Charles County Nonprofits Receive Significant Funding Boost from NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants

Two Charles County-based nonprofit organizations, New Hope Community Outreach Services and Upward Thrive Academy, Inc., have been awarded substantial unrestricted grants from the 2025 NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants program. These grants, totaling $75,000 between the two organizations, aim to support vital community services and youth development initiatives in the region.

Key Takeaways

New Hope Community Outreach Services received $25,000, while Upward Thrive Academy, Inc. was awarded $50,000.
The grants are part of a larger $2.5 million distributed by NBCUniversal to nonprofits across 11 U.S. markets.
Since 2018, NBCUniversal has provided over $1.7 million to nonprofits in the D.C. metropolitan area.

NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants Program

The 2025 NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants program has distributed a total of $2.5 million to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving communities within NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ 11 key U.S. markets. This initiative, now in its eighth year, provides crucial unrestricted funding to organizations making a significant difference. To date, the program has awarded $21 million to 615 nonprofits since its inception in 2018.

Local Recipients and Their Impact

New Hope Community Outreach Services, based in Waldorf, provides essential support to individuals and families, including food assistance, housing aid, job training, and senior services. Upward Thrive Academy, Inc., also a Charles County non-profit, focuses on empowering youth through programs in storytelling, journalism, and theater. These programs are designed to foster literacy, confidence, civic engagement, and creative expression, preparing young people for future leadership and academic success.

Other Washington D.C. Area Grantees

In addition to the Charles County recipients, several other organizations in the Washington D.C. area received funding:

Alexandria Tutoring Consortium, Inc. – $20,000: Provides one-on-one reading tutoring to students in Alexandria Public Schools to improve literacy and close achievement gaps.
Our Stomping Ground – $30,000: Creates communities for adults with developmental disabilities through free programming and volunteer-driven events promoting integration and independence.
Rosie Riveters – $40,000: Encourages participation in STEM fields by offering hands-on learning programs that build confidence and problem-solving skills in students.
The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project – $62,272: Works to prevent gun violence through trauma-informed education and youth empowerment, offering emotional wellness, career readiness, and leadership training.

The application window for the 2025 grants, which accepted applications in categories such as youth education and empowerment, next generation storytellers, and community engagement, ran from March 11 to April 11.