Most metrics — youth arrests, prosecutions and juvenile system contacts — have risen in Baltimore out of historic lows reached during the coronavirus pandemic, but agencies disagree over which numbers are accurate and whether the increases show more than a simple rebound. The report’s author, Robin Campbell owns a communications firm focused on criminal justice reform; his clients include organizations that advocate for alternatives to incarceration and assist those who’ve been released from the justice system. Read more: bit.ly/4auL5sI 📸: Kenneth K. Lam, @baltimoresun

Overall, the number of Baltimore City youth who engaged in crime is down by 18% since 2019. But public perception insists otherwise. What is really going on with juvenile crime in Baltimore City? Read our latest report to learn more: abell.org/publication/ba…

Mentorship through sports. Breathing new life into vacant homes. Saving homes from tax sale. Job training. Helping communities adapt to climate change. These are just some of the ways our grantees work to help our city thrive. Read more: abell.org/publication/20…

In 2024, we invested $11.8 million in organizations that work to address the effects of Baltimore’s historic segregation, disinvestment, and persistent racial discrimination. Read more: abell.org/publication/20…

Thousands of people in this city remain dedicated to making a difference, through service and advocacy. We stand committed to helping them foster a Baltimore where everyone has the chance to thrive. Read more about our grantees: abell.org/publication/20…

Our 2024 Annual Report is now available: abell.org/publication/20…

The Abell Foundation has selected Fagan Harris, Gov. Wes Moore’s chief of staff, as its new president. The Abell Foundation plays a critical and multifaceted role: as a funder of nonprofits that address issues such as housing, education and public safety; as a think tank that researches problems that directly affect Baltimore; and as a supporter of litigation on behalf of public housing residents and underserved school children. Read more: bit.ly/4mnjrkt 📸: Karl Merton Ferron, @baltimoresun

Gov. Wes Moore’s chief of staff, Fagan Harris, is leaving the administration to be the next president and CEO of @abellfoundation in Baltimore. thedailyrecord.com/2025/08/18/202…

NEW: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s chief of staff, Fagan Harris, is leaving the administration for a gig heading Baltimore’s Abell Foundation. SCOOP from @LeeOSanderlin with an assist from me: thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power…

On behalf of our Board of Trustees, we are proud to announce Fagan Harris as our next President and CEO.

To truly understand how effective electronic monitoring and other pretrial supervision programs are, we need better data. Read our report w/@JusticePolicy to learn more about how to improve Maryland’s system: abell.org/publication/pr…

Electronic monitoring may not be the most effective strategy to supervise justice-system involved people who are released pretrial. But it is a welcome alternative to jail time. What does the research say? Read our report to find out: abell.org/publication/pr…