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Since 1986, $102 million in grants and scholarships has been invested in Frederick County.
Our Impact
With over $102 million in grants and scholarships invested into Frederick County since 1986, our donors have stepped up to the plate caring about their fellow citizens and impacting lives.
Affecting favorable change in the community is a process. The impact can be seen through something as simple as funding more weekend food backpacks for children living in low-income households. Positive impact created over time, such as grants that help people who are underinsured or uninsured access health care, is part of our long-term commitment to making Frederick County the best it can be.
2022 Human Needs Assessment Report
The findings of the updated Frederick County Human Needs Assessment Report, compiled in 2022, were presented via Zoom in August of 2022 by Erik Devereux of Devereux Consulting. The Community Foundation strives to be a progressive influence for change and constantly seeks new and powerful ways to create impact. In 2018, the Community Foundation conducted a human needs assessment to shape its strategic funding initiatives for the next 10 years. Then, in March of 2020, our world changed as COVID-19 affected our communities and homes. In response to those changes, the Community Foundation updated its needs assessment in 2022 which has led us to focus on several emerging areas of need.
The Wertheimer Fellow Awards
Named for the late Janis Miller Wertheimer, a well-known Frederick County businesswoman and prolific volunteer, Wertheimer Fellows are recognized for their sweat equity rather than their financial contributions to the local community—leaving a lasting legacy of giving in everything they do. The award aims to honor a volunteer who doesn’t seek or receive a lot of recognition for their countless hours of community service.
Wertheimer Fellows for Excellence in Volunteerism are recognized at the Community Foundation’s Annual Report to the Community each November and are awarded $25,000 to establish or add to a permanent fund with the Community Foundation for the nonprofit or charitable endeavor of their choice.
The Wertheimer Youth in Action Award honors a young person under the age of 18 each November who is positively impacting the community by volunteering their time and talent and is awarded a $2,000 grant to give to the nonprofit of their choice.
Janis Miller Wertheimer
Mrs. Wertheimer was a lifelong Frederick resident and a 1929 graduate of Hood College. She and her husband Philip owned Nicodemus and Wertheimer, an insurance and real estate agency, and she was an active volunteer with many local organizations until her death in 2001. The Janis Miller Wertheimer Endowment Fund supports the awards program named for her, and other funds support seven nonprofits. By supporting the good works of others, Mrs. Wertheimer's legacy of making Frederick County the best it can be is realized in perpetuity.
Learn more about the Wertheimer Fellows
Featured Publication
38th Annual Report to the Community
Fiscal Year 2024 was a year of reflection and growth.
We were thrilled to make significant strides in the implementation of our strategic plan with a strong focus on sustainability and inclusivity. We introduced our sustainable investment option and worked to bring a more diverse range of voices to the table within our volunteer committees. We also distributed $5.9 million in grants and $1.9 million in scholarships with the help of our amazing volunteers. Thanks to generous donors and committed partners, we continued the important work of addressing the community’s most pressing needs. Check out the annual report to learn more about accomplishments and collaborations this past year.
Publications & Reports
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Strategic Initiatives
We're constantly looking at the changing needs of Frederick County and are a proactive community leader in determining where the greatest needs exist. Our current strategic initiatives focus on:
Supporting Families with Children
Continue or increase opportunities for all families with children to thrive in Frederick County.
Preparing for an Aging Population
Continue or increase the ability for seniors to age in place in the most optimal and appropriate environment.
Responding to Substance Use Disorder
Continue or increase access to timely and qualified treatment and recovery options for individuals experiencing SUD.