New Delaplaine Foundation executive director excited to learn, bolster organization's mission
Correction A previous version of this story stated that Michele Corr had communicated with donors for schools while she was the executive director of Friends of Catholic Education. She worked with donors of the nonprofit, not schools themselves.
Michele Corr never would’ve thought about leaving her role at Friends of Catholic Education if she hadn’t been approached about leading the Delaplaine Foundation.
Corr, who was recently announced as the Delaplaine Foundation’s new executive director, said the opportunity to interview for that position came directly from Marlene Young.
After more than 20 years of working at the foundation, Young, its current president and CEO, will officially retire in June, although she’ll still serve as the president for the Board of Trustees.
Corr will officially begin working as the executive director on Jan. 6 — a brand new role at the organization.
Her previous role was the executive director for Friends of Catholic Education, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Catholic education in Frederick County. She will continue to be on that organization’s board of trustees.
Earlier this year, Corr said, she and Young went out for lunch, during which Young said she was planning to step back from the foundation and search for an executive director.
Corr told Young she couldn’t imagine who would take Young’s place at the helm of the foundation — and Young asked Corr if she’d be interested.
Corr said she was surprised by the question, but after a lot of thought and consideration, she decided to pursue the executive director role.
She said that over the years she’s worked in Frederick County at the nonprofit Friends of Catholic Education, she has kept up with the Delaplaine Foundation’s work in the local community.
The organization is a private family foundation based in Frederick that gives grants to hundreds of groups. Corr said she has admired what the foundation does and how it makes tangible impacts for different nonprofits and the Frederick community.
“I’m just so incredibly grateful for the opportunity and honored to have been chosen,” she said. “… I read all the time exactly what’s going on, and I’m just always overwhelmed at the good things that they’re doing, and to think that I, little old me, could help participate in this and that I’ve been chosen — I don’t take the fact that I’ve been chosen lightly.”
A RETURN TO FREDERICK
Corr was born and raised in Frederick, but she moved out of the area in ninth grade to Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
She graduated from Spring Hill College in Alabama, and said she was a stay-at-home mom before she went back to work in 2007 at Saint John’s Catholic Prep.
She started out as a photography and publications teacher and worked in other roles at the school, including director of development.
While working at Saint John’s, Corr joined the Board of Trustees for Friends of Catholic Education.
After about a decade of working at Saint John’s, Friends of Catholic Education asked Corr if she’d be its executive director.
Under Corr’s tenure at Friends of Catholic Education, the organization provided more scholarships and block grants to help lighten the financial load of Catholic schools’ tuitions on students.
She believes her previous career experiences — which include cultivating relationships with school communities and donors, as well as maintaining relationships in Frederick County, even when she didn’t live here — will serve her well at the Delaplaine Foundation.
Corr said she often hears that she has “big shoes to fill” following Young — but she said those shoes can never be filled.
Young has led the foundation since its inception in 2001, helping to build the organization’s infrastructure and operations.
Rather than trying to replace Young, Corr said, she wants to continue from the foundation Young built to keep the organization going strong.
“I’m going to bring my own shoes and walk alongside of her,” she said. “… I want to be able to take the [Delaplaine] family’s vision and execute it.”
Corr wants to learn as much as possible in her first few months as executive director, especially while Young is still working until June.
She’s also looking forward to getting to meet so many new people and organizations, as well as connect groups with one another, so they can work together to better serve people in Frederick County.
She loves making new friends, and she loves Frederick. Her new job at the Delaplaine Foundation will only strengthen that love.
“I’ll be getting to be able to meet so many new people, and that is making me very happy … being able to expand on that and finding out and meeting people that have a common goal, which is to be able to give back and to help people and to volunteer,” Corr said.
“… There’s a lot of people out there trying to help people have a better life, and Frederick is very unique, I think in that regard, very unique, and so, I’m just happy to be part of it.”
Michele Corr named executive director of the Delaplaine Foundation
Michele Corr, the executive director of the nonprofit Friends of Catholic Education, will be the Delaplaine Foundation’s executive director, a newly created role where she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the foundation.
Corr will leave her position at Friends of Catholic Education (FOCE) and begin her new position on Jan. 6, according to a news release from the Delaplaine Foundation.
She has been FOCE’s executive director since 2016. She will still be part of FOCE’s Board of Trustees.
Prior to working at FOCE, Corr worked at St. John’s Catholic Prep from 2007 to 2016 in several roles, including enrollment specialist and director of development.
The foundation’s current president and CEO Marlene Young, whose responsibilities include overseeing the organization’s daily operations, will retire officially in June.
Young said that the executive director role was created to accommodate the exponential growth of the foundation’s work, prompting internal reorganization.
“We’re thrilled that Michele has accepted the position of executive director,” Young said in the news release. “Her professional experience and extensive knowledge of the community will enable her to lead the organization as it continues to grow.”
'She loves Frederick': Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene Young to retire in June
To Marlene Young, her work at the Delaplaine Foundation has never felt like a job — rather, it’s been a calling and a privilege.
She believes that it’s a universal truth that people only get to keep what they give away. She’s tried to integrate that philosophy into her personal life and her career at the foundation.
“I’m in a season where I’ve realized that for all of us, our days are numbered, so we need to use them to kind of open the windows of our souls and do what we can where we can to enrich the lives of others,” she said. “What a joy and privilege it is when we do that.”
