PUBLIC WELFARE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MARYLAND AS TENTH AND FINAL JURISDICTION

THE FOUNDATION WILL INVEST IN WORK THAT ADVANCES TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE ECOSYSTEMS IN MARYLAND

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, January 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Public Welfare Foundation (PWF), the country’s only endowment fund dedicated exclusively to investing in transformative approaches to youth and adult criminal justice, announced today that it has expanded its grantmaking portfolio to Maryland. Since 2018, PWF has anchored its grantmaking approach in key geographies that are ripe for transformation, funding an ecosystem of innovative solutions and investing in the leadership of those most proximate to the issues surrounding the criminal justice system.

Public Welfare Foundation currently has a presence in nine jurisdictions throughout the country including Colorado; Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; Louisiana; Michigan; Oklahoma; Wisconsin; Washington, DC; and most recently, Tennessee. In Maryland, PWF’s tenth and final jurisdiction, the Foundation will help foster and support ecosystems of reform and uplift community-based work already underway.

“Maryland boasts a strong base of organizers, advocates, and public officials engaged in transforming Maryland’s criminal justice system, but there is much work to be done,” Candice C. Jones, CEO of Public Welfare Foundation said. “Public Welfare Foundation’s new investments in Maryland present an opportunity to fortify existing adult justice reforms, particularly efforts led by formerly incarcerated people, and support the rebuilding of the youth justice ecosystem.”

Maryland is often overlooked for justice reform investments because of its proximity to Washington, DC, where there is greater local and national attention. The state has a complex criminal justice landscape, boasting progress, while also having high rates of incarceration; draconian charging and sentencing practices, racial disparities throughout the system; communities grappling with gun violence; and struggles with police misconduct.

A substantial portion of Maryland’s population is situated near Washington, DC. The porous borders have enabled highly punitive policing and incarceration practices to impact both jurisdictions. Public Welfare Foundation’s investment in both jurisdictions is a strategic opportunity to connect the dots between the locals and support the shared transformative justice ecosystems that inform the region.

The seven Maryland organizations that are new recipients of PWF investments are: Advance Maryland; Life After Release; Maryland Economic Policy Center; Out For Justice; Racial Justice Now; Second Look Coalition; and The Baltimore Banner.

In 2018, Public Welfare Foundation made the decision to shift the full balance of its resources to focus exclusively on catalyzing transformative approaches to adult criminal and youth justice that are community-led, restorative, and racially just, as well as its commitment to fostering a social justice ecosystem in a subset of target states and jurisdictions where its resources have the potential to transform communities. As part of that shift, the Foundation has expanded its portfolio to include Maryland.

# # #

About Public Welfare Foundation
For 76 years, Public Welfare Foundation has supported efforts to advance justice and opportunity for people in need. In its 76-year history, the Foundation has made over 5,700 grants totaling more than $700 million. Today, the Foundation’s efforts focus on catalyzing a transformative approach to justice that is community-led, restorative, and racially just through investments in criminal justice and youth justice reforms. For more information visit www.publicwelfare.org.


Follow PWF on the following social channels:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PublicWelfare
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/publicwelfare/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/publicwelfarefdn

Jennifer McIntosh
MARC Global Communications
+1 480-202-7112
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram