Congressman Kweisi Mfume has submitted funding requests for important community projects in the 7th Congressional District of Maryland to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations (“Appropriations Committee”).
Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee and U.S. House of Representatives (the “U.S. House”), each Member may request funding for up to 20 projects in their community for fiscal year 2027 – although only a handful may actually be funded. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. Additional information on the reforms governing Community Project Funding is available here.
In compliance with U.S. House Rules and Appropriations Committee requirements, Congressman Mfume has certified that he, his spouse, and his immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects he has requested. Selected fiscal year 2027 Community Project Funding requests are listed alphabetically by the project’s name.
Project Sponsor: Eluna
Project Name: Addiction Prevention and Mentoring Program for Baltimore Teens Living in Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder
Project Location: 2620 Quantico Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21215
Requested Amount: $137,250
Project Description: The $137,250 in funding will be used to establish an addiction prevention and mentoring program for teens living in families impacted by Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Baltimore. Youth living with family members who struggle with addiction are four times more likely to develop substance use disorders themselves and face significantly higher risks of trauma, neglect, and mental health challenges. Research also shows a strong link between early substance use and increased involvement in juvenile crime and delinquency. As a result, youth living in communities affected by high rates of opioid use and SUD are at greater risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. Eluna’s Camp Mariposa addiction prevention and mentoring program provides evidence-based group and peer mentoring services designed to prevent opioid use, delay early substance use, and eliminate juvenile crime and delinquency. The program also equips youth with the coping skills needed to manage the emotional and psychological impacts of growing up in families affected by addiction. Eluna and Outcast Wellness Alliance will collaborate to launch a Camp Mariposa Teen Program in Baltimore. The program will include: Two two-day, one-night camps for teens; One Day camp for teens; Evidence-based prevention education and mentoring; Activities designed to build resilience, leadership, and healthy peer relationships; Two family engagement events; Transportation support to ensure equitable access; Program supplies and staffing; and Ongoing outreach and evaluation. The program’s primary objectives are to delay or prevent the first use of drugs and alcohol, reduce or eliminate involvement with the juvenile justice system, create positive peer support networks, and connect youth with caring, consistent adult mentors. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge Storage and Dissolved Air Flotation Improvements
Project Location: 8201 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Project Description: The $4,000,000 in funding will be used to rehabilitate and modernize sludge thickening and storage systems at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve reliability, treatment performance, and regulatory compliance. Work includes replacing aging tanks and equipment, upgrading pumping and control systems, and completing structural and utility improvements to support long-term, resilient operations. The goal of this project is to provide better quality of biosolids material for land application. These improvements will allow for more storage but also elimination of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) while also improving the overall material quality for final processing for both composting and pelletization. The current units are well past their operational life cycles and need updating with new more efficient and effective technology to maintain continuous compliance with regulatory requirements. This earmark will bridge the "infrastructure gap" between local ratepayer ability and the escalating costs of specialized environmental engineering. By funding these specific nodes of the plant, the federal government protects the $350M+ in cumulative investments made in the plant’s Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) technologies. Earmark funds will support payment of construction contractor invoices for labor and materials for the portion of the construction ongoing at the time of receiving federal funds. This enables DPW to take out less debt for the project, which benefits ratepayers long term. The proposed rehabilitation of sludge storage facilities and the optimization of Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) units at BRWWTP represent a dual-track strategy to stabilize the facility's solids handling train. Upon completion, the project is expected to increase solids handling reliability and reduce the frequency of high-turbidity effluent events, directly correlating to improved submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) growth in the Back River. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Sheppard Pratt Health System, Inc.