Young has helped build the Delaplaine Foundation — a private family foundation based in Frederick that gives grants to hundreds of organizations — from the ground up since its inception in 2001.
After 23 years of shaping and leading the foundation first as director and later as president and CEO since 2012, Young will retire from her current roles next June.
She will continue serving on the foundation’s Board of Trustees as its president.
The foundation has not yet announced her successor.
Prior to the creation of the Delaplaine Foundation, Young, an alumna of Hood College, was part of the Delaplaine family’s Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company.
The company was created in 1888 and later published The Frederick News-Post and owned the cable company GS Communications. It sold its newspaper printing and cable divisions in 2001.
‘Giving back’
Young began working at the Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company in 1974 in customer service.
She went on to hold several other roles, including being an administrative assistant to George Delaplaine Jr., the company’s former president and CEO, and being director of human resources.
In 2001, after the company sold its media divisions, Young said, Delaplaine wanted to create something to keep the company’s top management team together and still give back to the local community.
“We determined that to establish a private foundation, we could perpetuate the giving back to community that had been part of the businesses all through the years,” she said.
“… Because I had been working so closely with George for all of those many years — 24 years in our for-profit businesses — he said to me, ‘Well, why don’t you take that ball and run with it?'”
Young said that because of Delaplaine’s trust in her, she had the autonomy to set up the infrastructure and organization of the private foundation.
Delaplaine, the foundation’s chairman, could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
In a news release announcing Young’s retirement, he said her leadership has made the foundation “a true jewel of Frederick County.”
“Her tireless leadership has resulted in the Foundation’s growth and enormous philanthropic outreach, which have far surpassed our wildest expectations,” Delaplaine said.
Since the foundation was created, it has awarded more than 2,300 grants — totaling over $30 million — to more than 300 nonprofit organizations, according to Young.
In 2020, after former Gov. Larry Hogan ordered all non-essential businesses to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Young oversaw the foundation awarding 70 emergency grants in four months to sustain local nonprofits, according to the news release.
One achievement she’s the most proud of is establishing the foundation’s operational structure and governance.
She’s also proud of relationships the foundation established with residents and local organizations, so the community is truly connected with the foundation.
Young spoke about the foundation’s partnership with the software company Foundant Technologies, which has automated the foundation’s grant application process and allows the foundation to chart performance metrics.
She said the Delaplaine Foundation was the first organization in Frederick County to partner with this company. Other local foundations have also partnered with it since then.
“As a result of that, we have the ability through that software to track total community grant making so that we can identify where we have met community needs and also identify any gaps in funding,” she said.
Young is also proud of establishing the foundation’s Community Advisory Council, which is made up of experts in each of the foundation’s six focus areas.
Because of this council, she said, the Board of Trustees is better informed to make its funding decisions and has led to the foundation helping with some projects it may not have awarded otherwise.
Passion and action
David Gurzick, professor of management science and chair of the George B. Delaplaine Jr. School of Business at Hood College, described Young as a catalyst.
She’s not only starts something and infuses it with passion, but also backs up her goals and intentions with action, he said.
Gurzick is the director of Hood College’s Michael S. and Marlene B. Grossnickle Young Data Driven Frederick Center, a data analytics center where students can conduct research and work with data as part of their coursework.
Gurzick said he came to work with Young through the creation of the Delaplaine Business School and Data Driven Frederick.
He said Young is a pillar of the community in Frederick and has an ability to motivate people to be involved, but also clearly communicate the direction she wants to pursue.
When he has met with Young about creating Data Driven Frederick, he’d frantically jot notes, trying to get down every word she said because they all felt important.
“So much of the creation of the center was really around Marlene making these tremendous connections to people that were instrumental in kind of framing the initial data sets that we were using, and putting us into connection with other movers and shakers,” Gurzick said.
“… In any conversation, you can just tell she loves Frederick, and she loves the ability to support people in making an impact.”
Passing the torch
Young said she’s looking forward to spending more time with her husband, children and grandchildren once she retires. She decided to retire now because it feels like the right time to pass her torch.
At the beginning of 2024, she said, the Board of Trustees met to talk about its succession plan and how to have a smooth transition.
She said she wants the foundation to prepare for the future and have new leadership come in and build off the organization’s existing work and structure to take it “to even greater heights.”
She said she’s glad she’ll still be serving on the Board of Trustees because she’ll be able to support that new leadership and continue being part of the Delaplaine Foundation’s future.
“I’m really excited for what is to come,” Young said.
Marlene Young to Retire Next Year as Delaplaine Foundation’s President and CEO
Marlene B. Young, president and chief executive officer of Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., will retire from her daily officiating roles on June 30, 2025. Young will however continue to serve as president of the Delaplaine Foundation Board of Trustees.
Young, associated with the Delaplaine family’s previous for-profit media businesses since 1974, had a primary role in assisting the Delaplaine family in establishing the operational infrastructure of its family foundation in 2001. Since then, the Foundation has awarded grants in excess of $30M, primarily in support of local non-profit organizations with additional impact in the region and beyond.
