After reviewing a wide variety of applications for the Baltimore Women in Tech microgrant program, SmartLogic decided additional funding was warranted.
Initially, the Canton software development firm was going to provide a total of $5,000. But Chelsea Keene and Paige Bolduc, who organized the microgrant program to empower women in the Baltimore tech community, upped the allotment to $6,000.
The eight selected projects each received grants of between $500 and $1,000. Projects have to be completed by Oct. 31, so we’ll be on the lookout in the coming months. Here’s the full list:
- Tammira Lucas is organizing Moms Who Tech, a full-day workshop to introduce mom entrepreneurs to coding. Lucas is cofounder of Moms as Entrepreneurs and founder of The Cube coworking space.
- Laura Mitchell is creating Rosie’s List, a platform to connect queer women in the Baltimore area who are interested in technology.
- Brittany Young received a grant for B-360, a program that teaches STEAM through dirt bikes, and aims to change perceptions. Read our profile.
- Cadeatra Harvey received support for Baltimore’s Gifted Art & E-Commerce, a platform for youth to sell and showcase original art.
- Kate Fischl is organizing the Wearable Electronics Workshop. It’s born of a partnership between grad students at Johns Hopkins and students at Western High School.
- Kathleen Mazurek is creating Decode Me, a mobile sanctuary and social group for young girls to develop digital solutions to bullying.
- Bridget McGiffin received funding for Internet Intelligence, a program that will inform young mothers about best practices on social media and the internet.
- Lochan Shah and Pooja Yesantharao received support for Girls in Tech Day, a middle school workshop where girls will use design thinking to develop app-based solutions to problems.
The projects were selected by a committee of women from the tech community including Keene, Bolduc, ETC Assistant Director Jacqueline Albright, Ellen Ambrose from Protenus, Valerie Walters of emocha Mobile Health, Claudia Jolin-Freeland of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Ashley Jean of mdlogix.