Project Name: Baltimore City Behavioral Health Violence Prevention Program
Project Location: 2225 N Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218
Requested Amount: $1,196,738
Project Description: The $1,196,738 in funding will be used to expand Sheppard Pratt’s behavioral health services in Baltimore City to specifically target the psychological factors contributing to youth violence through its outpatient mental health clinic and school-based programming. Addressing the root causes of violence will create safer communities and by identifying potentially at-risk children at an early age and giving them the attention, coping skills, and resources they need, it may keep these individuals from ever entering the criminal justice system. Sheppard Pratt will incorporate screening for aggressive behavior and implement evidence-based practices, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to mitigate aggression among youth. Evidence-based practices can be used to treat anger, aggression, and violent behavior in children and adolescents. It teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, and self-management skills, and has staunch support in literature as effective treatments. Funding would be used for the following activities to help enhance services: the cost of Evidence-Based Practice manuals and materials to implement the intervention; compensation for clinicians during their required supervision time to validate fidelity of the use of evidence-based practices; covering the salaries of clinicians in part or whole because of any uncompensated care such as participating in training, providing clinical care and case management to an uninsured/underinsured client and/or their family; costs associated with adding the SaFETy firearms violence prediction tool to our PROMS or GreenSpace Outcome Measurement Platform and creating a special tracking visualization of the Externalizing Subscale of the PSC-17 as a proxy for aggression; and salaries of case management staff offering intensive services for youth identified at risk for violence and their families. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Care Continuity Project
Project Location: 100 Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
Requested Amount: $1,917,000
Project Description: The $1,917,000 will be used to fund the Care Continuity Project, which deploys peer/social worker teams to provide care and support for individuals that engage with the alternative response team after 911 calls. Teams meet residents where they are to better connect to health and social supports that facilitate long-term success. The City currently has funding to support many components of the Ecosystem Expansion, but a critical piece remains unfunded: The Care Continuity Project. Funds for this portion of the initiative would support peer/social worker dyads to continue care continuity and support for individuals who engage with the Community Responder Project. While the embedded clinicians, telehealth services, co-response teams, and Community Responder Teams can engage at the incident level, we know many individuals who engage with our 911 systems for these low-acuity calls are chronically unhoused and insufficiently treated for ongoing mental health or substance use needs. The Care Continuity Project will engage with these individuals within 24-36 hours of the initial system touchpoint and continue engagement to better ensure connection to health and social supports that facilitate positive long-term outcomes and success. This new initiative would rollout in Summer 2026 in the Southeast District and scale up in tandem with the expansion of the Eco system across Baltimore City over the next 5 years wherein it would sustain as an integrated City service. Year 2 will include expansion into the Eastern and Western districts. This funding would assist with the expansion in year 2. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Cellular Traffic Signal Monitoring on Gateway Corridors
Project Location: 100 Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Description: The $3,000,000 in funding will be used to deploy GPS monitoring units and cellular connectivity to optimize traffic signal operations along gateway corridors, reducing vehicle idling, stop-and-go driving, fuel consumption, and emissions while establishing a scalable data platform for performance management and future intelligent transportation system deployments. Major transportation corridors in Baltimore City function as critical gateways for commuters, freight movement, transit services, and visitors traveling throughout the region. However, many of these corridors experience recurring congestion, inefficient signal coordination, and unpredictable traffic conditions. Improving signal coordination has a direct and measurable impact on traffic efficiency and emissions reduction. When traffic signals are not synchronized effectively, vehicles are forced to stop repeatedly at intersections, leading to excessive idling and frequent acceleration and braking. These conditions significantly increase fuel consumption and emissions. By using Cellular-based traffic data to optimize signal timing along Baltimore City’s gateway corridors, vehicles can move more smoothly through intersections with fewer stops. This improved traffic flow reduces travel delays, minimizes fuel waste, and lowers carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by vehicles traveling through the city. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Community Violence Intervention Ecosystem
Project Location: 100 Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
Requested Amount: $5,650,000
Project Description: The $5,650,000 in funding will be used to support the continuation of operations for three core components of Baltimore’s Community Violence Intervention (CVI) ecosystem that are contributing to the city’s historic violence reduction: Safe Streets Baltimore, Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs, and School-Based Violence Intervention in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools. The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) established a comprehensive CVI ecosystem in Baltimore. Baltimore’s Hospital Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) network is now fully integrated across major hospital systems, including University of Maryland Medical System, LifeBridge Health, MedStar Health, Ascension St. Agnes, and Johns Hopkins Medicine, ending 2025 with 2,322 patients served 71 service referrals provided. Using ARPA and philanthropic dollars, the City has also been able to stand up a School-based Violence Intervention Program (SBVIP) pilot at four high schools: Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School (Mervo), Carver Vocational-Technical High School, Edmondson-Westside High School, and Digital Harbor High School. MONSE leads this effort in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS) and community-based organizations, this initiative plays a key role in the City’s violence reduction strategy. Proactively intervening in conflicts before they escalate—and shifting cultural norms among youth involved in student-related incidents—are central to the program’s approach. In collaboration w/ community partners, the program has conducted more than 367 mediations to date and hosted over 137 engagement activities, including lunch bunches, workshops, and restorative conversations, reaching 754 participants. These efforts have driven down violence to historic lows and produce significant cost savings for Baltimore by preventing potentially violent conflicts from escalating, reducing retaliatory violence and revictimization. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers found that Safe Streets reduced homicides and nonfatal shootings in neighborhoods where it operates, producing an economic investment of $7.20–$19.20 saved for every $1 invested. The reduction in shootings saves enforcement resources, reduces the need for police overtime, court and incarceration costs, emergency response, and hospital costs. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: National Association of Police Athletic Activities League Inc.