“It has been one of the greatest privileges and honors of my life to lead Delaplaine Foundation in the forward-thinking tradition of service to community of Chairman George Delaplaine, along with my dedicated fellow Board members, and devoted staff. What a joy and honor to have served throughout this remarkable journey during which we have been able to make a positive difference in the lives of the communities we have supported through grant funding. It’s been truly inspiring to build empowering relationships with the leadership and volunteers of our nonprofit impact partners. I’ve seen firsthand that there is no group of individuals more committed to respecting the dignity of our most vulnerable citizens than our partner nonprofits. I couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved together by compassion in philanthropic action through our mission at Delaplaine Foundation and likewise, I’m very proud of the infrastructure and strategic planning that has been put in place from which the next chapter of the Foundation’s impact can be further expanded as the Foundation moves forward under new leadership. I look forward to supporting that advancement from a continued role as Board President,” said Young.
During Young’s tenure, she instituted the Foundation’s initiative of on-site nonprofit grantee visits, allowing her to see first-hand the work of the organization, gauge the impact of the return on investment of grant dollars, and learn of additional needs the nonprofit might have.
In 2010, Young contracted with Daren Nordhagen, a founder of Foundant Technologies to develop its online foundation-based grants management software, used to fully automate Delaplaine Foundation’s grant application process, which serves its nonprofit applicants and provides the Foundation with the ability to chart informative performance metrics. Other local foundations have since employed use of the software, allowing the collaboration of funders to track, share and publicly report total philanthropic grantmaking data and identify any gaps in funding.
In 2018 she led the organization in obtaining a Platinum Level Transparency rating from GuideStar/Candid, the ultimate national certification of transparency for nonprofit organizations and foundations.
When Gov. Larry Hogan ordered all non-essential businesses closed due to the pandemic in 2020, she oversaw Delaplaine Foundation’s awarding of 70 emergency grants in a four-month period to sustain local nonprofit organizations that were supporting public need.
In 2022, in response to Frederick County’s expanding population and diversity, she advocated for the creation of a Community Advisory Council, comprised of local leaders with expertise in each of the six areas of focus of the Foundation’s mission, representative of a wide range of constituents, who help inform the Foundation Board of emerging needs in the community.
“Marlene has been at the helm of Delaplaine Foundation since its inception,” said George Delaplaine, Chairman of the Board and son, Ted Delaplaine, Board Vice President. “Her impassioned and visionary leadership has made Delaplaine Foundation a true jewel of Frederick County. Her tireless leadership has resulted in the Foundation’s growth and enormous philanthropic outreach, which have far surpassed our wildest expectations.”
Prior to the role at the Foundation, Young served as Vice President Administration for Great Southern Ptg. & Mfg. Co., the parent company of the newspaper and cable companies, which included the time of their sale in 2001, leading to the establishment of Delaplaine Foundation.
Recognized as a community catalyst, collaborator, influencer and philanthropic change agent, she is the recipient of innumerable local and statewide honors for service and leadership. Young has served on many board and committees, including the Hood College Board of Trustees (8 years) and co-chair of its $74.6M Forging The Future Capital Campaign committee; charter member and chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County grants committee (2 years); served on the advisory committee of the Community Foundation of Frederick County’s Human Needs Assessment; collaborator and benefactor of the Hood College Michael S. and Marlene B. Grossnickle Young Data Driven Frederick Center; and co-chair of the investiture ceremony for Frederick Community College President Dr. Annesa Payne Cheek.
Delaplaine Foundation awards record amount in grants
The Delaplaine Foundation has awarded $2.95 million in grants in the 2024-25 cycle, its highest total in one grant cycle since the foundation began in 2001.
The money is going to 175 nonprofit organizations.
Marlene B. Young, the president of the foundation, said in a press release that 90% of the money is going to nonprofit organizations that are either based in Frederick County or whose programs and services help county residents.
The grant total of $2,950,400 falls into six categories:
- $1,206,000 for human services
- $578,700 for arts and culture
- $381,500 for historic preservation
- $359,000 for education
- $252,700 for health
- $172,500 for spiritual enlightenment
“In our ongoing commitment to advance our mission, increasingly, our philanthropy is impacted and guided by community assessments and related data that identify the most pressing needs such as data from the 2024 ALICE Report released by the United Way reporting that 32% of families in Frederick County cannot afford basic needs including housing, transportation, childcare, food and healthcare,” Young said. “Data from the most recent Community Needs Assessment and Community Health Assessment and Frederick funders Shared Philanthropic Data & Gaps analysis report that is housed at the Data Driven Frederick Center at Hood College also impacts funding decisions.”
The foundation has an advisory council that helps with the grant decisions.
Applications for the 2025 grant cycle will be accepted until Oct. 1. More information is posted at https://delaplainefoundation.org/apply-for-funding/.
Delaplaine Foundation Awards $2.7M to Nonprofits in 2023
Delaplaine Foundation partnered with 165 non-profit organizations, awarding 181 grants totaling $2,712,700 during its 2023 grant cycle. The majority of the grant awards were made to local Frederick County organizations. “The fact that 88% of that total has poured back into Frederick County in support of our nonprofit organizational partners underscores our commitment to the enrichment of local communities, families, and quality of life,” said Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene Young. “The grant funding reflects the diversity and complexity of community needs and the progress in addressing them within our six areas of focus–arts and culture, educational advancement, health, human services, historical preservation, and spiritual enlightenment–that support our overarching mission,” said Young. Some 36% of the grants were awarded to human services, which included support of homeless youth, domestic abuse survivors, as well as groceries and meals provided to low-income citizens. Another 17% of the total amount supported cultural arts organizations such as museums, theaters, and orchestras. The balance of the awards were made in the fields of education (15%), health (15%), historical preservation (15%), and spiritual enlightenment (2%).
