With vision and persistence, a group of leading foundations and corporations founded the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers (ABAG) in 1983 as a forum for colleagues to address common problems and interests. Twenty-five years later, ABAG is a high-performing organization with over 135 members comprised of foundations and corporations working together to have a greater impact in the region.

 

The Snapshots of Philanthropy series highlights this impact of the last 25 years. The 25 snapshots represent the many ways that ABAG members make a difference in the community and tell stories of progress and hope made possible by grants both big and small. 

 

"Founding members believed that they could work more effectively if they knew others in the broader funding community, knew the issues surrounding different program areas, and worked together to solve problems," notes Betsy Nelson, executive director at ABAG.

 

With its numerous opportunities for one-on-one help, professional development, networking, and skill-building, ABAG has become the premier resource for local funders seeking additional knowledge, connections, collegiality and collaboration, sponsoring more than 70 educational programs a year. 
 
"At ABAG we have charged ourselves to have an impact on our members so that ultimately, they will have a greater impact on the community," explains Nelson. "Our interest is not philanthropy for philanthropy's sake. We strive to be transformative in the community for issues people truly care about." 

 
"Philanthropy for a lot of us can be a solo business," notes Lynn Rauch, newly elected president of ABAG and president of the Kentfields Foundation, a small family foundation focused on education. "Just having other funders to talk to and hear from is extremely helpful. You hear about good programs as well as mistakes that have been made, and people are very open, honest, and nonjudgmental."  
 

Besides serving such a useful networking function, she adds, "I have always relied on ABAG to learn about the background, the policy arena, what's going on, who the big players are, and what's been successful."
 
The testament of words and pictures offered in these 25 Snapshots of Philanthropy shows what can be done when passionate people and organizations work together with a savvy network like ABAG behind them to make a difference for Baltimore. 

 

"This series illustrates what our members collectively can do and the changes that are made when philanthropic resources are directed in a thoughtful, purposeful manner," says Nelson. "This is a dynamic time at ABAG, with many opportunities for learning and avenues for collaboration. As we move forward, we will continue to build on our first 25 years and rise to the next level as an organization serving a growing membership and community."