A total of $273,825 has been granted to 33 local nonprofits by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore in its largest grant cycle to date. The CFES Community Needs Grants are available to nonprofits serving Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset counties. Nonprofits received a mix of operational support and funding for programs spanning youth, homelessness and housing, hunger, historic preservation, the arts, animal welfare, and more.  

Applicants must be 501c3 nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations providing non-sectarian programs, or eligible programs within government agencies serving citizens on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. The next Community Needs cycle will open Jan. 1 with a grant maximum of $10,000.

The following nonprofits received funding for programs and operations:

• Adopt-A-Block Outreach will provide food and basic necessities to those in need in Salisbury and Crisfield.
• Art League of Ocean City will replace aging equipment to create the best possible experience for its patrons.
• Atlantic General Hospital Foundation will purchase essential equipment for its Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner program.
• Beach to Bay Heritage Area will implement plans to strengthen heritage tourism and infrastructure on the Lower Shore.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore will implement the Big Start program to help children through the challenges of starting new phases in life.   
• Boys & Girls Club will provide an after-school and summer camp in Pocomoke to promote academic success, good character, and healthy lifestyles.
• Boys for Positive Change will purchase incentives for its report-card initiative which rewards program participants (ages 9 to 14) for academic achievement.  
• Christian Shelter will purchase a software program that will greatly improve its ability to serve shelter residents.
• Costen House will make critical repairs to the historic Costen House Museum in Pocomoke City.
• Epoch Dream Center provides free after-school and summer programming to under-resourced students who attend K-12 schools in Wicomico County.
• Greater Crisfield Action Coalition will support economic revitalization and community development in Crisfield.
• Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County Inc. builds and subsidizes homes for low-income families.
• Help and Outreach Point of Entry will purchase food and earth-friendly packaging for its lunch program, which provides over 2,200 nutritious meals a year to food insecure residents on the Lower Shore.
• Hope And Life Outreach (HALO) will renovate its food pantry to support the HALO Café pantry program.
• Humane Society of Somerset County will provide free and low-cost spay/neutering and vaccinations for cats in Somerset County.
• Mid-Shore Pro Bono provides legal services to low-income residents.
• Minds in Motion Children's Museum will host a STEM and environmental-science focused summer camp for Wicomico County middle-schoolers in partnership with NASA. 
• Salisbury Lions Club will purchase equipment to assist visually impaired students in pre-k through high school.
• Salisbury University Office of Graduate Studies & Research will purchase culturally diverse books for English Language Learners receiving tutoring at the May Literacy Center.
• Salisbury Urban Ministries’ programs provide food, basic necessities, prescription assistance, academic tutoring, and more to low-income individuals and families. 
• Smith Island United works to preserve the culture and the natural beauty of Smith Island for residents and tourists.
• Society of St. Andrew volunteers glean fresh produce from local farms and deliver it to shelters, pantries, and others in need in the tri-county area.
• Special Olympics Maryland Lower Shore will purchase equipment, uniforms, and facility space for sports programs for children with disabilities.
• The Child & Family Foundation Inc. (1 Year to Empowerment) engages middle and high school girls in an empowering program that teaches life skills, builds self-esteem, and improve mental health.  
• The Haitian Development Center of Delmarva provides services to help Haitian immigrants achieve self-sufficiency.
• Town Cats Inc will construct a large indoor/outdoor shelter and sanctuary for homeless cats.
• Tri Community Mediation will work with Salisbury University to conduct a needs assessment and report for Hispanic immigrants on the Eastern Shore.
• Village of Hope will make critical repairs to their shelter for women and children.  
• Wicomico County Free Library will partner with the small business community in downtown Salisbury to offer a variety of services and experiences to library patrons free of charge.
• Wicomico Environmental Trust will print and distribute a Wicomico River Watershed Atlas to Wicomico County schools, government offices, and civic organizations.
• Worcester County GOLD provides emergency financial assistance and basic need items to low-income residents of Worcester County.  
• Wor-Wic Community College will meet the needs of its most vulnerable students through its Student Support Services program aimed at bolstering retention, success, and completion for at-risk students.
• YMCA of the Chesapeake Lower Shore Location provides a Safety Around Water program for children in Somerset and Worcester counties.