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Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation

Affecting Global Change, Locally

The Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation operates as a charitable organization designed to cultivate and reward entrepreneurship, create jobs and expand economic opportunity. Based in Annapolis Maryland, the Ratcliffe Foundation provides funds to institutions to encourage entrepreneurship in non-traditional business fields such as skilled trades, arts & design, and aquaculture & environmental sciences. The Ratcliffe Foundation strives to integrate its programs with the local communities through mentorships and business involvement. 

Dollars Donated...and Counting

Programs Supported...and Growing

Driving Entrepreneurship

For those with the passion & a plan to succeed

Featured Initiatives

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Featured Program

Ferry Cove Project, LLC

We are pleased to announce the opening of Ferry Cove Oyster hatchery. This is one of Maryland’s only private hatcheries focused on producing oyster larvae and seed to support Maryland’s iconic oyster industry.

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Carole Ratcliffe presenting scholarship
Featured Program

Ratcliffe in the Community

​Ratcliffe Charitable Gift Fund provides our community with grants to nonprofit organizations such as OpenWorks, Lighthouse, Station North Tool Library, Pathfinders for Autism, Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s, The Children’s Home Foundation (CHF), and the Tidewater Wooden Boat Workshop.

Our Priorities

We only award grants to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the US.

Our priorities include working with community colleges, universities, and other organizations that support entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation. Within these programs there is an emphasis on cultivating entrepreneurship and growing small businesses in a variety of industries including:

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Skilled Trades

Painting supplies

Arts & Design

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Aquaculture & Environmental Sciences

Types of programs we support:

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Scholarships

Centers for Excellence

Centers for Entrepreneurship

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Seed funds through competition

Our Programs Make A Significant Community Impact

Check Out Our Program Videos

"I love the energy, I love the passion by which the young people have come and decided this is what they want to do with their life."
— Carole Ratcliffe