Governor Wes Moore has announced the formation of the ENOUGH Alliance, a coalition of philanthropic and private sector organizations, alongside an initial commitment of over $100 million to invest in children and families to eliminate child poverty in Maryland. This significant milestone amplifies the ENOUGH Act, a landmark law passed in 2024 to address historic inequities and tackle the root causes of poverty across the state.
“Partnership produces progress, and nothing else does. Marylanders are coming together across all levels of society to end child poverty in our state,” said Gov. Moore. “By joining forces across the public, private, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors, we can marshal the broad support necessary to elevate our communities and leave no one behind. Today marks an important step forward in our continued work to ensure every child, regardless of background or zip code, thrives.”
The ENOUGH Alliance focuses on leveraging philanthropic funding to supplement existing private and state resources in communities with the highest rates of generational poverty. By aligning with the ENOUGH Initiative, the coalition aims to improve the quality of life for families in need through partnerships with nonprofits, community organizations, and anchor institutions.
Philanthropic leaders have expressed strong support for the initiative. Geoff Canada, founder and president of Harlem Children’s Zone and the William Julius Wilson Institute, praised the ENOUGH Act for addressing systemic challenges and providing the tools for families to succeed.
“Maryland’s ENOUGH Act is a powerful step towards addressing systemic and historic challenges, providing the tools needed for young people to thrive,” Canada said. “Through philanthropic support of this initiative, we are investing in a generation of families and children who will transform their futures and provide boundless opportunity for those too often left behind.”
The alliance’s members commit to either direct funding of nonprofit organizations in ENOUGH-eligible jurisdictions or contributions to the ENOUGH Community Support Fund. The Governor’s Office for Children will guide funders on how to maximize their impact and align investments with state priorities.
Notable organizations supporting the alliance include Blue Meridian Partners, the Bainum Family Foundation, and the Sherman Family Foundation. Blue Meridian Partners President Jim Shelton highlighted the partnership’s focus on family wealth, educational equity, and economic opportunity as critical components of ending child poverty.
“The ENOUGH Act recognizes that solving systemic challenges requires investing in people—families, children, and the dedicated professionals who support them,” said Bainum Family Foundation CEO and President David Daniels.
Betsy Sherman, founder and chair of the Sherman Family Foundation, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of children-centered approaches and community-based solutions.
The ENOUGH Act, authorized in 2024, uses place-based interventions in communities with disproportionately high numbers of children living in poverty. In its first year, the ENOUGH Initiative provided $20 million in grants and technical assistance to ENOUGH communities and Local Management Boards to foster economic mobility and reduce poverty.
The ENOUGH Alliance builds on previous philanthropic efforts, including investments from the Maryland Partnership for Proven Programs, Arnold Ventures, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. These contributions have supported groundbreaking programs such as the state’s first Innovation Team, which works to create scalable solutions to poverty.
Governor Moore’s vision is rooted in a whole-of-government approach to ending child poverty. This includes targeted investments in rural, suburban, and urban areas with disproportionately high rates of poverty. The alliance aims to expand these efforts, ensuring families receive the support they need to break cycles of generational poverty.
For more information about the ENOUGH Alliance and its mission, visit enoughalliance.org.