The Claude C. Thornton Foundation September eNews
Updated: Sep 9
Welcome September!
Can you believe summer officially comes to an end in less than two weeks? With only 11 days of summer remaining, we are preparing to say goodbye to the hot and rainy days and welcome cooler weather, beautiful fall colors, and a season that reminds us of what matters most: family and community.
This month, we are excited to highlight the Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The festival is just nine days away and will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate African American culture, history, heritage, and community. We hope you will join us for this meaningful celebration. Please review the information below for additional details.
We are also just over two months away from our Annual Greater Baltimore Climate Summit on November 12. Tickets are officially available, and we would love for you to be part of this impactful experience. For more information about attending, supporting, or getting involved, please review the details below.
As always, thank you for being a valued part of the CCTF community. We have many exciting events, opportunities, and updates to share with you this fall!
With love and gratitude,
The CCTF Team
Highlights
Celebrating Our 2026 Summer Interns
The Claude C. Thornton Foundation proudly celebrates the achievements of our 2026 Summer Interns! Over 14 weeks, this dynamic group of future leaders supported our mission through their dedication, creativity, and excellence.
This year’s cohort left a lasting mark on our programs and initiatives. We are proud to recognize:
Yvette Yan | Data Analyst & Consulting Management
Candy Bian | Operations, Consulting, & Financial Management
Shreyans Juniwal | Consulting Management
Catherine Cheng | Data Analyst & IT Infrastructure Management
Abigail Rivera-Gu | Marketing & Consulting Management
Tommy Hwang | Project & Consulting Management
During our closing celebration, we reflected on their contributions, shared highlights from the summer, and wished them well as they continue to grow as leaders and changemakers.
We are incredibly grateful for everything they contributed to CCTF and look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the future. Congratulations to our 2026 Summer Interns!
The Claude C. Thornton Foundation Continues to Build a Legacy of Educational Excellence
The Claude C. Thornton Foundation remains committed to supporting students as they pursue higher education and work toward their future goals.
To date, the Foundation has contributed over $3,000 toward our partnership with Coppin State University. As part of our ongoing commitment, we have pledged $25,000 and are continuing to push this effort forward as we work to raise the remaining funds over the next five years. Through this partnership, we hope to help create more opportunities for students to access, achieve, and succeed in higher education.
Your donation helps us continue uplifting students, strengthening Baltimore communities, and honoring a powerful legacy of educational excellence.
We still need your support. Scan the QR code to make a donation today and help us continue this important work.
Upcoming Events
30th Annual Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival
Join the community for the 30th Annual Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival, a free, family-friendly celebration of African American culture, history, art, education, and achievement.
This year’s theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Festivalgoers can enjoy music, food, local vendors, cultural exhibits, health and wellness resources, and activities for the entire family. Featured experiences will include the DJ Tent, Historical Village, Health and Wellness Pavilion, Children’s Champion Zone, Youth Entrepreneur Zone, and Youth Entertainment Zone.
Come celebrate culture, support local businesses, connect with community resources, and enjoy an uplifting day with family and friends.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Patriot Plaza, 400 Washington Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
Free Admission and Free Parking
Community Program: Mommy University
Mommy University is a structured community program designed to help expecting mothers prepare for motherhood through practical education, emotional support, and meaningful connections. Topics include:
Prenatal preparation
Postpartum expectations
Newborn care
Maternal mental health
Goal-setting and stability planning
Community resources
Why It Matters
The program offers expecting mothers a supportive space to ask questions, gain helpful tools, and build connections before their babies arrive. Its goal is to promote proactive preparation and empowerment throughout the journey into motherhood.
How to Register Enrollment is now open.
Join Us for the Third Annual Greater Baltimore Climate Summit
We are excited to welcome the community to the third annual Greater Baltimore Climate Summit, a powerful gathering focused on resilience, community, and action in the face of environmental uncertainty.
This year’s summit will feature insightful panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities designed to bring together leaders, organizations, advocates, and community members who are committed to strengthening environmental infrastructure and advancing climate solutions across Baltimore City and surrounding counties.
The Greater Baltimore Climate Summit is hosted by a committee of professionals from The Butterfly Effect, Morgan State University, Baltimore Green Space, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative, and other local organizations.
Inspired by innovative climate programming and aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals, the summit aims to foster collaboration between government, academia, the private sector, and civil society.
Together, we can raise awareness, build stronger partnerships, and take meaningful steps toward a more sustainable and resilient future for Greater Baltimore.
Greater Baltimore Climate Summit Needs You!
As we prepare for GBCS 2026, we are inviting fellows, volunteers, and poster presenters to help bring this important work to life. This summit is rooted in collaboration, community, and action, and we are looking for passionate individuals who want to support environmental awareness, resilience, and meaningful change across Baltimore City and surrounding counties.
