Office and Work Spaces for Nonprofits

Organizations MUST meet the following criteria:

• 501(c)(3) status
• In good standing with the State of Maryland
• 75% of clients served organization-wide* are Anne Arundel County residents

Organizations meeting the following criteria will be prioritized:

• Services address one or more local issues identified in published assessment reports** that focus on health, wellness, or the social determinants of health - OR - the organization offers training, employment, contracting and other economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons
• Small, minority-, and Veteran-led organizations and/or organizations with a connection to the former Crownsville State Hospital that provide the services listed above. Please see the Definition of Terms section for details.

Other considerations (in alphabetical order) include:

• Amount of space being requested
• Diversity among staff / board
• Frequency in office
• Intended use of space
• Interest in collaboration with other nonprofits
• Need for temporary space (e.g. during capital campaign)
• Nonprofits located on the Crownsville property or organizations that serve their clients
• Willingness to participate in an “accelerator” program

* State or national organizations with AACo chapters will be considered after locally-based nonprofits
** Poverty Amidst Plenty, United Way’s ALICE Report, Community Health Needs Assessment, 
or other similar reports
 

The Nonprofit Center offers both furnished and unfurnished offices to give nonprofits the flexibility to create a space that best fits their needs. The limited number of furnished offices are slightly more expensive and will be allocated to smaller organizations first.

Dedicated Private Office
Only one organization is assigned to a dedicated private office, which is accessible via electronic key-card. Private offices range in size from 48 to 255sf. Two small, 2-office suites are also available. Organizations must use the space at least three days each week.

Dedicated Open Space Cubicle
Only one organization is assigned to dedicated cubicles. Spaces range from 35 to 72 square feet with either one or two desks. Organizations located in open spaces are provided access to locking storage cabinets.

Shared Office
Two organizations are assigned one office space and use the space two days each week. Rates are half of a dedicated private office. Organizations are encouraged to apply as a team. 

Shared Open Space Cubicle
Two organizations are assigned one cubicle and use the space two days each week. Access to a locked storage cabinet is also provided. This is the most economical option for small organizations that don’t need space everyday and are not providing direct service.

Hot Desk
A desk available in an open area to organizations on a sporadic basis. A subset of amenities are included.

Bookable Spaces - Resident organizations with office space at the Nonprofit Center will have priority in booking these spaces. External organizations may reserve bookable spaces using a separate form. See the Meeting & Event Spaces page for details.

• Meeting & Training Spaces
  • Private tele-room
  • Small huddle room (2 people)
  • Small meeting room (up to 8 people)
  • Medium meeting/training room (up to 14 people)
• Event Spaces
  • Large room seats up to 85
  • Courtyard
  • Outdoor field (in 2026)
     

Amenities

The Nonprofit Center offers the following amenities for organizations licensed to use office space (Resident Organizations). Amenities may change based on actual use and budget.  The NPC does not provide administrative or human resource services such as payroll, accounting, or legal services.

Amenities listed in alphabetical order:

• Bike rack
• Copy machine
• Custodial services in common areas
• Key-card access to building
• Kitchenette
• Mailing address and mailbox
• Meeting spaces (priority scheduling)
• Outdoor eating area
• Parking (free)
• Recycling program
• Resource library
• Secure shredding
• Storage options (available)
• Utilities and Maintenance
• Video surveillance
• Wellness Room (Lactation is priority)
• Wi-Fi
• Work Environment
  • Collaborate for collective impact
  • Share successes with your colleagues
  • Learn from peers
  • Access frequent learning and networking opportunities
  • Focus on health and wellness of employees

Monthly fees range from $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot to cover utilities, maintenance, and access to the Nonprofit Center’s amenities. Rates are based on an organization's annual operating budget and the type of space being used. For instance, the fee for an open-space cubicle is less than a private office and shared space will be less than one assigned to a single organization. 

Nonprofit Center rates are 40% to 70% lower (per square foot) than Class C buildings and other co-working options in Anne Arundel County, plus we offer more amenities. Similar nonprofit centers in Maryland range from $6.25 to $12.75 per square foot. Because no rooms are the same size and rates are based on the type of space, annual rates vary widely. Please contact the NPC staff to discuss available options and costs.

Rates are subject to change until a formal licensing agreement is signed.  

NOTE: Fees will be waived for up to six-months for organizations that are approved prior to August 1, 2025 and sign the licensing agreement before September 15, 2025. 

Licence Agreement

Organizations sign an one-year licensing agreement with the County after an application has been approved. The License Agreement will be tailored specifically to each Resident Organization based on the amount and types of spaces used. A Resident Organization may apply for renewal 120 days prior to the expiration of the initial and subsequent terms. All Resident Organizations will be required to follow the NPC Facility Regulations and will receive a detailed a policies and procedures manual prior to taking occupancy.

The NPC will review each Resident Organization’s status and capacity-building progress and discuss professional development needs on an annual basis.

Insurance Coverage

All organizations are required to provide evidence of insurance upon execution of the License Agreement. Required coverages will vary based on the type of space being used and for what purposes. Contact the NPC staff if you have questions or need a list of carriers.

• Commercial General Liability Insurance
• Workers Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance
• Business Auto Liability Insurance
• Property Insurance

If you are interested in Office Space:

1. Review the information on this webpage.
    
2. Contact the NPC Executive Director to schedule a tour of the building, ask questions, and discuss specific needs. Tours must be scheduled at least one week in advance. 
    