Project Name: CyberSmart: A Cyber Safety and STEM Learning Program
Project Location: 220 N. Arch Street, 14th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
Requested Amount: $1,165,000
Project Description: The $1,165,000 in funding will be used to implement and assess through Maryland Police Athletic/Activities League chapters a pilot cyber safety and STEM learning program, CyberSmart, aimed at protecting youth from cyber bullying, luring youth into criminal activity, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation, theft, and fraud, while also teaching STEM skills and career awareness. The pilot project would include implementation and assessment of CyberSmart, a hands-on, activity-based program teaching youth to stay safe online while building STEM skills, problem-solving abilities, and digital confidence to help youth to recognize and avoid online risks such as scams, phishing, and malware. The project includes volunteer training, staffing, acquisition of materials and supplies, refinement of online training modules, and program evaluation. Cybersmart would be run as an after-school or summer camp experience. It would address a growing crisis of online exploitation and cybercrime by equipping Maryland youth with the skills to recognize and avoid online risks, including scams, phishing, malware, and exploitation on social media, gaming, and messaging platforms. The program teaches youth to understand digital footprints and online privacy, and introduces career pathways in cybersecurity. CyberSmart provides a structured platform for law enforcement and youth to build meaningful connections and engage in direct dialogue about the growing challenge of youth-targeted cybercrime, strengthening the relationship between communities and the agencies working to protect them. National PAL is committed to partnering with local criminal justice agencies in executing this initiative. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Baltimore County, Maryland
Project Name: Fleming Park Improvements
Project Location: 641 Main Street, Dundalk, Maryland, 21222
Requested Amount: $800,000
Project Description: The $800,000 in funding will be used to construct a replacement, upgraded playground, a replaced and relocated picnic pavilion, and refurbishment of ball diamonds and associated infrastructure (backstops, safety fences, etc.) at Fleming Park, a 20+ acre waterfront community park in the Turner Station area of southeastern Baltimore County. Fleming Park’s existing picnic pavilion is in a grassy area approximately 120’ from the shoreline, and does not have a path, sidewalk, or other improved walkway that provides access. The Department of Recreation and Parks proposes razing the existing access-limited structure and replacing it with the same or similar sized pavilion adjacent to an existing walkway near the park’s playground. The playground itself is reaching the end of its life cycle and is due for replacement, with new and enhanced equipment. Finally, the park’s baseball-softball diamonds are in need of refurbishment, include the aged backstops and safety fences, which are significantly rusted. Two of the three diamonds are equipped with field lighting systems. The upgrade of these facilities will continue efforts to refurbish an older park in a densely populated, established community. This funding would go towards construction costs (estimated at $950,000 total). Additional federal funding is not required. The proposed project represents a continuation of public investment in refurbishing this older park. The park’s pier was recently replaced, at a cost of over $450,000 including access path reconfiguration and improvements, as well as extensive tree, shrub, and perennial plantings. Another $200K+ was invested into multipurpose/basketball court renovations. County funds are already secured/approved and budgeted within the agency’s capital budget. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Baltimore County, Maryland
Project Name: Fort Howard Park Improvements
Project Location: 9500 North Point Road, Fort Howard, Maryland, 21052
Requested Amount: $1,600,000
Project Description: The $1,600,000 in funding will be used to construct a new comfort station and associated infrastructure at Fort Howard Park, a 92+ acre waterfront park in the Fort Howard - Edgemere area of southeastern Baltimore County. The proposed comfort station project represents a continuation of public investment in refurbishing this older park, which is situated on 92+ acres of waterfront land that was deeded to Baltimore County in 1977 through the Federal Lands To Parks Program. The park’s playground equipment was replaced, at a cost of over $360,000 in 2025, around which time renovations to the site’s two picnic pavilions took place. Nearly $44,000 has been invested in other smaller scale work, such as electrical/light pole replacement and removal of dead trees. A separate comprehensive water line replacement project, costing approximately $1,050,000, is presently underway and funded through Baltimore County revenue sources. The $320,000 in County funds listed for the proposed project was recently invested in comfort station design, and is part of this project. Fort Howard Park’s existing restroom infrastructure is situated within one of the historic fortified batteries at the site, and is outdated and deteriorated. Renovation of the facility is not tenable. The park and its facilities are heavily utilized by residents of Congressional District 7, as well as visitors from Congressional District 2 and beyond. Having quality restroom facilities available to picnickers, walkers, history buffs, special event attendees, and other park visitors is essential to providing a quality, safe, and healthy park user experience. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Harbor Connector Ferry and Landing Improvements
