On tomorrow’s Board of Estimates agenda is a $150,000 grant to Associated Black Charities for a project identical to the one awarded to ABC, also for $150,000, at the panel’s December 4 meeting.

Both awards are listed as submitted at the direction of Nick J. Mosby, whose term as City Council president ended two weeks ago with the swearing-in of Zeke Cohen as Council president.

The latest grant to ABC, known for its racial equity advocacy and annual black-tie gala attended by the city’s political elite, comes from a little-known fund carved out by Mosby and Mayor Brandon Scott during last spring’s budget negotiations.

The fund – bankrolled by recent budget surpluses and not found in the city’s FY25 budget book – allows lawmakers to distribute grants to community-based organizations for “City Council Priority Projects” with no strings attached.

The Brew traced $1.4 million that Mosby, the main recipient of the funds, awarded to nonprofits and businesses, including $1,075,000 approved on his last day in office on December 4.

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The $150,000 grant set for board approval tomorrow will go to “ongoing workforce development initiatives,” according to ABC’s proposal for funding.

The single-page grantee statement uses the same language as the prior $150,000 grant that was awarded to the nonprofit earlier this month.

In both cases, ABC includes no budget, no breakdown of staffing or overhead costs, and no specific goals or performance benchmarks other than citing three programs it sponsors – Equity at Work webinars, the ABC Workforce Collaborative and volunteer career membership matching programs.

“By investing in these areas, we aim to empower individuals and strengthen the economic foundations of our communities,” both grant proposals conclude.

The City Council program does not require ABC or the other recipients to disclose any information about how many people they will serve.

There is no record keeping requirement for the ABC grant, no public disclosure and no coordination or oversight by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED), which has the same goals of preparing disadvantaged residents for the workforce and placing them into jobs.

“We are grateful”

Asked to respond to the latest appropriation, Chrissy M. Thornton, ABC’s president and CEO, issued a statement today to The Brew saying in part:

“We are grateful for the city’s trust in our unwavering commitment to advancing progress for Baltimore’s historically marginalized Black community through our innovative initiatives addressing digital inequities and workforce divides.

“For 40 years, ABC has been a steadfast anchor institution in Baltimore, committed to advancing opportunity, equity and inclusion for Black communities. Through innovative programs, advocacy and community partnerships, we have remained dedicated to building pathways for economic and social progress in our city.”

Thornton took over the nonprofit two years ago following a string of reputational challenges to the organization and the resignation of its CEO, Diane Bell-McKoy.

A former top aide to Mayor Kurt Schmoke, McKoy faced scrutiny after being implicated in the Healthy Holly book scandal that led to the 2019 resignation of Mayor Catherine Pugh.

It was revealed that ABC had collected about $90,000 on behalf of Pugh from five entities doing business with the city or state, pocketing about $10,000 in administrative costs.

While Pugh went to prison in 2019 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion charges, a city audit found no specific wrongdoing by ABC.

Close Ties

ABC also was the longtime fiscal agent for the Ryan White HIV federal grant program, responsible for the oversight of tens of millions of dollars awarded to the city health department to pay for HIV and AIDS services.

It withdrew from the program amid an audit of the health department showing lax oversight of grant funds, including Ryan White assistance money. Auditors found that $38.9 million of Ryan White grants in 2020 and 2021 were not properly monitored, which led to stricter enforcement of grant funds.

Under Thornton, a former real estate investor and motivational speaker, the nonprofit has moved from fiscal sponsorship to advocacy work while maintaining close ties to Nick Mosby and his former wife, Marilyn Mosby.

Nick Mosby has promoted ABC community projects, such as the  Christmas Toy Drive, and has spoken on financial literacy and other subjects at events sponsored by the charity.

The nonprofit has been active in the movement to pardon his ex-wife Marilyn Mosby, who is on home detention after being convicted on federal perjury and mortgage fraud charges stemming from her time as Baltimore’s chief prosecutor.

After President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, ABC swung into action, demanding that Mosby be pardoned, saying her tenure as Baltimore state’s attorney “was marked by her fearless dedication to justice and her unwavering commitment to challenging the deeply entrenched structures of racism and inequality.”

In her statement to The Brew today, Thornton said that ABC’s mission is “rooted in community building” and welcomes “thoughtful engagement that uplifts the stories of those we serve and the change we are driving.”