The Baltimore Civic Fund, formerly known as the Baltimore City Foundation, was established in 1981 by Mayor William Donald Schaefer. It is one of a limited number of mayoral funds in the country.

Baltimore, alongside other cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City, created an intermediary organization that allows city agencies to receive funding from private, philanthropic, and corporate donors. Groundbreaking since its inception, the Civic Fund has retained its original purpose of incorporation – to serve as a fiscal sponsor for the City of Baltimore – as well as having expanded to grantmaking, sponsoring city-wide events, and other capacity building services.