Whether you are interested in helping behind the scenes, welcoming guests, supporting event activities, or sharing your research or community-based project, there is a place for you to get involved. Your participation helps create a powerful and welcoming space for learning, networking, and building solutions together. Click here to apply as a fellow, submit a poster, or volunteer.
Community Program: The Stability Project
Dream Builders Foundation will host The Stability Project, a free eight-week life-skills workshop series for returning citizens and at-risk young adults ages 18 and older. The program will take place at the 29th Street Community Center this fall.
This is an external community program hosted by Dream Builders Foundation. Please review the flyer for complete program and registration information.
Beginning October 1 | 6:30 to 8:00 PM
The Lines We Cross
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum will present The Lines We Cross, an exhibition conversation and gallery tour exploring 250 years of Black Marylanders forging America.
"As America reflects on 250 years, The Lines We Cross: Freedom, Craft & Expression will bring together leading voices in history, craftsmanship, and contemporary art to explore the Black Marylanders who have helped forge the American story.
Inspired by our newest exhibition, The Lines We Cross: 250 Years of Maryland Forging America, this intimate conversation will explore abolition, artisanship, and artistic expression, showing how generations of Black Marylanders have pursued freedom, built communities, passed down knowledge and skilled trades, and used creativity to challenge boundaries and shape America."
Following the conversation, guests are invited to continue the evening with a reception and special gallery experience of The Lines We Cross.
Space is limited. RSVP is required.
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 6:30 to 9:00 PM
Explore More Upcoming Events
Want to see what else we have coming up? The Claude C. Thornton Foundation is partnering with organizations throughout the community on additional events and opportunities. Visit our website to learn more about upcoming events, partnership activities, and ways to get involved.
Community Resources
Blossoms Blooming Mentorship Program
This video is just a glimpse into our annual Blossoms Brunch award ceremony, where we collectively honor community mentors who have poured into our professional, personal, and emotional growth.
The Blossoms Blooming Mentorship Program empowers young women to reach their full potential through academic and professional mentorship and etiquette training. Last year we launched our group mentoring experience, grounded in discussion topics such as mindset, relationships and partnerships, career mobility, professional opportunities, femininity and more.
Stay tuned for updates on future events. If you would like to learn more about this mentorship program, please click this link to inquire. To keep up to date with Blossoms Blooming follow us on Instagram and/or contact us via email at cari@thecctfoundation.org for any questions or concerns.
Parents, We’re Here for YOU!
From navigating the school system to supporting your child’s mental health, behavior, and overall success, parenting can come with many challenges, but you do not have to do it alone.
The Claude C. Thornton Foundation’s Parent Advocacy & Coaching Program, led by Autrese Thornton, a multi-decade special educator, school administrator, and nonprofit manager, is here to listen, guide, and empower families with the tools, resources, and confidence needed to advocate for their children.
Did you know we offer parent coaching? Parents play an important role in shaping their child’s success and helping influence school leadership decisions. Our coaching supports families in staying informed, clearly identifying what matters most for their child, and building strong partnerships with schools.
We help parents understand what to look for in strong school leaders, including a commitment to student achievement, transparent communication, experience working with diverse communities, collaboration with families and staff, accountability, and respect for community voice.
Parents can get involved by staying informed about school leadership updates, attending community forums, completing surveys, sharing priorities with school board members or advisory groups, and building relationships at the school level with principals, assistant principals, teachers, and school improvement teams. We want to hear from you: What areas of education, mental health, or behavior do you need the most support with?
When families and schools work together, decisions better reflect the real needs of students and communities. You’ve got this! If you would like to schedule a free coaching session with us, please use this link to schedule a session.
Email us at athornton@thecctfoundation.org
Employment Opportunities
As part of our commitment to economically supporting our community, we are excited to share these job opportunities with our network. We hope these workforce resources help you strengthen your friends, families and neighborhoods.
Paid Opportunity: Homeownership Preservation Service Corps Member
Baltimore Corps, in partnership with the Department of Service and Civic Innovation, is recruiting civic-minded young professionals between the ages of 18 and 24 for a 12-month paid service opportunity.
Homeownership Preservation Service Corps Members will connect Baltimore City homeowners experiencing housing instability due to tangled titles with free legal and financial resources.
Responsibilities
Conduct door-to-door outreach in assigned neighborhoods
Educate residents about tangled titles and estate planning
Connect homeowners with free legal clinics and financial counseling
Assist residents with scheduling and completing appointments
Record outreach efforts and referrals in a shared database
Refer complex matters to legal and financial professionals
Corps Members will not provide legal or financial advice.
