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Who We Are

1,963
GRANTS AWARDED IN FY23

$107 MILLION
IN GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS SINCE 1984

$6.1 MILLION
GRANTED IN FY23

$549K
SCHOLARSHIPS GRANTED IN FY23

500+
LOWER SHORE NONPROFITS SERVED

What We Do

As leaders, grant makers, and stewards of philanthropy, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore connects people who care to causes that matter for the common good of the Lower Eastern Shore.  We are a 501c3 nonprofit with an inspiring history of fostering charitable endeavors, and have provided more than $107 million in grants and scholarships to the local community since 1984. We collaborate with individuals, families, and businesses to match their charitable interests with community needs and strengthen local nonprofits through grants and resources. We are devoted to improving our regional community and believe in the power of philanthropy.  

What We Do

Meet Our

People

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What We Believe In

MISSION

Inspiring community philanthropy and connecting people who care with causes that matter.

VISION

Create thriving communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where we can live and prosper together.

VALUES
  • Accountability: We keep commitments, achieve results, exercise sound judgment, and accept responsibility for our performance in all our decisions and actions.

  • Collaboration: We embrace our shared responsibility in working toward productive solutions to strengthen our community. We will work to facilitate the most favorable solutions for those we serve; to build consensus in the face of adversity; and to empower others to build lasting partnerships.

  • Equity: We embrace and respect the differences that make our communities strong. Diversity in all its forms is key to our collective success. We practice inclusivity of perspective, experience, abilities, and ideas to identify needs and create opportunities to improve the quality of life in our region.

  • Integrity: We believe it is not only important to know the right thing to do, but equally important to do the right thing and be above reproach in all we do.  It is the cornerstone of our values.

  • Leadership: We strive to be innovative, compassionate, and diligent in our efforts to serve as the respected resource for regional philanthropy.  We will seize the initiative and challenge others to improve the communities we serve.

  • Transparency: We provide information that will empower stakeholders to make informed decisions.  We believe it is the best way to prove to others we are upholding our values and to make mutual trust possible and our actions understandable.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, BELONGING, INCLUSION & JUSTICE STATEMENT

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore intentionally fosters a culture of Diversity, Equity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Justice (DEBIJ).

 

We recognize that diversity comes in many forms such as ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, economic circumstances, disability (visible or invisible), and more.

 

We strategically and purposely work to integrate DEBIJ into the fabric of CFES so that we can excel at being an informed and effective philanthropic leader and community partner.

 

We commit to investing time, resources, energy, and know-how to execute a robust DEBIJ strategy:

  • We commit to including individuals and populations that are under-represented, under-resourced, or marginalized.

  • We commit to promoting impartiality and fairness within CFES processes and distribution of resources.

  • We commit to engaging full potential of individuals where views, beliefs, and values are integrated into organizational processes.

  • We commit to encouraging diverse individuals to participate fully in decision-making processes and development opportunities.

  • We commit to identifying and removing internal organizational barriers to equity.

  • We commit to guiding external conversations and distribution of resources to remove barriers to social inequities in the greater community.

  • We commit to measuring, tracking, and assessing our efforts.

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Financials &

Accountability

VIEW OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, IRS FILINGS, POLICIES, & MORE

News &

Publications

Our History

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