2015 ANNUAL REPORT Under One Roof
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2015 ANNUAL REPORT Under One Roof the marion i. & henry j. knott foundation BY THE NUMBERS DEAR FRIENDS As of December 31, 2015 AND COLLEAGUES, “Under One Roof” is the theme of our 2015 annual report. By highlighting organizations serving the ABOUT US $53 million 89% of trustees spiritual, educational, social, and cultural needs in assets as of December 31, 2015 conducted a site visit in 2015 of our community, we paint a picture of how nonprofits are bringing people together under one roof across Maryland. 29 family members 15 years Although we all live under one roof in Baltimore, this year that notion was challenged when we serve on our Board of Trustees is the average tenure of witnessed unrest in the wake of Freddie Gray’s our Trustees death. The many structural inequities facing our city were exposed. As a Catholic family foundation dedicated to this local area for the past 3 full-time 38 years, we continue to look for opportunities to staff members work in our office strengthen Baltimore and promote educational and economic success for all people. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our hometown and optimistic in Baltimore’s potential, awarding on average half of our grants to nonprofits located in the City. ABOUT OUR 3 grant cycles education As we look to the year ahead, we hope and pray are held in February, June, and October is our largest program area GIVING that the roof over the Archdiocese of Baltimore only becomes stronger. Inspired by our founders’ dedication to the Catholic Church, we are reminded of what we say in Mass before receiving approximately 50 $150,000 Holy Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you grants totaling was our largest grant in 2015 should enter under my roof, but only say the word $2 million and my soul shall be healed.” are awarded each year $45,000 May the coming year bring us closer in communion with one another as was our median grant in 2015 we seek healing and renew our faith in what it means to open doors of opportunity for all people. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we thank you for your interest in our mission and for working with us to help build strong families and strong communities “under one roof” in Maryland. ABOUT THE nearly $55 million 3 generations KNOTT FAMILY in grants have been awarded since 1977 serve on our Board of Trustees LEGACY $4.1 million Patrick Rodgers Kelly Medinger in grants have been awarded to President, Board of Trustees Executive Director Catholic schools in the last 5 years EDUCATION ABOUT NDP AND STEAM ENGAGING STUDENTS At Notre Dame Preparatory School The teamwork at NDP goes beyond the Henry and Marion Knott, our (NDP), a Catholic school for girls in students and encompasses the faculty and founders, believed that education was the key to success. They sought grades 6-12 sponsored by the School academic departments as well. Taking an to support both students who Sisters of Notre Dame, students have a interdisciplinary approach, STEAM subjects were excelling academically and multitude of opportunities to interact are incorporated into the humanities students who had limited access to with the worlds of science, technology, (for example, students 3D print the skull opportunity. They believed that hard work combined with access to a engineering, art, and math, or STEAM. of Yorick from Hamlet) and the theatre quality education was the foundation program, where engineering students from which all people could succeed In 2014, the Knott Foundation helped conceptualize and construct set designs for in life. to fund the construction of a new the theatre program. Mr. and Mrs. Knott prioritized STEAM center on campus. The center Catholic education both because is a glass-enclosed space peppered While the STEAM program and center of their personal faith and because with state-of-the-art equipment and at NDP provide the skills, awareness, they valued both the character bustling with activity. “At least once a and confidence for girls to excel in these development it nurtured in students day someone stops in front of the glass subjects, the benefit extends beyond these and the moral stability it provided to the community. And though to see what’s happening,” shares Patrick areas. “What strikes me the most is the joy,” they primarily supported Catholic Cusick, Engineering Teacher. declares Marianne Reichelt, Acting Principal. education, their interests were not “The students in the STEAM center are exclusive. They sought to support Interest in engineering at NDP has always energetic and engaged. It’s the the greater Baltimore community by providing opportunity to motivated skyrocketed in recent years. In classroom where the students are the most students in and outside the 2012, 11 students were enrolled in excited.” Victoria agrees: “The engineering Catholic faith. Introduction to Engineering. Four years class is the reason