3. Submit the Application for Office Space at the Nonprofit Center via Google Form. NPC staff will provide a link to the application after the tour and can provide technical assistance if needed.
    
4. Applications are reviewed by committee within 30 days.
    
5. Applicants will be notified of a decision in writing. If approved, the NPC staff will facilitate the licensing agreement process between the organization and Anne Arundel County’s Real Estate Office.

Timeline:

Building Tours Available:  March 2025

Application Available:  April 2025

Application Deadline:  Rolling

Review Begins:  May 2025

Decision Date:  Rolling

Signed Licensing Agreement Due: 30 days after the decision date 

Occupancy Date:  Negotiable
 

When all available workspaces are occupied, the Nonprofit Center will post updated information and create a waiting list.

*Small, minority-, and Veteran-led nonprofits will be prioritized two months after the application becomes available, followed by organizations seeking fewer than 4 workspaces. After two months, all organizations and larger workspace requests will be considered. 
 

Minority-led Organizations:

The Nonprofit Center follows the State of Maryland definition of a minority-led business / organization, which is at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by a minority person(s) as defined by state and federal laws. This includes members of socially or economically disadvantaged minority groups, such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, women, and physically or mentally disabled individuals.

For nonprofits, “owned, managed or controlled by” is defined as:

• at least 51% of the organization’s leadership staff, or
• at least 51% of the board of directors, or
• at least 51% of the leadership and board combined
   

Organization size:

Note: The number of *FTE staff members overlap categories; the and/or for budget allows some flexibility in the definitions.

Paid staff:

Paid staff refers to full-time equivalent (FTE) and can include part-time employees.

Resident Organization:

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that has signed a license agreement with Anne Arundel County to utilize dedicated or shared office space (full- or part-time) at the Nonprofit Center.

Visiting Organization:

An 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that uses the NPC’s space occasionally for events or meetings. These organizations will sign a short-term agreement for use of the space and schedule the space through a separate process. 

Printable Version of Application Questions

Contact the Nonprofit Center to discuss your organization’s needs and tour the facility. A link to the form will be provided following the tour. Please review these items and collect required documentation before starting the application.

General Organization Information

• Organization Name
• Website
• Mailing Address
• Physical Address
• Year 501(c)(3) status granted
• Annual Operating Budget
• # Full-time paid employees; # Part-time paid employees; Total FTE
• # Volunteer FTE
• Organization’s Mission Statement
• # of people served by the organization in the last 12 months
• % of service recipients served in the last 12 months that reside in AACo
• Does your organization identify as minority-led? (Optional)
  • If yes, describe how the organization’s leaders, including staff and board members, identify.
  • What percentage of your organization's leadership (staff and board members) identify as minority?

Authorized Individual

• First Name
• Last Name
• Title
• Email Address
• Phone Number

Contact Information

• First Name
• Last Name
• Title
• Email Address
• Phone Number

Type of Office Space Requested: 
See Description of Work Spaces Accordion above

Expected Use of Space and Percentage of Time for Each Use:
The Nonprofit Center space is best suited for administrative tasks or virtual service delivery.

• *If applicable, describe the organization’s in-person service delivery needs:
• How many desks / work spaces are you requesting at what frequency each week?  Desks can be used by one person or several individuals at different times.
• Our organization needs access to space BEYOND the normal building hours (7AM to 7PM):
• If you answered YES above, describe who needs to be on site after hours, when, and for what purpose.
• Please describe your meeting space needs. Be as specific as possible including type of meeting, frequency, number of attendees, days and times, if possible.
• Are you seeking storage space in addition to work space?  
• Describe storage needs:
• Do you still want work space if storage is not available? 

Organizational Program Information

• Provide a brief history of the organization, mission and services provided.
  List the organization’s current programmatic goals and expected outcomes:
• How does your organization address social determinants of health (specifically those identified in published assessment reports) to improve lives of Anne Arundel County residents?
• How does your organization support under-resourced populations in Anne Arundel County?
• If available, please provide the percentages of your clients served by race, ethnicity, or other minority groups (Veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, etc.).
• Does your organization,  or its programming, have any direct connection to the former Crownsville State Hospital?
• If yes, please describe.

Collaboration, Capacity, and Nonprofit Center Participation

• Does your organization collaborate with other organizations currently?
• If yes, describe the collaboration (including information such as organization names, project goals, length of partnership, etc.)
• Are you willing to serve on the NPC Resident Council to discuss and implement new policies and programming?
• I agree to participate in the NPC’s evaluation process, which will include an annual meeting with NPC staff, surveys, collection of non-identifying service data, metrics related to capacity, and potential interviews/focus groups.  
• The NPC is exploring the potential to offer a two-year formal accelerator/capacity-building program for a cohort of six organizations in 2026. Although specific details are not yet available, the program would include monthly on-site and online training, networking, coaching, and limited technical assistance beyond that offered to all resident organizations. If the program is approved, would you want to be considered for participation?  
• Do you have a strategic plan?     
• Why do you believe your organization would benefit from working at the Nonprofit Center?
• Please add any other information that the Nonprofit Center should know in relation to this application here. 

Documentation

Required Documents: (All documents should be in .pdf format)

• IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter
• Proof of Good Standing
  • Maryland Secretary of State
  • Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
• Current Operating Budget
• Most recent financial statement
• Most recent IRS form 990
• Most recent annual report
• List of Board of Directors
• Strategic Plan (if available)