Pictured: astronaut Mary Cleave; Layne Bosserman, former Woman’s Industrial Exchange waitress; suffragist Augusta Chissell; computer scientist Dorothy Toplitzky Blum; civil rights activist Gloria Richardson; opera singer Rosa Ponsell; Baltimore matriarch Judith Solomon Cohen.
The Maryland Women’s History Initiative (MWHI) provides funding for projects, research and stipends to nonprofit organizations and/or individuals who celebrate and preserve stories of Maryland women, past and present, and their contributions in education, politics, science, community activism, the arts, the military, business and more.
The former Maryland Women’s Heritage Center (MWHC) dreamed and worked for a future where the immense accomplishments of all Maryland women are recognized and preserved. Why? Because women make up about one-half of our population, but just a fraction of their accomplishments are recorded in history.
Upon closing its nonprofit in 2025, MWHC took remaining funds and established the Maryland Women’s History Initiative. It is administered by the Community Foundation of Howard County, which can accept donations of funds and other gifts to support women’s history into the future. The MWHI is a special interest fund that continues the MWHC’s mission to “add HER story to history to tell OUR story.”
Projects can take many forms, including writing and research, virtual exhibits, art, music, women in STEM and other innovative approaches.
Maryland Women’s History Initiative supports projects and programs that:
- Advance equity and inclusion of Maryland women in recorded history
- Focus on under told stories of women traditionally excluded from history
- Ensure that these stories are told in a fashion that reaches a broad audience of diverse ages, genders, geographic locations in Maryland
- Designed to be preserved for the future
The Maryland Women’s History Initiative (MWHI) is administered by the Community Foundation of Howard County. Donations to the Maryland Women’s History Initiative are pooled and invested along with other Community Foundation of Howard County funds to maximize growth. MWHI is considered a special interest fund and will support various women’s history projects into the future.
For questions about other ways to give, contact: Dee Athney, Community Foundation of Howard County, dathey@cfhoco.org
Ways to Give
- Cash and Checks
- Qualified Retirement Plan Assets
- Real Estate
- Closely Held Stock
- Wire Transfers
- Tangible Personal Property
- Stocks, Bonds & Mutual Funds
- Life Insurance
- Public Traded Securities
- Qualified Retirement Plan Assets
Maryland Women’s History Initiative fund supports projects and programs that:
- Advance equity and inclusion of Maryland women in recorded history
- Focus on under told stories of women traditionally excluded from history
- Ensure that these stories are told in a fashion that reaches a broad audience of diverse ages, genders, geographic locations in Maryland
- Designed to be preserved for the future
Applicants must be either a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status OR a person (including students) performing or studying activities that support the fund’s vision. These individuals must apply in collaboration with a 501 (c)(3) and whose mission aligns with that of the fund.
APPLY
Grants from the Maryland Women’s History Initiative may be used for:
- Direct public program, event or project costs.
- Capacity building or technical assistance for small or emerging nonprofits.
- Materials and supplies for project implementation.
- Stipends for female community leaders or grassroots organizers that highlight women’s achievements.
- Website content and online exhibits
Grant Cycle:
Grant Administration and Oversight
All grants will be awarded through a review process established by the Community Foundation of Howard County and, if possible, with input from representatives of the former Maryland Women’s Heritage Center.
Grantees will be required to sign a grant agreement outlining deliverables, budget, and reporting timelines.
Mid-year and final reports will be required to assess impact and ensure compliance.
Grant renewals or repeat funding will be contingent upon performance and available resources.