Maryland has one of the most active nonprofit sectors on the East Coast. Its charities range from national associations based near Washington to small family foundations in Eastern Shore county seats. This page helps you find these organizations by city and county. It also explains who oversees them, so you can check a group before you give, volunteer or ask for help.

The listings are public contact records. They include grantmakers, social service agencies, advocacy groups and professional associations. Each type works differently, and knowing which one you are dealing with saves time. A family service center may take walk-in visits. A private family foundation often does not.

Who Regulates Charities in Maryland

No single office controls a Maryland charity from start to finish. Responsibility is split among several agencies, and each one answers a different question about the organization.

The State Department of Assessments and Taxation, known as SDAT, records nonprofit corporations. A group that wants to incorporate as a nonprofit files its articles of incorporation there. SDAT's online business search shows whether a corporation exists and what its status is.

The Charitable Organizations Division of the Maryland Secretary of State handles fundraising. Under Maryland's charitable solicitation law, most charities that ask the public for money must register before they begin. Professional solicitors and fundraising counsel who work for charities have their own registration duties. Some groups, such as religious institutions, are generally exempt.

Tax status is a separate matter. The Internal Revenue Service decides whether an organization qualifies under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. In Maryland, the Comptroller's office handles sales and use tax exemptions for qualifying nonprofits. SDAT handles requests for property tax exemption.

Registration is not an endorsement. It means the charity filed its paperwork, not that it spends money wisely. To judge that, read the organization's Form 990. The IRS requires most exempt organizations to file this form, and the public can view it. Small groups file a short electronic notice instead, so their detail is thinner.

How Charity Services Differ Across Maryland's Regions

Maryland has 23 counties plus the independent city of Baltimore, so 24 local jurisdictions in all. Each has its own social services network, its own funders and its own gaps. The kind of charity you can reach in a day depends heavily on where you live.

Baltimore and the Surrounding County

Baltimore City is not part of Baltimore County. The two are separate governments, and a "Baltimore" mailing address can fall in either one. That matters when you look for a county-based program or a local grant. In our records, Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay at 6600 York Road and Abilities Network at 8503 Lasalle Road in Towson both sit in Baltimore County. Towson is the county seat, and many service providers cluster along the York Road corridor.

The Washington Suburbs

Montgomery County and Prince George's County border the District of Columbia. They attract national organizations that want to be near federal agencies, Congress and other nonprofits.

Montgomery County examples include the Henry M Jackson Foundation at 1401 Rockville Pike in Rockville and the Cornell Douglas Foundation at 4701 Sangamore Road in Bethesda. Catholic Charities runs from 12247 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. The River Management Society is in Takoma Park, and Emory Grove Family Resource Center is in Gaithersburg.

In Prince George's County, the Epilepsy Foundation of America is in Hyattsville. The Quixote Center is in Brentwood, and the Fund For The Public Interest is in College Park. The African Christian Service Foundation is in Bowie. Some of these groups serve a national audience. Others serve neighbors within a few miles. Always ask which.

Central Maryland, the Eastern Shore and the West

Howard County has a steady cluster of charities in Columbia and Ellicott City. One example is the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation at 3290 Pine Orchard Lane in Ellicott City. Annapolis, the state capital, lists An Angels Touch Foundation at 1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway.

The Eastern Shore works differently. Salisbury has the Richard A Henson Foundation at 200 West Main Street. Easton has the United Fund of Talbot County at 121 North Washington Street. Cambridge has Associated Black Charities of Maryland at 824 Fairmount Avenue. Rural counties have fewer organizations, so each one often covers several needs and a wide area. You may drive to the county seat for help that a suburban resident finds down the street.

In western and southern Maryland, Hagerstown lists the American Jail Association at 1135 Professional Court. La Plata lists the Historic Willing Helpers Society. Frederick has The Community Foundation of Frederick County at 312 East Church Street.

Understanding the Types of Charities in Our Maryland Listings

Reading the names in the directory tells you a lot. Charities in Maryland generally fall into four groups, and the right way to approach each is different.

Community foundations pool local gifts and make grants. The Community Foundation of Frederick County and the Community Foundation in Bel Air are examples. The United Fund of Talbot County plays a similar role on the Shore. These groups usually have published grant cycles, and they often welcome questions from local nonprofits and donors.

Private and family foundations include the Cornell Douglas Foundation, the Richard A Henson Foundation, the Matthews Foundation in Forest Hill, the Kidball Foundation in Potomac and the Jermaine E Lewis Foundation in Upper Marlboro. Many of these give mainly to organizations they already know. A cold request from an individual rarely succeeds. Check their stated guidelines first.