Project Location: 417 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
Requested Amount: $4,798,600
Project Description: The $4,798,600 in funding will be used to purchase a new hybrid ferry to replace an existing 14 year old diesel vessel in the Harbor Connector ferry fleet and would improve ADA accessibility and operational efficiency at each landing in the system. Landings constructed/improved through this funding include Canton, Locust Point and Pier 1. The city is in the process of procuring one hybrid ferry using a combination of state and local funds. The second ferry would be funded through this request and is estimated to cost $3,000,000. Of the six landings in the Harbor Connector system, ADA improvements at three have been funded locally (Maritime Park, Harbor East and Federal Hill). The funding will allow improved ferry system ADA access by matching ferry landing heights with ferry deck heights and constructing landings that have unimpeded access for wheelchairs and persons with mobility devices. Additionally, some of the improvements planned for the landings would allow for two boats to access the landing simultaneously, opening the door for future service expansions. In 2025, the service carried nearly 320,000 passengers, which was the highest ridership year since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Project Name: Investing in Maryland Biotech Capacity Expansion for Therapeutic Development
Project Location: 20 N. Pine Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
Requested Amount: $1,900,000
Project Description: The $1,900,000 in funding will be used to purchase equipment for the Applied Pharmaceutics Lab (APhL) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. This investment would strengthen UMB’s ability to help researchers turn promising biologic treatments into real therapies for patients and lead to earlier access to development support for investigators lacking CDMO access. A CDMO is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization — essentially a specialized company that helps develop and produce drug materials for testing and approval. Early-stage researchers often rely on CDMOs because universities typically don’t have the large-scale equipment needed to make enough high-quality material for FDA-required studies. But CDMOs are expensive, in high demand, and often prioritize big pharmaceutical clients, which leaves smaller Maryland innovators and academic researchers waiting in line or priced out. By expanding UMB’s capabilities, we can give local researchers earlier, more affordable access to this kind of development support right here in Maryland. The Applied Pharmaceutics Lab (APhL) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is a development-focused laboratory that helps researchers turn early-stage drug discoveries into real, testable drug products. APhL specializes in the kinds of work needed to prepare a drug for its first-in-human clinical trial—work known as Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC). Right now, many potential drugs stall because universities don’t have the equipment needed to produce and test enough material to move into early clinical trials. By upgrading our biomanufacturing and analytical tools, UMB can bridge that gap—often called the ‘valley of death’—and help move more life-saving treatments toward FDA review. This will not only accelerate medical innovation but also support Maryland’s growing biotech workforce and keep more early-stage development here in the state. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Housing Authority of Baltimore City
Project Name: PSO (Perkins Somerset Oldtown) South Central Park
Project Location: 227 Caroline Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21231
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Description: The $2,000,000 in funding will be used to construct South Central Park, a critical component of the PSO (Perkins Somerset Oldtown) transformation plan that strives to redevelop a deeply affordable public housing neighborhood into a mixed-income neighborhood with a variety of housing options and choice. The park is a critical open area that acts as this community's front yard. It will provide valuable green space amidst densely populated areas, offering a place for recreation, relaxation, and exercise. Furthermore, it will serve as a gathering place for residents, fostering a sense of community and social cohesion. South Central Park will also contribute to the physical and mental wellbeing of residents by providing a space for outdoor activities and contact with nature. Access to green spaces has been linked to improved mental health, reduced stress, and increased physical activity, all of which are important for overall well-being. South Central Park will additionally enhance the quality of life in PSO by improving air and water quality, providing a habitat for wildlife, and reducing the urban heat island effect. It will also add to the aesthetic appeal of the neighborhood, making Perkins a more attractive place to live and visit. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Loyola University Maryland Inc.
