Innovation Works Baltimore

Some of the most important parts of Baltimore’s economy are often the least recognized. Across neighborhoods, economic activity extends far beyond traditional business models. It includes solo entrepreneurs, creatives, childcare providers, makers, independent service workers, and informal enterprises that sustain households, generate income, and meet community needs every day. Yet many of these individuals remain excluded from formal systems, financing opportunities, and policy conversations despite the critical role they play in neighborhood economic life. At the Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab, “The Hidden Economy: Power, Precarity, and Possibility” will explore how we better understand, support, and engage with the realities of how people actually earn and build income. This breakout session features: • Ashiah Parker, MPA, Executive Director, No Boundaries Coalition • Will Holman, CEO, Open Works • Donte H., Founder & CEO, Another Man’s Trash • Charlie R., Deputy Director, Innovation Team, Executive Office of the Governor Together, the conversation will examine overlooked forms of economic activity, barriers to access and recognition, and what it takes to build systems that reflect lived reality rather than narrow definitions of work and entrepreneurship. 📅 Thursday, May 28, 2026 🕛 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM 📍 University of Baltimore – Welcome Center Part of the Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab 2026: Understanding Neighborhood Economies from the Ground Up. Register in comments.

Who will own Baltimore’s neighborhood businesses over the next decade? Across the country, many longtime business owners are reaching retirement age without clear succession plans in place. In historically Black neighborhoods, this raises bigger questions around ownership, legacy, commercial corridors, and who benefits from the next chapter of neighborhood change. At the Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab, this breakout session will explore what it takes to move from unplanned exits to intentional transitions and what support systems are needed to keep businesses rooted in community. “The Silver Tsunami: Who Will Own Our Neighborhood Businesses?” features: • Nneka Nnamdi, Founder & COO, Fight Blight Bmore • Hank Cunningham, Founder & CEO, Cunningham Consulting Group • Taber J. Small, Vice President, Meridian Management Group • Arnold Farmer II, CPA Farmer, CPA, Senior Manager, Practice Growth and Engagement, SC&H Moderated by Monica M. Mitchell, Chief of Staff and Programs, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. 📅 Thursday, May 28, 2026 🕛 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM 📍 University of Baltimore – Welcome Center Register in comments.

Capital is often framed as a solution. But depending on how systems are structured, it can also extract, exclude, and create barriers that neighborhoods spend years trying to recover from. At the Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab, one of our breakout sessions—The Debt Trap: How Capital Drains Our Communities- will explore how financial systems operate in real-world contexts and the unintended consequences they can create for small businesses, neighborhoods, and community stability. This session brings together perspectives from entrepreneurship, lending, technical assistance, and community investment: • Karida Collins, Neighborhood Fiber Company • Jennifer Smith Funn, Maryland Small Business Development Center • #DavidArriola, National Community Reinvestment Coalition • Mac McComas, Baltimore Social Environmental Collaborative (BSEC), Johns Hopkins University The focus is not only on identifying problems. It is about creating space to better understand how capital functions, examine where current systems fall short, and surface ideas that could lead to more supportive and sustainable pathways forward. This is one of four breakout sessions designed to explore how neighborhood economies actually function beyond assumptions and surface-level conversations. 📍 Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab 🗓 May 28, 2026 📍 University of Baltimore Registration and full session details in the comments. #Baltimore #EconomicDevelopment #CommunityDevelopment #NeighborhoodEconomies #CapitalAccess #SocialImpact

Public safety shapes more than safety. It influences how neighborhoods are experienced, how businesses operate, and where investment flows. It influences how people move, where businesses open, whether investment happens, and how communities experience stability day to day. At the Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab, one of our breakout sessions—Public Safety & Neighborhood Economies—focuses on a key tension: What the data shows. What people experience. And how narratives shape opportunity. This session brings together perspectives across research, philanthropy, city government, and neighborhood engagement: Michael Bader, Johns Hopkins University Tracey Barbour-Gillett, MPA, Abell Foundation Chanel White, J.D., Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement Arnetta B. Shelton , MONSE Meghan McCorkell, Live Baltimore Each offers a different vantage point into how safety is measured, experienced, and acted on, and how that shapes economic activity across neighborhoods. The city has made meaningful progress in public safety. But progress doesn’t always translate into perception, or into how neighborhoods are valued and invested in. This session explores what it takes to close that gap, and what it means to translate progress into sustained neighborhood impact. This is one of four breakout sessions designed to examine how neighborhood economies actually function. — 📍 Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab 🗓 May 28, 2026 📍 University of Baltimore Registration link in the first comment Full session details also in the comments

Today the Innovation Works team had the pleasure of attending the Greater Baltimore Committee All Partner Meeting at Laurel Park. The conversation, hosted by the Maryland Jockey Club, explored horse racing and the equine industry’s role in economic growth, place-based investment, and community revitalization. We also got a behind-the-scenes look with a paddock tour to see the horses ahead of the day’s first race, followed by a Winner’s Circle experience. Always valuable to be in spaces where industry, place, and opportunity come together especially alongside our team. #InnovationWorks #Baltimore #economicdevelopment #GBC

Join us for the 3rd Annual Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab on May 28 at the University of Baltimore. We will host two fireside conversations exploring how economic signals translate into neighborhood realities, from policy and capital to the lived experiences shaping Baltimore’s communities. Alongside the fireside chats, participants will engage in breakout sessions on: • The Hidden Economy • The Debt Trap • Public Safety & Neighborhood Economies • The Silver Tsunami Registration link in the comments. What’s one thing shaping your neighborhood’s economy right now? #Baltimore #NeighborhoodEconomics #EconomicDevelopment #CommunityDevelopment #SocialEntrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #InnovationWorks

We’re proud to announce our 3rd Annual Baltimore Neighborhood Economics Lab. A day centered on real conversations, insightful perspectives, and the people shaping local economies every day. Save the date: May 28, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Registration coming soon. #Baltimore #EconomicDevelopment #CommunityImpact #LocalEconomies #InnovationWorks #BNEL2026

Inside the Work — a storytelling series from Innovation Works. This week, we’re highlighting Quincy Goldsmith, owner of Stem & Vine — a space where plants, science, and cultural expression come together to create something deeper than a storefront. Grounded in artistry and a commitment to community, Stem & Vine brings together locally sourced products from Black- and women-owned makers, creating an environment where people can connect, learn, and experience something unique. Stem & Vine continues to grow as a destination in Baltimore, one that inspires living well through every plant, every pour, and every shared moment. Watch his full story: https://lnkd.in/e8Kk8dPm Video credit: Taevon Bradley of StraightWay Media

The tax deadline passed, but the work is not over for a lot of small business owners. Southwest Partnership is hosting Tax Post-Season, a free workshop facilitated by CASH Campaign of Maryland for sole proprietors, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who still need real answers about self-employment taxes, write-offs, and next steps. Support may be available for up to three years of back taxes including 2025.

Last week, we welcomed the Spring 2026 Boost Cohort at Innovation Works Baltimore Boost is a curriculum based program designed to support enterprises as they strengthen their business models, refine their strategies, and prepare for growth. Throughout the week, this cohort engaged deeply in the work, bringing thoughtful questions, real time challenges, and a willingness to learn from both the content and each other. We want to thank the #speakers, #mentors, and #facilitators who contributed their time and expertise across the curriculum. Your perspective and guidance helped shape a meaningful learning experience. A special thank you to the Innovation Works Baltimore and Ignite Capital team whose dedication and effort made the week possible. To the #cohort, we look forward to continuing the work ahead. #InnovationWorks #BoostCohort #Baltimore #CommunityBuilding #SocialEnterprises