Direct service providers work with clients. Catholic Charities, Emory Grove Family Resource Center, Abilities Network and An Angels Touch Foundation fit here. These are the places to call if you need support, and their intake rules vary by program.

Associations and national mission groups include the American Jail Association, the River Management Society and the Epilepsy Foundation of America. Their members and audiences are often professionals or patients across the country. Their Maryland address is an office, not always a place that serves walk-in visitors.

Practical Steps Before You Give, Volunteer or Ask for Help

A few checks take ten minutes and prevent most problems. Use this list.

Be careful with callers or door-to-door requests that pressure you to give immediately. A real charity will accept your gift tomorrow, and it can send written information about how funds are used. Pay by check or card, not cash or gift cards.

If you run or want to start a charity, begin with SDAT and the IRS, then ask the Secretary of State whether registration applies to your fundraising plans. The statewide association Maryland Nonprofits offers training and guidance for groups at any stage.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Maryland must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Maryland's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 90 cities across Maryland. They are spread across 21 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Baltimore, Bethesda, Columbia, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in Maryland can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Maryland Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

A
B
C
D
F
H
K
M
P
Q
S
T
W

Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Maryland should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Maryland Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Maryland foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across Maryland to find the nearest location.

Using Maryland Charity Listings Close to Home

Start with the county, not the city. Maryland counties set up their own human services, health programs and funding networks. A charity in a neighboring county may not accept your application, even if it is only ten minutes away.

On the Lower Shore, Wicomico County centers on Salisbury, where the Richard A Henson Foundation is listed on West Main Street. Further north, Talbot County relies on Easton, home to the United Fund of Talbot County. Both areas have fewer organizations than the Baltimore and Washington suburbs, so a phone call to the county seat is often the fastest route.

In larger counties, you will find more choice but also more duplication. Compare mission statements, service areas and eligibility rules before you apply. If a listing says it serves a particular population or a few zip codes, believe it. Ask staff to point you to a better fit if you fall outside it. Most nonprofit workers will gladly make that referral.

Hours and programs change, so confirm by phone using the numbers shown on each listing before you travel.

Maryland Charity Nonprofit Questions Answered

Contact the Charitable Organizations Division of the Maryland Secretary of State, which keeps the state's registration records for charities that solicit donations. Its website offers a search by organization name. Then check the group's corporate status with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, and confirm its federal exemption in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. If the three records agree, the charity is on firm ground. Some groups, such as religious organizations, may be exempt from state registration, so a missing record is a reason to ask questions, not proof of a problem.

Dial 211 first. The Maryland 211 line refers callers to food, housing, utility and family programs near them. Your local department of social services can also point you to county programs. In our listings, Catholic Charities in Silver Spring (301-942-1790) and Emory Grove Family Resource Center in Gaithersburg (301-869-7330) are examples of Montgomery County service providers. Call ahead and ask about eligibility, required documents and hours. Typical items to bring are photo identification, proof of address and any benefit letters.

A community foundation collects donations from local people and businesses and grants the money to nonprofits in its own area. It usually does not give grants to individuals for personal needs. The Community Foundation of Frederick County (301-695-7660) is at 312 East Church Street in Frederick. The Community Foundation in Bel Air (443-371-6062) serves Harford County. The United Fund of Talbot County (410-822-1957) works from Easton. Call to ask about grant deadlines, or about opening a donor fund if you want to give.

The Washington suburbs sit close to federal agencies, Congress and other national groups, so many associations set up offices in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. The Epilepsy Foundation of America (301-459-3700) lists an office on Professional Place in Hyattsville. The Henry M Jackson Foundation is on Rockville Pike. The American Jail Association (301-790-3930) is in Hagerstown, far from the capital region. These offices often serve members or patients nationwide, so ask whether a local program exists before you visit in person.

Begin by filing articles of incorporation for a nonprofit corporation with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Next, obtain a federal employer identification number and apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) recognition. If you plan to ask the public for donations, ask the Secretary of State's Charitable Organizations Division whether you must register first. You may also request sales tax and property tax exemptions from the Comptroller and SDAT. Fees and forms change, so check each agency's current instructions. Maryland Nonprofits, the statewide association, offers training for new boards.

It can be either. Baltimore City is an independent jurisdiction, separate from Baltimore County, yet many addresses in the county use a Baltimore mailing label. In our records, Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay (410-377-6270) at 6600 York Road is counted in Baltimore County, and Abilities Network (410-828-7700) is in Towson. The difference affects which local government's programs, grants and service boundaries apply to you. Check the county shown on the listing, and ask the organization whether you live inside its service area before you drive there.