Project Name: Public Safety Improvement Initiative
Project Location: 4501 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21210
Requested Amount: $1,075,000
Project Description: The $1,075,000 in funding will be used to improve campus and community safety along the York Road corridor. It will improve public safety around the York Road perimeter of the Loyola University Maryland campus, support criminal investigations and officer safety in the area, and improve coordination with the Baltimore Police Department. It would support the replacement of an outdated Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) terminal, outdated dispatch consoles, and to equip campus police officers with body worn cameras and their vehicles with dashboard-mounted cameras. It would also allow Loyola to expand the size of their surveillance camera network and replace their aging camera storage servers. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Maryland Department of Transportation
Project Name: Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station Joint Development Accessibility Improvements
Project Location: 6300 Wabash Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21215
Requested Amount: $1,400,000
Project Description: The $1,400,000 in funding will be used to make Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and multimodal access improvements at Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station. These upgrades will enhance pedestrian safety, improve transit accessibility, and enable redevelopment of 25.6 acres of state-owned land into a 789-unit mixed-income transit-oriented community. The project will improve transit accessibility, enhance pedestrian safety, and support transit-oriented redevelopment at a major Baltimore Metro station. The project advances Maryland’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) strategy by transforming the site into a mixed-use, transit-oriented community anchored by high-capacity rail service. The funding will support critical ADA and multimodal connectivity improvements necessary to unlock the broader redevelopment and ensure safe, accessible connections between surrounding neighborhoods and the Metro station. The funding will support key infrastructure improvements necessary to enable the joint development project and improve overall station access. These improvements include construction of a new ADA-compliant pedestrian crossing and enhanced station-side connectivity to improve safety and accessibility for riders and nearby residents. Improving safe pedestrian access to the station will strengthen ridership on the Baltimore Metro system while improving connectivity between surrounding neighborhoods and regional employment centers. The project will also include improvements to bus layover facilities that will improve transit operational efficiency and strengthen integration between bus and rail service. The requested funding will support final design and implementation of the ADA and multimodal connectivity improvements necessary to enable the broader redevelopment. Upon execution of the Master Development Agreement and completion of design, the project will advance to phased construction. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Downtown Sailing Center Inc.
Project Name: Safe Harbor Youth Violence Prevention and Workforce Initiative
Project Location: 1425 Key Highway, Baltimore, Maryland, 21230
Requested Amount: $168,291
Project Description: The $168,291 in funding will be used to expand the Young Mariners Program as a comprehensive crime prevention and workforce development strategy serving Baltimore City youth. The initiative is designed to reduce risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency and community violence by providing teens with structured, paid workforce development in a supervised maritime environment. Through 30 hours per week of hands-on instruction, industry-recognized certifications, mentorship, and positive peer engagement, the program diverts youth from high-risk environments during peak summer months while building employable skills, economic stability, and long-term career pathways. Participants engage in rigorous daily programming that combines maritime education, environmental stewardship, leadership training, and workforce readiness. By coupling crime prevention strategies with maritime education and job training, the initiative strengthens the protective factors that keep young people safely engaged, productively employed, and connected to their community. The program operates as both an immediate violence prevention intervention and a long-term workforce pipeline. Baltimore City youth often face limited access to safe recreational opportunities and meaningful employment exposure, particularly during the summer when school is not in session. The Safe Harbor Initiative addresses this gap by offering a full-day, supervised experience that integrates mentorship, job training, and experiential learning. By providing these opportunities, this project supports the priorities of the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program by advancing crime prevention and youth engagement strategies that reduce exposure to high-risk behaviors. The Safe Harbor Initiative offers a structured alternative to delinquent activity while fostering a sense of accomplishment, community connection, and civic responsibility among participating youth. The Downtown Sailing Center is committed to partnering with local criminal justice agencies in executing this initiative. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Inc.
