News & Events

Celebrating 40 Years of Community Building by Design
In 2008 the Neighborhood Design Center will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary!  Click here to learn more about the anniversary and see a list of activities and featured projects throughout t the year.  The next event is our Prince George's County Awards Ceremony on May 14 at Brentwood Park (next to the Brentwood City Hall).  Click here for more information.

NDC Receives Grants for Technology and Community Design
We would like to thank the following foundations and public agencies for their support: The John J. Leidy Foundation ($3,000) and the Lois and Philip Macht Family Philanthropic Fund of THE ASSOCIATED ($3,000) for grants to allow NDC to upgrade our server and purchase three new computers, and the Creative Baltimore Fund from the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts for general program support ($10,400).  We would also like to thank the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development for Community Development Block Grant funding for another year ($72,100).

NDC Matches Challenge Grant from the Knott Foundation!
At the end of February, NDC's Board had raised the $15,000 challenge grant needed by the Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation to match their $25,000 grant to support GREENDC.  Funding will enable us to develop community workshops, create informational material both in print and on the web, and integrate green design practices across our other programs and projects.

NDC Receives Grant for Community Art
Thank you to the Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund for their grant of $20,000 grant to support the Rebuilding thru Art Project.  The funding will allow RAP to expand the after-school programs that they offer at Lockerman-Bundy Elementary, develop additional partnerships like the one with Park School, and continue to engage students in community art projects that enhance the school and the surrounding neighborhood.

Good Work Gets Good Press
It is always good to know that others think highly of you - and two recent articles prove that.  The first appeared in the February 20 issue of the Baltimore Examiner, and highlighted the launch of our 40th Anniversary year (click here to read the Examiner article).  The second appeared on the Port Towns CDC web site and highlighted our assistance as part of their Livable Communities efforts (click here to read the Port Towns article).

NDC Awarded Grant to work with Healthy Neighborhoods
Healthy Neighborhoods is a program in Baltimore that provides funding and technical assistance to 15 strong but undervalued neighborhoods across the city.  They are providing a grant of $15,000 to NDC to administer their Capital Grants program, which awards funding for projects that improve the neighborhoods and help to increase the housing market.  NDC will be the point group for the capital grants, offering guidance and technical assistance to the participating neighborhoods.

Baltimore Community Foundation provides "green" grant
Thank you to the Baltimore Community Foundation for their grant of $10,000 to support GREENDC.  The funding will be used to develop green rehab workshops for communities participating in the Healthy Neighborhoods initiative.   Read more about GREENDC.

Washington Redskins and Bank of America Adopt an NDC Project
Over the past several months NDC assisted Prince George's County's Habitat for Humanity in developing conceptual designs for a new house in Fairmont Heights (pictured).   The Washington Redskins and Bank of America have since adopted the house, which began construction on November 27 in the FedExField parking lot, and will continue in Fairmont Heights.  A dedication ceremony was held at the Redskins/Cowboys game on December 30, while another is planned when construction is complete.  For more information click here or visit www.redskins.com.

NDC Assistance Leads to Community Design Competition
In 2006, the Neighborhood Design Center worked with the Port Towns CDC to create conceptual designs for the redevelopment of two blocks in Colmar Manor along Bladensburg Road/MD202 and the Anacostia River.  As a result of our work, Port Towns CDC was able to secure funding to move the project into the next phase of development - the People's Harbor Project Competition.  Winners of the competition were announced this month.  To read about this project, and see a the winning entries, click here. Thanks to NDC volunteers Scott Walters (CSD Architects) and Stefanie McKenzie (Read & Company Architects) for their initial work in helping community members, civic leaders, and developers see the potential in Colmar Manor.

NDC Featured in the Baltimore Sun Charity Giving Guide
The Neighborhood Design Center was among a handful of other nonprofits in the Baltimore area that was featured in the Charity Giving Guide, a special advertising feature of the Baltimore Sun on November 16, 2007.  The article, entitled "Rebuild, redesign, and restore" highlighted the positive effects that the organization has had on local communities.  To read the full article click here.

Annie E. Casey Foundation Awards Grant to GREENDC
Thank you to the Annie E. Casey Foundation for their recent grant of $20,000 to GREENDC to provide assistance to communities in East Baltimore.  The grant will allow NDC to research best practices in green neighborhood design, develop educational material and neighborhood-based training programs, and provide technical assistance to residents and community-based organizations in the area.

James W. Rouse Community Service Day

On September 15, 2007, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, along with Enterprise Community Partners, sponsored the 7th Annual James W. Rouse Community Service Day.  This year, several past Neighborhood Design Center projects participated: Medfield Heights Elementary, Barclay Elementary / Middle School, Bruce Street Park (pictured at the right from 2006), and the Village Learning Place.  For information about the Service Day visit www.sber.com.

NDC Winner of CCTS Technology Award

In May of 2007, the Neighborhood Design Center was one of four non-profits in Baltimore selected for the University of Baltimore’s Center for Community Technology Service’s inaugural Innovation Award (www.ccts.ubalt.edu).  NDC received an IBM laptop, resource material, and technology planning support from CCTS (a value of $1,500) – which will enable us to upgrade our ability to make presentations and workshops directly in the communities where we are working.  NDC also thanks IBM and the Baltimore Community Foundation for sponsoring the award.