Baltimore Life Companies

The Baltimore Life Companies, with a legacy of over 20 years of corporate philanthropy, has established the 2025 Community Grants Program to support nonprofit initiatives across the communities where its employees live and work. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to social responsibility and civic engagement through both financial contributions and employee volunteerism. The program is available to organizations operating in Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The purpose of the Community Grants Program is to improve the quality of life in eligible communities by supporting targeted initiatives rather than general operating expenses. Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to multiple nonprofit organizations that demonstrate community impact. The program favors proposals that address family support, community enhancement, and public safety, with example projects including child safety education, neighborhood watch programs, and community clean-up campaigns. Applicants must present a clear, specific program in need of funding and show that volunteer capacity is already in place to execute it. Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations certified by the IRS. The program also allows public libraries, senior centers, and homeless shelters operated under the direction of government agencies to apply. Religious institutions are not generally eligible unless they operate nondenominational programs such as soup kitchens or shelters. Churches, synagogues, and schools may also be considered if they apply through a parent tax-exempt organization and the program proposed is entirely non-religious and community-oriented. Ineligible applicants include individuals, political campaigns, government agencies requesting support for municipal services, and organizations or programs focused on deficit funding, advertising, fundraising, scholarships, travel, or sporting events. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, September 12, 2025. The application process includes an option to apply online or submit a physical application by mail or fax. While the guidelines encourage applicants to coordinate with their local office, they are instructed to apply to only one office to prevent duplication, especially in areas served by multiple locations. The program generally awards one grant per organization per calendar year due to the volume of applications. There is no indication of a required pre-application step or a separate letter of intent, and the source does not detail application components or evaluation scoring criteria. However, emphasis is placed on having a specific project with active volunteer engagement already in place, suggesting that proposals are assessed on community relevance, specificity, and feasibility. While no application open date is listed, the firm deadline and historical operation of the program suggest an annual cycle. All grant-related questions and applications may be directed to the corporate headquarters: The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, 10075 Red Run Boulevard, Owings Mills, MD 21117-4871. Applicants may also call the main phone line at (800) 628-5433 or (410) 581-6600. The full grant guidelines are available via a downloadable PDF on the organization’s website.