Project Name: Strategic Operations Center (SOC) – Pilot Operational Support
Project Location: 110 Pine Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Description: The $2,000,000 in funding will be used to support the initial operational pilot of the Strategic Operations Center (SOC) in Downtown Baltimore. The SOC is being developed as a centralized public safety coordination hub designed to integrate real-time technology, multi-agency information sharing, and behavioral analysis to improve situational awareness, strengthen coordinated responses, and reduce crime within the Downtown Management Authority district. The SOC supports the criminal justice system by providing real-time situational awareness to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), UMB Police, and other state and local public safety agencies; enhancing investigative support through data integration, analytics, and video intelligence; deploying appropriate responders—not only police, but mental-health clinicians, crisis intervention teams, outreach specialists, or DPOB neighborhood patrols—depending on the nature of the incident; increasing officer efficiency and safety by identifying patterns, suspicious behavior, and crowd dynamics before incidents escalate; and strengthening partnerships among law enforcement, public safety agencies, nonprofit organizations, and social-service providers through a unified coordination model. This multi-layered system reduces the burden on police, improves investigative outcomes and clearance opportunities, and prevents incidents from escalating into criminal activity while also connecting individuals with services that address underlying community needs. As a result, the SOC provides both a direct criminal-justice benefit and a broader community safety benefit. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Supporting Baltimore’s Returning Citizens: A Re-entry Initiative
Project Location: 2700 Rayner Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
Requested Amount: $475,000
Project Description: The $475,000 in funding will be used to support Baltimore City’s Office of Returning Citizens within the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) to help incarcerated Baltimoreans preparing for a successful re-entry through employment opportunities behind the wall, safe return planning, and direct support services for returning citizens. Funding would also be used to relaunch initiatives like the Returning Citizens Behind the Wall (RCBTW) program, which is a partnership with the State Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) and Baltimore City agencies. From its launch in Spring 2023 through June 2025, RCBTW connected Baltimoreans who will soon be re-entering society (within 18 months of their release) with meaningful $15/hour city agency employment -- compared to the $2.75 that incarcerated individuals eligible for work release typically garner -- and skills training while they were still incarcerated. This program provided wraparound support and safe-return planning before and upon participants’ return, enabling them to successfully re-enter society and have continuity of support during that transition. Initially implemented with time-limited American Rescue Plan Act funds, RCBTW supported 199 incarcerated Baltimoreans. At the time of release, 80 percent of RCBTW participants received a minimum of $10,000 in accumulated wages, which directly supported participants’ successful reentry. This request also includes a small portion of funds that the Office of Returning Citizens will use to directly support returning citizens with basic necessities, like furniture, and with services like job readiness training, among other needs. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: Baltimore County, Maryland
Project Name: Turner Station Resiliency Phase 2
Project Location: Community bounded by Dundalk Avenue (North) Broeing Highway (West) Bear Creek (East) Bear Creek/I-695 (South), Dundalk, Maryland, 21222
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Project Description: The $4,500,000 in funding will be used to improve drainage and quality of life for Turner Station residents. Turner Station is a vibrant, historic community that has suffered from flooding. In addition to the human cost, this flooding is damaging housing, businesses, roads, sidewalks, and storm drains. This damage weakens the transportation and economic life of the community. The funding will be invested in the construction of a flood mitigation plan that was funded under the Congressional Appropriation Process, in 2023, including a flood-mitigation pumping station, underground water storage, upsized storm drains, and street tree plantings. These major improvements will decrease nuisance flooding, increase quality of life, reduce property damage, protect transportation and safety systems, uplift economic activity, create jobs, and other measurable outcomes. Thousands of community members will benefit from this important investment. The project also pioneers a synchronized, multi-faceted approach aiming to mitigate effects of flooding via both reduction of event’s severity with adaptation and mitigation practices. If implemented fully, the Turner Station flood mitigation plan will serve as a blueprint for numerous other communities along the 200 miles that make up Baltimore County’s shoreline. A FY23 congressional appropriation of $2,000,000 is being invested in preconstruction needs, including project design and permitting. A FY26 congressional appropriation of $3,150,000 will be invested in constructing the first priority infrastructure. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Project Name: UMBC Outdoor Drone Testing and Education Facility