The grant awards, announced December 1, 2023, were made to nonprofit organizations of varying sizes as well as to long-established and newly founded nonprofits. First time grants were awarded to 28 organizations. Second time grants were awarded to Love for Lochlin, which provides flu vaccinations and promotes flu and sepsis awareness education free of charge to anyone. The $35,000 Delaplaine Foundation grant pays for a 5-year pilot program that underwrites the salary of a Registered Nurse to oversee and instruct Hood, FCC, and Mount St. Mary’s nursing students, allowing them to assist on the L4L team by administering vaccinations to people who attend one of L4L’s remote clinics held throughout Frederick County each year. The Delaplaine grant supports the L4L mission and the community but also the education of college students entering the field of nursing.
“Working for Love for Lochlin has sharpened my clinical skills and deepened my understanding of our diverse community,” says Meghan Page, a Hood College nursing student. During the 200+ clinics L4L hosted in 2023 in which they administered 3,285 vaccines, the nursing students and staff triaged two patients who were unknowingly experiencing heart attacks and were rushed to the hospital. “Through this partnership, Hood College nursing students are receiving valuable experiential training under licensed nursing professionals while gaining real-world experience with patients. This underscores Delaplaine Foundation’s commitment in three sectors of our giving: health, education, and human services,” said Young.
A multi-year installment grant was awarded to African American Resources, Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH) for the continuing development of interpretive exhibits in its forthcoming Heritage Center museum, research and cultural facility, scheduled to open in 2025. According to Young, the Board of Directors received a record number of grant applications this year. “The Board is actively engaged in the extensive vetting process along with the members of our Community Advisory Council who provide additional valuable information in assisting our decision making” Applications for the 2024 grant cycle will be accepted until October 1.
To make application or learn more about the Foundation, visit, www.delaplainefoundation.org
Delaplaine Awards $2.1M to nonprofits in 2022
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. Celebrates Frederick County's 275th Anniversary
[The Frederick News-Post] Delaplaine Foundation chooses Community Advisory Council members
The Delaplaine Foundation has announced the members of its Community Advisory Council, made up of six volunteer community members who will be a resource for the foundation’s board of trustees.
Community Advisory Council members will each represent one of the Delaplaine Foundation’s six areas of focus — the arts and culture, educational advancement, health, human services, historical preservation and spiritual enlightenment, according to a press release.
“These folks will serve as added voices that reflect more of our diverse community,” Marlene Young, president of the Delaplaine Foundation, said in a phone interview on Thursday.
She said the council members will be “extra eyes and ears of the community,” and will represent “every aspect of the community.”
Since 2001, the Delaplaine Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants to more than 300 nonprofit organizations, Young wrote in an op-ed for the News-Post in May.
The deadline for the foundation’s next grant cycle, which is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and 509(a) tax-exempt public institutions, is Oct. 1.
The Delaplaine Foundation established the Community Advisory Council in response to Frederick County’s growing economic and demographic diversity, socioeconomic inequities the pandemic accentuated and an increasing number of grant applications the foundation has received.
“As the foundation’s assets and the number of annual grant applications have grown, so, too, has the examination of our stewardship,” Young wrote in May.
The council will be a source of specialized knowledge, experience and insight for the board of trustees, the press release states.
The foundation received 25 nominations for the council, Young said.
Nominees to the board were required to live or work in Frederick County, and they could not be employed by, or have served on, the board of any nonprofit organization that has received grant funding from the Delaplaine Foundation.
Community Advisory Council members will serve two-year terms and are expected to attend two to four meetings per year. The six members are:
- Catherine Moreland, who recently retired as CEO of The Delaplaine Arts Center, where she worked for 26 years, will represent the cultural arts community.
- Alyce Luck, who has more than 30 years of experience working for Frederick County Public Schools, will represent the education community.
- Jacqueline Dougé, a public health expert practicing pediatric medicine and previously a deputy health officer for the Frederick County Health Department, will represent the health community.
- Denis Superczynski, a principal planner for the Frederick County government and the planning manager and co-author of The Livable Frederick Master Plan, will represent the historic preservation community.
- Irene Packer-Halsey, who has represented the Latino community in connection with the Police Activities League, the Frederick County Community College Diversity Council and the Mental Health Association of Frederick County, will represent the human services community.
- Lorenzo York, who for 29 years was a chaplain in the U.S. Navy and is the co-founder and CEO of the Empowering Community Leaders Network, which fosters leadership development for middle school girls, will represent the spiritual enlightenment community.
Blair Wilson, program manager for the Delaplaine Foundation, will serve as chair of the Community Advisory Council.
