Give, and Ye Shall Receive

Beginning January 1, the state of Maryland is sweetening the pot for the charitably inclined as it rolls out a new 25-percent tax credit called Endow Maryland.

The credit is available to anyone who donates $500 or more to one of the state’s 14 qualified community foundations. As the only approved community foundation serving Baltimore City and Baltimore County, the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) stands to reap the benefits, and its staffers want to make sure you know what it, well, does.

“We’ve got our hands everywhere, but we tend to leave no fingerprints,” says BCF’s vice president for development Ralph Serpe.

Founded in 1972 and governed by a 30-member board of trustees, BCF administers millions of dollars annually to nonprofits. The projects tend to focus on education—particularly school readiness—and neighborhood improvements ranging from tree planting to block parties.

“Investing in BCF is investing in your community forever,” says Serpe. “Endow Maryland will provide the fuel to make that happen.”