Project Location: 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland, 21250
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Description: The $3,000,000 in funding will be used to establish a dedicated, multi-modal drone test facility to advance research, testing, & workforce development in autonomous systems, sensing, & resilient cyber-physical infrastructure. It addresses a critical national gap: the lack of controlled, repeatable, and regulation-compliant environments for evaluating next-generation aerial & ground robots under realistic conditions. Faculty members and students across multiple departments, including Information Systems; Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Geography and Environmental Systems; Marine Biotechnology; and Physics, currently conduct active drone-related research spanning AI and autonomy, control, sensing, communications, aquatic ecosystem, disaster management, cybersecurity, and data-driven environmental analysis. These efforts are supported by external sponsors and address both fundamental and applied challenges. The proposed testbed will unify and amplify these activities by consolidating drone research activities across multiple disciplines into a single, well-instrumented facility. We will create infrastructure that enables collaboration, reduces duplication, and accelerates responsible technology transition. This facility will directly support research conducted by faculty and students in mechanical and electrical engineering on actuation, control, power, and embedded systems; by computer science and information systems researchers on AI and autonomy, learning, cybersecurity, and distributed decision-making; and by chemical and environmental engineering, marine biotechnology, and physics researchers on sensing, measurement, and data interpretation. This project will contribute to the local and state economies by preparing UMBC students for careers in a growing sector of the U.S. high-tech economy. UMBC is recognized as a minority-serving institution and many of our students come from low- and moderate-income families and communities. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)
Project Sponsor: City of Baltimore
Project Name: Waxter Senior Center Redevelopment & Temporary Relocation
Project Location: 1000 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Description: The $1,000,000 in funding will be used to support the design of a new senior center to replace a center that has reached the end of its useful life, relocation of programming to a temporary space, transportation for seniors to and from the temporary location, and securing the building while the new center is designed. Baltimore City requests $500,000 to support the design of a new and improved facility for senior center programming. The new Center will allow the City to continue providing high quality programs and services for older adults, expand services and programs for the community at large, and enhance open space for public use. This project is in the planning phase. The City is working through its budget process to support future construction costs while also pursuing additional funding opportunities. The Center is located just blocks away from downtown, an area experiencing unprecedented investment. Based on feedback from Center participants, one of the largest challenges to accessing a new location is transportation. Baltimore City requests $150,000 for a shuttle from the current Waxter Center to and from the new location. Shuttle service will be provided Monday through Friday, ensuring that members of the Waxter Center can continue to access programs and services, and preserve their community during the transition. While closed, the building will require a secure envelope and functions to prevent further disrepair or blight. $200,000 will support securing the building, including installing cameras, window bars, and fencing. To establish programs and services at a temporary location, the City requests $150,000 to support the moving and storage of equipment as well as minor one-time facility upgrades needed to properly accommodate the needs of older adults. This may include façade improvements, signage, rails and ramps, and other ADA accommodations. The Center serves both older adults in the surrounding neighborhoods, and citywide. Baltimore City is home to approximately 124,021 residents age 60 years old or older, with over half living alone (2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates). Many older residents find themselves socially isolated, an issue that has been exacerbated by the pandemic which has long term impacts. In the census tract where the Center is located, 25% of adults report experiencing depression. As the number of older adults grows and the number of people reporting isolation, depression, and loneliness continues to climb, the need for a neighborhood-centered physical place for older adults to come together to socialize, learn, and receive assistance continues to grow. The Center offers that space. (Link to Member Financial Disclosure Certification and Federal Nexus Statement)