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. Announced the Awarding of $2,301,300 in Grant Funding to 149 Nonprofit Organizations for its 2021 Grant Cycle
Religious Coalition Executive Director Nick Brown accepts grant check from Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene Young at Family Emergency Shelter
Frederick, MD – Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. announced the awarding of $2,301,300 in grant funding to 149 nonprofit organizations for its 2021 grant cycle. “In this our 20th year of operations, we vetted approximately 200 grant applications. The Foundation Board of Trustees remains steadfast in our commitment to fund primarily organizations that beneficially impact Frederick County where we are based. We’re proud to say that 86% of this year’s grant dollars are in support of nonprofits based in Frederick County,” said Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene B. Young. The Foundation continues to focus on funding primarily of programs, projects and services in the areas of the arts, education, health, human services, historic preservation and spiritual enlightenment. George B. Delaplaine, Jr., Chairman of Delaplaine Foundation stated, “We are pleased to continue to support nonprofit organizations that enrich families and communities. We see giving as a privilege we take seriously in the important work of philanthropy.”
While eighty-one (81) Frederick County non-profit organizations received Delaplaine Foundation grants for the 2021 cycle representing 86% of total grant dollars awarded, the remaining 14% of grant dollars went to nonprofits outside of Frederick County.
Frederick County non-profit organizations who received grant funding from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. in 2021 include Advocates for Homeless Families, Inc., African-American Resources Cultural Heritage Society(AARCH), American Red Cross serving Frederick County, Asbury United Methodist Church, Asian American Center of Frederick, The Arc of Frederick County, Asbury U. M. Church, Blessings in a Backpack, Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County, Calvary United Methodist Church, Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc., Centro Hispano de Frederick, Children of Incarcerated Parents, Choral Arts Society of Frederick, City Youth Matrix, The Community Foundation of Frederick County, Crossed Bridges, Inc. Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, Distinguished Young Women of Maryland, Downtown Frederick Partnership, Empowered to Live, Inc., Endangered Species Theatre, Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, Faith House, Federated Charities of Frederick, Foxie G Foundation, Inc., Frederick Arts Council, Frederick Children’s Chorus, Frederick Chorale, Frederick Community College Foundation, Frederick Co. Fire & Rescue Museum, Frederick County Humane Society, Frederick Health Hospital, Frederick Rescue Mission, Free Range Humans, Friends Meeting School, Global Z Recording Project, Grace Church, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, Heartly House, Heritage Frederick, Historic Rocky Springs Chapel, Inc., Hood College, Hospice Health of Frederick County, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Housing Frederick, I Believe in Me, Inc., Interfaith Housing Alliance, Life Horse, Inc., L’Arche Frederick, MD, Literacy Council of Frederick County, Love for Lochlin Foundation, Inc., Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Maryland Wind Music, Inc., Mental Health Association of Frederick County, Mission of Mercy, Mount Olivet Cemetery Preservation and Enhancement Fund, Mount St. Mary’s University, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Other Voices, Partners In Care, Phenomenology (for Academy of Fine Arts), Phoenix Foundation of MD, Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs, Sabillasville Environmental School, Inc., Salvation Army, Second Chances Garage, Seton Center, Sleep In Heavenly Peace, Inc., Sophie & Madigan’s Playground, Spanish Speaking Community of MD, St. Thomas More Academy, STEM Enable, Inc., Saint Katharine Drexell Church, S.O.A.R, Thurmont Historical Society, Transformative Arts Project, Inc., United Way of Frederick County, Weinberg Center for the Arts, Woman-To-Woman Mentoring, and the YMCA of Frederick County. Included again this year was the “Bettie Delaplaine Discretionary Memorial Grant” awarded to Downtown Frederick Partnership for the Holiday Lights project.
Delaplaine Foundation accepts applications year-round with an annual deadline of October 1st for each grant cycle. For additional information, to submit a grant application, or to see a full list of organizations who have received funding from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., click here.
DELAPLAINE FOUNDATION GRANTS EXCEED $2.5 MILLION IN 2020
Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene Young, AARCH Society President David Key, Delaplaine Foundation Chair George Delaplaine, Jr. at the presentation of an $80,000 grant award for the design of exhibits, interpretive media and engineering for the African-American Heritage Center in downtown Frederick.
Frederick, MD – The year 2020 led to new funding heights for Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. according to Foundation President Marlene B. Young. “Between emergency relief grants that we were compelled to make in response to the local impact of COVID-19 in addition to grants made during our annual grant cycle, we awarded a record 215 grants totaling $2,534,000.
Of that amount, 86% of the total grant dollars remained within Frederick County. Our emergency relief grants enabled us to assist area individuals and families in need so that they were not alone in the health crisis and by joining forces and resources with other local philanthropic funders in shared purpose, we could help transform problems into opportunities to bring hope in times of great need”, said Foundation President Marlene Young.
George B. Delaplaine, Jr., Chairman of Delaplaine Foundation stated “In reflection on our Foundation’s grantmaking, especially in this year of the health crisis, I’m reminded of my Grandfather who brought aid to those in need during the severe blizzard of 1895. Although his selfless efforts resulted in him contracting pneumonia that led to his death at age 35, his actions for others in their time of need is a guiding philosophy and example for all of us and to present and future generations alike.”, Mr. Delaplaine said.
Among the grants awarded during the 2020 grant cycle included an $80,000 grant to The AARCH (African-American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society of Frederick. Delaplaine Foundation was pleased to make this award as part of its focus on historic preservation. AARCH President David Key stated “The AARCH Society of Frederick is very excited and grateful for the generous grant provided by Delaplaine Foundation. It is truly an honor to serve as president of AARCH and to be a small part of bringing Mr. William O. Lee’s dream of an African American Heritage Center to a reality. What a tribute to his vision and dedication to the community.”
