#MergerMondays: Baltimore Nonprofits

MergerMondays
Written By Charence Higgins

Baltimore has always been a city of resilience and reinvention, where innovation meets community spirit. That spirit is alive in two recent nonprofit mergers; these partnerships signal a broader story of possibility for the city’s future.

Image by Ricky Beron

Earlier this year, the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) folded UpSurge Baltimore under its umbrella in a thoughtful asset transfer that preserved UpSurge’s brand, staff, and community-focused programming.  Rather than blending away, UpSurge continues to operate as its own equitech brand, now with stronger institutional backing. GBC’s CEO, Mark Anthony Thomas, emphasized that the organizations are taking the next few months to find their north star together by combining traditional economic development strategies with a vibrant, founder-led entrepreneurship ethos.  This merger marks a meaningful shift in economic growth models–one that values nurturing homegrown talent and resilient ecosystems alongside infrastructure and corporate incentives. 

Just days ago, CollegeBound Foundation announced that ¡Adelante Latina!, a culturally responsive after-school and college access program for Latina students, merged into its operations. The newly branded ¡Adelante Latina! at CollegeBound will bring together strong scholarship funding and proven programming. CollegeBound serves low-income, first-gen Baltimore students, with 71% of participants graduating from four-year colleges within six years. This is dramatically higher than Baltimore City’s average six-year graduation rate for its students, which comes in at just 28%.  Students like Ana Herrera, a first-gen Latina headed to Loyola College this fall, are already benefiting from this strengthened support network. She’s enthusiastic about the internship and scholarship access this combined program provides.

Both mergers reinforce Baltimore's potential as a city where collaboration enhances impact. The GBC/UpSurge integration charts a more inclusive economic future, while CollegeBound’s union with ¡Adelante Latina! expands educational equity and opportunity for tomorrow’s leaders.  Together, they show that when organizations unite behind shared values, the result is stronger nonprofits and a stronger community.

Charence Higgins
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#MergerMondays: Disability Services