The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore aims to connect people who care to causes that matter, for the common good of the Lower Eastern Shore. As a 501c3 nonprofit, they have a rich history of fostering charitable endeavors, having provided $89 million in grants and scholarships since 1984. They work by matching the charitable interests of individuals, families, and businesses with community needs, focusing on strengthening local nonprofits through grants and resources to improve the regional community through the power of philanthropy.
The grant program by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore emphasizes guiding principles of accountability, collaboration, equity, integrity, leadership, and transparency to strengthen the community. It supports causes by matching charitable interests with community needs, enhancing the effectiveness of local nonprofits through grants and resources. Additionally, the foundation is committed to fostering a culture of Diversity, Equity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Justice (DEBIJ), recognizing various forms of diversity and working to integrate DEBIJ into their operational and strategic efforts. This includes commitments to include underrepresented or marginalized groups, promote fairness, engage individuals' full potential, encourage diverse participation in decision-making, remove organizational barriers to equity, guide conversations to remove social inequities, and measure the effectiveness of these efforts.