While eighty-two (82) Frederick County non-profit organizations received Delaplaine Foundation grants in 2020 representing 86% of total grant dollars awarded, the remaining 14% of grant dollars went to nonprofits outside of Frederick County, although according to Young, “In some cases, the programs and services funded to organizations outside of Frederick County provide a direct benefit to Frederick County such as the Maryland Academy of Science/Maryland Science Center and the National Aquarium, both located in Baltimore, but Delaplaine Foundation grant dollars provide for free admission for Frederick County students and their teachers to experience these educational facilities.” These are just two examples.
Frederick County non-profit organizations who received grant funding from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. in 2020 during its emergency relief funding or annual grant cycle include Advocates for Homeless Families, Inc., African-American Resources Cultural Heritage Society(AARCH), Asian American Center of Frederick, The Arc of Frederick County, Asbury U. M. Church, Blessings in a Backpack, Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County, Brunswick Safe & Sane, Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue, Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc., Catoctin Mountain Wildlife Preserve/Global Wildlife Trust, Centro Hispano de Frederick, Children of Incarcerated Parents, Choral Arts Society of Frederick, City Youth Matrix, The Community Foundation of Frederick County, Crossed Bridges, Inc. Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, Downtown Frederick Partnership, Endangered Species Theatre, Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, Faith House, Family Law Community Organization, Federated Charities of Frederick, Foxie G Foundation, Inc., Frederick Area Ostomy Support, Frederick Arts Council, Frederick Catoctones, Frederick Children’s Chorus, Frederick Chorale, Frederick Community College Foundation, Frederick Co. Fire & Rescue Museum, Frederick County Humane Society, Frederick County Landmarks Foundation, Frederick Health Hospital, Frederick Rescue Mission, Free Range Humans, Friends Meeting School, Global Z Recording Project, Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley, Grace Church, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, Heartly House, Heritage Frederick, Historic Rocky Springs Chapel, Inc., Hood College, Hospice Health of Frederick County, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Housing Frederick, I Believe in Me, Inc., Interfaith Housing Alliance, Life Horse, Inc., Literacy Council of Frederick County, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Mental Health Association of Frederick County, Mission of Mercy, Mother Seton School, Mount St. Mary’s University, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, National Road Heritage Foundation, National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Other Voices, Partners In Care, Phoenix Foundation of MD, Rainbow of Love Recovery Foundation, Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs, Salvation Army, Second Chances Garage, Seton Center, Spanish Speaking Community of MD, Saint Katharine Drexell Church, S.O.A.R., St. John’s Catholic Prep, St. John’s Regional Catholic School, STEM Enable, Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP), The Claggett Center, The Ranch, United Way of Frederick County, Weinberg Center for the Arts, Woman-To-Woman Mentoring, and the YMCA of Frederick County. Included again this year was the “Bettie Delaplaine Discretionary Memorial Grant” awarded to Downtown Frederick Partnership for the Holiday Lights project.
Delaplaine Foundation accepts applications year-round with an annual deadline of October 1st for each grant cycle. For additional information, to submit a grant application, or to see a full list of organizations who have received funding from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., click here.
SAINT JOHN’S CATHOLIC PREP HONORS MARLENE YOUNG, PRESIDENT OF DELAPLAINE FOUNDATION, Inc. AS PRESIDENTIAL HONOREE
Frederick, Md (November 13, 2020) – Saint John’s Catholic Prep High School (SJCP) Dr. Thomas H. Powell honored Marlene Young, President of Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., as a recipient of the 2020 Presidential Medal Honoree in a private ceremony at the Delaplaine Arts Center on Friday, November 13, 2020. “We had originally planned to honor Marlene at Saint John’s Catholic Prep’s 187th Commencement Ceremony, which was postponed and finally celebrated at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on the morning of Saturday, June 20, 2020. Due to COVID-19 there were limited attendees, so we decided we needed to go to Marlene in order to properly honor her. Honoring Marlene is a long overdue for her outstanding work in our community; this is a very well-deserved honor.” shared Dr. Thomas Powell
Dr. Powell, Chairman of the SJCP Board of Trustees, Jim Plamondon, board members and staff of Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., Marlene’s husband Mike, and friends gathered for the ceremony in her honor. Dr. Powell shared, “When I think of Marlene, I am reminded of a quote of one of my heroes, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, ‘Example is not the main thing in life…it is the only thing in life.’ Marlene Young is an inspirational example for our students and our entire community. She has made a significant difference in so many lives, and her leadership has improved our community and our Nation. May we all be inspired by her commitment to serve and tonight we celebrate all that she has accomplished.”
Welcome Blair Wilson
Blair Wilson has joined the staff of Delaplaine Foundation in the role of Technology/Program Associate. She will oversee database operations and general support of the Foundation. A native of Texas, Blair obtained her BS from Texas A&M University and has an extensive background in database management. A local volunteer and self-described “Frederick enthusiast”, Blair and her husband live in downtown Frederick.
The Delaplaine Foundation Receives the Highest Award from the FCC Foundation
Frederick, Md. — The Frederick Community College Foundation, Inc. has named the Delaplaine Foundation, Chairman George Delaplaine, Jr., and President Marlene Young recipients of the 2020 Eagle Award.
