CLLCTIVLY’s 2025 Impact Report Shows How Baltimore Is Building Black Futures—Together

At a time when race-conscious funding, DEI initiatives, and investments in Black communities are increasingly under attack nationwide, Baltimore-based organization CLLCTIVLY is offering a powerful counter-narrative—one rooted in collective care, shared ownership, and community-driven impact.

According to CLLCTIVLY’s newly released 2025 Impact Report, the organization directed $2.23 million into Baltimore’s Black social economy in 2025 alone, supporting Black-led organizations, artists, entrepreneurs, and culture workers through grants, fellowships, residencies, and community convenings. Since its founding in 2019, CLLCTIVLY has mobilized more than $7 million across Greater Baltimore, proving what is possible when communities invest in themselves.

Building a Black Social Economy

CLLCTIVLY’s work is grounded in the belief that Black communities have always possessed the tools needed for survival, healing, and wealth-building—tools rooted in ancestral traditions, cooperation, and collective responsibility. The organization defines this approach as the Black Social Economy: an ecosystem where culture, care, and capital move together.

In 2025, that vision was made tangible through expanded micro-grants, no-strings-attached funding, and programs designed to prioritize trust over bureaucracy. One of the most significant moments came during CLLCTIVGive, Baltimore’s annual Day of #GivingBlack, when the city raised $1.235 million in just 24 hours to support 133 Black-led organizations. More than 3,100 donors and hundreds of community participants came together, demonstrating the strength of collective action.

Shifting Narratives Through 28 Days of Black Futures

Beyond moving capital, CLLCTIVLY continues to challenge how Baltimore—and Black communities more broadly—are portrayed. The organization’s signature storytelling campaign, 28 Days of Black Futures, centers Black imagination, leadership, and joy each February.

In 2025, the initiative featured four original documentaries spotlighting Baltimore icons and movement leaders, including Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, Senator Jill P. Carter, Joyce J. Scott, and civil rights attorney William H. “Billy” Murphy Jr. Through film, public dialogue, and community screenings, the campaign affirmed that narrative power is essential to shifting systems and reclaiming agency.

Culture as Capital: We Give Black & The Residency Program

CLLCTIVLY’s commitment to culture was on full display during We Give Black, a three-day gathering celebrating Black joy as a form of power. The event drew more than 5,000 people to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for music, art, healing practices, and community connection—headlined by DJ Jazzy Jeff and featuring dozens of local artists, organizations, and vendors.

At the same time, CLLCTIVLY expanded its Residency Program, welcoming artists and culture workers whose practices merge art, healing, and movement-building. With more than 250 applicants, the program reflects a growing demand for spaces that center wellness alongside creativity and leadership in Baltimore’s Black-led ecosystem.

Investing in the Next Generation of Social Innovators

The Drs. Elmer + Joanne Martin Social Impact Fellowship continued to nurture Baltimore’s next generation of changemakers, receiving over 170 applications in 2025. Every fellow rated the program as “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” citing its blend of academic rigor, cultural grounding, and practical tools for impact.

Looking ahead, CLLCTIVLY announced the launch of the Futures Capital Fund in partnership with Common Future. Beginning in 2026, the fund will deploy trust-based microloans ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to Baltimore-based entrepreneurs—starting with fellowship alumni—using non-extractive, community-aligned financing models.

A Model for What’s Possible

As CLLCTIVLY looks toward 2026, its leadership remains clear-eyed about the challenges ahead—but firmly rooted in possibility. The organization’s 2025 Impact Report makes one thing unmistakable: when Baltimore chooses connection over competition and invests in Black leadership, the entire city benefits.

In a moment defined by uncertainty, CLLCTIVLY’s work stands as a reminder that the future is not something we wait for—it is something we build, together.