I decided to come later that number is projected to be to NDP.” When investing in education, Mr. Knott had high standards for schools 54 students in the introductory class and students alike. He supported and an additional 12 in Design/Build schools that were producing Engineering, the more leaders, and that were well-run Notre Dame Prep uses education grant to construct advanced course. institutions. He expected that schools a new center on campus dedicated to science, would be financially sound, have excellent academics, and show FULL STEAM AHEAD technology, engineering, art, and math successful outcomes for students. FOSTERING TEAMWORK His expectation was that students, Yet engineering is not a singular after benefitting from educational opportunity, would emerge as active effort. It is about teamwork, including citizens, ready to give back and understanding and communicating the become leaders in their communities. team’s product and process for getting Two students, Francesca Zink ’16 and Victoria Niller ’16, stand in there. Francesca adds, “Engineering Today, the Marion I. and Henry J. isn’t just math and science. It’s also Knott Foundation continues our founders’ commitment to education a room full of students and talk excitedly about robotics. They people skills. You really need to explain by prioritizing Catholic education. We what you’re doing, and NDP prepares also support special needs schools, explain that last year they teamed up and designed a robot named us well for that.” private colleges and universities, out-of-school-time programs, and Tank the Shark. While it took only three days to design Tank, it took other education-related activities that “Everyone puts their part into the team,” provide opportunity for students and Francesca notes. “I think that’s so cool produce lasting outcomes within the months to construct him, wire him to a control panel, master how to about engineering. You’re not just in Archdiocese of Baltimore. power his movements, and give him a distinctive personality. This your cubicle; you’re bouncing ideas off each other.” year they have teamed up again, and their robot’s movements are automated by a computer program they wrote. (In a show of Maryland pride, he’s a racehorse with a Preakness theme.) 3 CATHOLIC ACTIVITIES LIGHTING THE WAY BUILDING COMMUNITY Each weekend, 3,000 people attend Community building is an integral The Catholic faith and the Catholic Mass at Saint Margaret Parish, a Roman part of the Catholic Church’s mission, Church community were of central importance to our founders – it Catholic community with two locations and the campaign and renovations of was their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Knott in the heart of Bel Air, Maryland. As the Saint Margaret have brought the parish responded to the needs of the largest parish in Harford County – and community together in multiple ways. For clergy both out of gratitude for the one of the largest in the Archdiocese a time, parishioners attended Mass in the compassion their own family had received, and a desire to support the of Baltimore – Saint Margaret serves as school gym, which the Liturgy Committee work of men and women of integrity the center of Catholic spiritual life for transformed into a worship space. People whom they saw serving the needs thousands of families. not only continued to come to Mass at Saint of the broader community. They Margaret throughout the renovations, but supported the development of clergy and lay leaders to strengthen the The pastor, Monsignor Michael many made personal gifts to the campaign. Catholic Church, the reputation of the Schleupner, explains the overall design Catholic Church, and the of the worship space: “When you’re With a new roof and other infrastructure Catholic community. walking from the narthex into the upgrades, Saint Margaret Parish has turned sanctuary, the surrounding stained its attention to enhancing the feeling of Our founders’ devotion to the Catholic faith and support of the glass panels have a water-like effect. It’s fellowship in the interior church. It is this Catholic Church has its roots in family as if you’re walking through the waters strong feeling of communion with God and history. Mr. Knott’s grandmother of baptism, which you need before one another that makes Saint Margaret the died young, and his own mother and entering the church to receive the spiritual home for so many Catholic families aunt were raised and schooled by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. sacrament of the Eucharist.” throughout Harford County. That act of kindness made a huge impression on Mr. Knott and he felt indebted to repay their generosity. RAISING SUPPORT Mr. Knott desired to support the Catholic Church in part because of Replacing the 30-year-old roof of the what the Church had done for his church was the first phase of a larger family, and also because of the role renovation project at Saint Margaret, that faith played in his life.