The Eagle Award is the highest award given by the FCC Foundation and is awarded annually to a donor or donors whose generous gifts reflect their commitment to the College, to its students, and to the Foundation.
“Frederick Community College is fortunate to benefit from the generosity of the Delaplaine Foundation,” FCC President Elizabeth Burmaster said. “George and Marlene have positively impacted our College in many ways and have helped our students reach their academic and career goals. We thank them for supporting public higher education, and we thank them for all they do for our entire community.”
Through their work on behalf of the Delaplaine Foundation, George Delaplaine and Marlene Young support a wide variety of organizations that provide critical assistance. Just last year, the Delaplaine Foundation awarded 136 grants totaling $1.9 million. Since its inception in 2001, it has awarded $18 million in grant funding, much of which has gone to local non-profits, including FCC.
The Delaplaine Foundation has contributed more than $250,000 to FCC programs and funds. Through their contributions, they have supported the Student Success Fund, Parents Lead, the Allied Health Academy, the Building Trades program, Veteran services, Music education programs, and more.
“The Delaplaine Foundation has been a philanthropic leader in our community and region for nearly 20 years,” said Deborah Powell, Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Advancement the FCC Foundation, Inc. “Their work has enriched the lives of countless individuals, including many of our students, and has strengthened our community in ways that will have a lasting impact. We are honored to present them with the 2020 Eagle Award to signify our gratitude.”
For more information about the FCC Foundation, click here.
About the Frederick Community College Foundation, Inc.
The Frederick Community College Foundation, Inc. is a philanthropic network of advocates enriching the vitality and quality of life in our community by promoting access to higher education. In partnership with individuals, organizations, and businesses, the mission of the Frederick Community College Foundation is to remove barriers to a community college education and provide financial support so all students can succeed and positively contribute to our community.
A Legacy of Compassion in Action
The Delaplaine Foundations President, Marlene Young, had an editorial published in the Frederick News Post this weekend. Click below to go to their website and read the full article.
Today we are running a race none of us would ever have imagined or chosen. One where the finish line is desperately hoped for but can’t yet be seen. We’re in a race we didn’t train for or expect. It’s surreal and seismic. The speed and scope of the novel coronavirus crisis has posed extraordinary challenges and disruption globally, nationally, statewide and in our own communities …
To our Community, Grantees, Applicants, Associates:
In consideration of the current public health crisis and following directives from Governor Hogan, the CDC and Frederick County Health Dept., effective Monday, March 23rd, the offices of Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. and Great Southern Enterprises, Inc. will be closed to walk-in traffic until further notice as we do our part to try to contain, mitigate and prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
We will however, welcome your continued contact during this time Monday-Friday during regular business hours by telephone at 301.662.2753 or by email atinfo@delaplainefoundation.org. We will be available to respond and assist you during this unprecedented time and circumstances. Thank you for your understanding.
We especially thank those who are working hard on the frontlines of healthcare and first responder roles during this time and encourage all to take seriously the practice of preventative measures, including social distancing. We will re-evaluate the situation as it develops.
In the meantime, we wish good health and well-being for all.
New Public Arts Project Funded
Delaplaine Foundation has a broad mission and multiple areas of focus, including as a staunch supporter of the arts. That’s why from the very first mention of this exciting public arts project to immortalize Frederick’s own Claire McCardell who revolutionized the world of fashion to national and international acclaim, we were excited to be part of the project that is spearheaded by The Frederick Art Club. Chairman George B. Delaplaine Jr. and President Marlene B. Young recently met with Frederick Art Club President Marilyn Bagel, club member Carolyn Greiner and acclaimed sculptor Sarah Hempel Irani in recognition of grant funding support of the project.
Delaplaine Foundation Awards $1.9 Million in 2019 Grant Cycle
The year 2019 saw Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. award $1,900,000 in grant funding according to Foundation President Marlene B. Young. “This year our Foundation Board approved 136 grants in December, 2019 with 80% of the grant dollars awarded for support of the programs and services of 63 different Frederick County based non-profit organizations. Delaplaine Foundation applies strategic focus in grant award decisions and what we believe will yield a positive impact that will enrich Frederick County communities, families and overall quality of life. We are ever mindful of our role as a major philanthropic partner in the community and are pleased when we are able to collaborate with other community funders to strengthen outcomes, said Young. She noted that the foundation has awarded approximately $18 million dollars in grant funding since its inception in 2001 and this year, funded 19 first time grant applicants, 12 of which are Frederick County based organizations.
George B. Delaplaine, Jr., Chairman of Delaplaine Foundation stated “These grant awards support the many and diverse organizations that are meeting needs within our communities as we fund programs and services that support human needs, advance arts and education, preserve our rich County history and promote spiritual enlightenment. We continue to be committed to the public trust in our mission and devotion to community enrichment and impacting social justice”, Mr. Delaplaine said.