Qualifications
Between the ages of 18 and 24
High school diploma or equivalent
Comfortable speaking with residents and walking outdoors
Strong listening, communication, and computer skills
Patient, dependable, and detail-oriented
Willing to learn complex legal concepts and explain them clearly
Familiarity with Baltimore communities is preferred
Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply
Compensation and Benefits
$27,450 salary
Health benefits
$6,000 program-completion bonus
Full onboarding and professional training
One-on-one support from a success coach and expert mentor
Hands-on experience in community engagement, civic innovation, and housing preservation
Interested? Apply now!
Want to learn more about Maryland’s Service Year Option? Click here!
Job Opportunity: Director of Civic Engagement
Johns Hopkins University | Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation
The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation is seeking a Director of Civic Engagement to lead programs that help cities partner with residents to develop solutions to important public challenges.
Location: Homewood Campus, Baltimore, MD
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Work Modality: Modified hybrid, approximately one to two days on-site each week
Salary: $102,295 to $179,375 annually
Employment Type: Full-time, exempt
Requisition ID: 122387
Key Responsibilities
Design and oversee civic engagement and resident-driven innovation programs
Lead and develop a team of civic engagement professionals
Manage partnerships with city leaders, community organizations, funders, and government officials
Establish program goals, evaluation measures, and performance indicators
Identify and share effective civic engagement practices
Oversee contractors, budgets, and technical-assistance programs
Represent the Center before government, nonprofit, philanthropic, academic, and community partners
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree in finance, business, or a related field
Five years of related experience, including at least three years managing staff
Relevant education and experience substitutions may be accepted under the university’s equivalency guidelines
Candidates with extensive experience in civic engagement, public policy, urban planning, community development, public innovation, or local government are strongly encouraged to apply.
Whitman, Requardt & Associates – Entry-Level Geotechnical Engineer
Whitman, Requardt & Associates is seeking an Entry-Level Geotechnical Engineer in Baltimore. The employee will support geotechnical design and analysis for transportation, water and wastewater, marine, and site-development projects.
Responsibilities include evaluating foundation options, preparing technical reports and specifications, inspecting soil borings and deep foundations, and assisting with field consultations.
Location: Baltimore, MD
Job Type: Full Time
Work Modality: Office, remote, and field-based work
Experience Level: Entry Level, 0–4 years
Salary: $70,000–$125,000 annually
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in geotechnical engineering or a related discipline and completion of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
Dewberry – Entry-Level Site/Civil Engineer
Dewberry is seeking an Entry-Level Site/Civil Engineer for its Frederick office. This position will support residential, commercial, industrial, government, and capital-improvement projects.
Responsibilities include grading and roadway design, stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, calculations, technical reports, construction documents, permitting, and code research.
Location: Frederick, MD
Job Type: Full Time
Work Modality: On-site
Experience Level: Entry Level, 0–2 years
Salary: $80,400–$82,900 annually
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related field and experience with AutoCAD and Microsoft Office. EIT certification is strongly preferred.
AECOM – Entry-Level Geotechnical Engineer
AECOM is currently seeking an Entry-Level Geotechnical Engineer in Germantown, Maryland. This is a strong early-career opportunity for someone with an engineering or environmental-related background. The employee will assist with environmental and geotechnical field investigations, soil and groundwater-related work, laboratory testing, subsurface evaluations, technical reports, foundation and slope analyses, and infrastructure projects. The position is expected to begin in Summer/Fall 2026 and is specifically listed as an entry-level position.
Location: Germantown, MD
Job Type: Full Time
Work Modality: Hybrid
Experience Level: Entry Level
Salary: $68,000–$85,000 annually
Explore Careers in Higher Education with Mid-Atlantic HERC
Mid-Atlantic HERC connects job seekers to a wide range of higher education opportunities across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. From faculty and leadership roles to administrative and support positions, their job board offers options for all experience levels.
They also provide helpful tools like resume support, webinars, and job alerts to guide your search. If you are looking to grow your career in higher education, this is a great place to start.
Looking for more opportunities?
Explore more openings across the state at your convenience. Visit Maryland Jobs Quick Search to see which industries are currently hiring and discover positions that match your skills and interests.
Grant & Funding Opportunities
As part of our commitment to economically supporting our community, we are excited to share these grant opportunities with our network. We hope these resources help you access funding, grow your projects, and strengthen the impact of your work.
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Grants Resource Center (GRC) is a funding resource designed to help colleges and universities identify and pursue federal and private grant opportunities. GRC provides access to funding alerts, grant-search tools, proposal-development resources, successful proposal examples, funding webinars, and guidance for higher-education professionals seeking external funding.
One of its major resources is GrantSearch, which allows members to search through more than 1,500 federal and private higher-education funding opportunities using customizable criteria. GRC also provides newsletters highlighting upcoming funding deadlines, federal funding developments, and grant-seeking best practices.