Among the 63 Frederick County non-profit organizations to receive grant funding from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. are Advocates for Homeless Families, Inc., Advocates for the Aging of Frederick County, Asian American Center of Frederick, Blessings in a Backpack, Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County, Calvary U.M. Church Concert Series, Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc., Centro Hispano de Frederick, City Youth Matrix, The Community Foundation of Frederick County, Crossed Bridges, Inc. Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, Downtown Frederick Partnership, Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, Faithpoint UMC, Faith House, Family Law Community Organization, Foxie G Foundation, Inc., Frederick Area Ostomy Support, Frederick Arts Council, Frederick Catoctones, Frederick Children’s Chorus, Frederick Chorale, Frederick Community College Foundation, Frederick Fire & Rescue Museum, Frederick County Humane Society, Frederick Health Hospital, Frederick Rescue Mission, Friends Meeting School, Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, Heartly House, Heritage Frederick, Hood College, Hospice Health of Frederick County, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Housing Frederick, I Believe in Me, Inc., Interfaith Housing Alliance, L-Arche Frederick, Md., Inc., Life Horse, Inc., Literacy Council of Frederick County, Mental Health Association of Frederick County, Mission of Mercy, Mount St. Mary’s University, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, National Fire Heritage Center, New Spire Stages, Partners In Care, Phoenix Foundation of MD, Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs, Salvation Army, Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, Seton Center, Spanish Speaking Community of MD, Saint Katharine Drexell Church, STEM Enable, Tree-Land Foundation, United Way of Frederick County, Weinberg Center for the Arts, William F. Moran Museum & Foundation, Woman-To-Woman Mentoring, and the YMCA of Frederick County. Included again this year was the “Bettie Delaplaine Discretionary Memorial Grant” awarded to Downtown Frederick Partnership for the Holiday Lights project.
Delaplaine Foundation accepts applications year-round with an annual deadline of October 1<sup>st</sup> for each grant cycle.
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. proudly represents in China!
Thanks to Asian American Center of Frederick‘s Executive Director Elizabeth Chung who recently attended the 5th Annual Conference of Global K-12 Education Research Association (which includes 119 schools from 16 countries including China and the U.S.) held in Shijiazhuang, China, students heard about the Across Ages Program that Delaplaine Foundation supports through grant funding at the Asian American Center of Frederick – a mentoring program to enrich educational advancement.
Thank you, Elizabeth for sharing on the world stage the news of educational and human services good works being done in partnership with the Asian American Center of Frederick and Delaplaine Foundation!
Groundbreaking of the Platoon Veteran Services Center at Goodwill
It was a red letter day in Frederick recently for Frederick County with the groundbreaking of the Platoon Veteran Services Center at Goodwill. Congratulations to Goodwill of Monocacy Valley CEO and veteran Michael Meyer and Platoon 22 Co-founders Danny Farrar, also a veteran and Jennifer Farrar, who have taken this community vision to a soon-to-be reality with the assistance and support of so many. An honor for Delaplaine Foundation Chairman and veteran George B. Delaplaine, Jr. and Foundation President Marlene B. Young to be present at the groundbreaking. Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. is proud to provide grant funding in support of this Veteran Services Center and thanks each and every veteran for their service.
At 92, George Delaplaine Jr.'s full life isn't slowing down
George B. Delaplaine was recently featured in the Frederick News Post. Click below to read the full article.
Right now, George B. Delaplaine Jr. is just a guy.
In this moment, he’s not the brilliant businessman who once sold a cable company for hundreds of millions of dollars. He’s not the author of a recently released memoir, “Read All About It! My Life, Times and Travels.” He’s not the Frederick icon who’s donated so much of his time, money and brainpower to philanthropic efforts aimed at bettering the city he loves. He’s not the former publisher or the former editor of a local newspaper. He’s not the president of a printing and manufacturing company. He’s not the fearless cub reporter or the celebrated Eagle Scout or the unwavering man of faith.
Instead, right now, George B. Delaplaine Jr. is just a guy.
Free Admission Program for Frederick Co. Students
Delaplaine Foundation Treasurer/CFO Phil Hammond, Foundation, President Marlene Young, Maryland Science Center CEO Mark Potter and Ass’t Director of Development Caitlin Ward on the terrace this morning overlooking Baltimore’s Inner Harbor during an enlightening grantee site visit. Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. is proud to underwrite the free admission program for Frederick County Public School students to gain hands-on educational experiences at the at Maryland Science Center. Last year over 3,000 students and their teachers were able to visit and take advantage of enriched learning as a result of Delaplaine Foundation grant funds.
The Life, Times, and Travels of George B. Delaplaine, Jr.
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. has released a newly published memoir on the life, times, and travels of its founder and Chairman George B. Delaplaine, Jr. The book was written with Frederick author and award-winning writer Matthew M. Robb who heads Executive Memory Books.
The book’s foreword was written by Delaplaine Foundation President Marlene Young who notes that the book takes readers on a warm historic trip through 140 years of Delaplaine family history as well as Frederick history during that time.
Mr. Delaplaine shares poignant memories of his upbringing during the Great Depression, his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, his storied newspaper career from apprentice “printer’s devil” to president and publisher of The Frederick News-Post, his pioneering in cable television from the start-up of Frederick Cablevision to its growth into a regional cable powerhouse of GS Communications, operating in four states prior to the sale of the newspaper and cable systems in 2001, and to the present day philanthropic impact of Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. in Frederick County, Maryland and beyond through transformational grant funding.
The book is available for purchase at the following locations:
244 W. Patrick St.
Frederick, MD
40 S. Carroll St.
Frederick, MD
12 N. Market St.
Frederick, MD
24 E. Church St.
Frederick, MD
401 Rosemont Ave
Frederick, MD 21701
16300 Old
Emmitsburg Rd.
Emmitsburg, MD 21727