This is a particularly useful resource for colleges, universities, faculty, researchers, academic departments, workforce-development programs, student-success initiatives, and institutional grant offices looking for new funding opportunities.
Explore AASCU Grant Opportunities Here
The Foundation Grants Maryland website provides a centralized hub of diverse grant opportunities available to individuals, nonprofits, and community organizations across the state.
The Community Foundation offers a variety of grant programs designed to achieve specific goals within the community. Some opportunities reflect the charitable vision of local donors and Community Partners, while others are intended to spark new ideas and engage new audiences to drive community change. Click the link below to learn more about each grant’s timeline, deadlines, eligibility, and examples of previously funded projects.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
The Courage Project celebrates everyday courage in America by honoring individuals and organizations who uplift our communities and strengthen our shared future. This initiative recognizes those whose actions reflect the foundational values of our nation and inspire others to stand for what matters.
The Civic Participation Program strengthens democracy by supporting year-round efforts that encourage active engagement in civic life. This initiative focuses on on-the-ground organizing that empowers communities to participate fully beyond election-season activities. Please note that the program does not fund academic research, technology development, book projects, individual fellowships, or conferences unrelated to direct civic organizing.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is committed to assisting Maryland's local governments and nonprofit organizations build capacity to achieve their community revitalization and economic development goals.
Operating Assistance Grants include funding for Technical Assistance and Main Street Improvement Program Grant.
The Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program assists local governments and nonprofits with operating costs associated with local housing and community revitalization efforts.
The General Assembly must approve these amounts during the 2027 legislative session before they are final.
Program Description: The Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA’s) Commercial & Industrial Grant Program provides incentives to owners of Maryland-based commercial, industrial, data center, and non-profit facilities to invest in improvements that result in energy performance that exceeds current codes or standards. Both new construction and existing facilities may be considered for grants.
New For FY26: MEA is offering grants covering 100% of total project costs for qualified energy improvements made to non-governmental facilities with over 50% of their clientele defined as coming from Low Income Populations. In all other cases, FY26 C&I grants provide less than 100% coverage of proposal costs. See below for details.
Type of Grant Program: The FY26 C&I Program offers grants on a competitive basis. Each proposal received prior to the application deadline will be scored by MEA for its quality of documentation and for the magnitude of environmental benefits conveyed by its proposed scope of work. Awards will be issued in rank order as determined by scoring results until the program budget is deleted.
The Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) is proud to administer the Baltimore City Community Grants Program in partnership with The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. These grants are designed to support nonprofits that provide direct services to low-income Baltimore City residents, with a focus on creating paths to stability and opportunity.
Eligibility: To be considered for a Baltimore City Community Grant, applicants must:
Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or have a fiscal sponsor that has 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
Serve residents of Baltimore City
Have a total organizational budget of $500,000 or less
Deliver programming that aligns with at least one of the following focus areas:
Housing: Improving stability by helping people access safe and affordable housing.
Health: Promoting health and well-being
Jobs: Creating paths to jobs and careers
Education: Helping youth succeed in school and beyond
Aging: Ensuring individuals are able to age with respect, dignity, and support.
Organizations that have an open grant with the Weinberg Foundation are not eligible to apply.
Grant applications are open from June 1 – September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EST.
BMORE Beautiful grant programs are designed to support community-based organizations achieve their beautification goals. Applications for our grant programs are accepted on a seasonal basis. Generally, interested applicants must be a registered 501c3 in good standing with the State of Maryland OR have a fiscal sponsor that meet the aforementioned qualifications. Applicants must operate in Baltimore City.
The Engineering Environmental Resiliency (EER) program supports fundamental research to advance resource and energy conservation and recovery, and to safeguard the natural environment and human health. Better use of domestic resources will help make U.S. manufacturing and energy systems more resilient and secure.
Volunteer & Community Support Opportunities
Volunteer with the Maryland Food Bank
Volunteering with the Maryland Food Bank is a meaningful way to show up for your neighbors and make a real difference. By giving a few hours of your time whether sorting food, packing boxes, or helping with distribution you help ensure families have access to the nourishment they need. Every act of service matters, and your kindness helps strengthen our community, one meal at a time.
Volunteer Opportunities with First Fruits Farm
We are excited to highlight a meaningful volunteer opportunity with First Fruits Farm, a nonprofit Christian ministry committed to providing fresh, healthy food to children and adults facing hunger.
Through volunteer service and strong community partnerships, the Farm grows and donates fresh produce to help families gain access to nutritious food.
Since beginning in 1998, First Fruits Farm has continued to grow through faith, service, and God’s provision. Today, 100% of everything grown on the Farm is donated in Jesus’ name to support those in need. This is a beautiful opportunity to give back, serve the community, and be part of a mission that is making a real impact.
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