NOW WE KNOW develops, partners, and invests in neighborhood revitalization initiatives that expand housing choice, increase homeownership, strengthen mixed-income communities, stabilize vulnerable populations, and catalyze long-term economic development throughout Baltimore and other underserved markets.
About
About NOW WE KNOW
An independent Maryland 501(c)(3) public charity advancing an emerging community development platform for Baltimore neighborhoods.
Our Evolution
From education and opportunity to community development.
NOW WE KNOW began with a commitment to education, opportunity, and community empowerment — helping residents build readiness, confidence, and access to resources across Baltimore.
That work revealed a larger truth: the challenges facing Baltimore neighborhoods are interconnected. In response, NOW WE KNOW is evolving into a broader community development platform — building the capacity, partnerships, and portfolio associated with comprehensive community development while remaining grounded in the residents it was founded to serve.
Who We Serve
Residents and communities at the center.
- Residents and families seeking housing stability
- First-time and workforce homebuyers
- Veterans and military families
- Older adults seeking to age in place
- Justice-impacted and welfare-to-work populations
- Residents seeking workforce and economic mobility
- Communities impacted by disinvestment
NOW WE KNOW envisions thriving neighborhoods where residents of different incomes, backgrounds, and life stages choose to live together in safe, attractive communities that promote economic mobility, neighborhood pride, and generational wealth.
Our Approach
Housing + People + Neighborhood.
Neighborhood stabilization requires more than housing. It requires a balanced ecosystem of housing choices, human stability, commercial investment, economic opportunity, quality public spaces, and long-term resident ownership.
Housing
Expanding housing choice through mixed-income development, homeownership pathways, veteran housing strategies, and innovative infill development.
People
Strengthening housing stability through navigation, supportive services, homebuyer preparation, workforce connections, and coordinated community partnerships.
Neighborhood
Rebuilding the physical and economic fabric of communities through strategic land reuse, commercial development, placemaking, partnerships, and neighborhood-scale investment.
Why NOW WE KNOW
Isolated programs cannot solve connected problems.
Housing instability, vacant properties, economic disinvestment, limited homeownership, workforce barriers, health and human-service needs, and neighborhood conditions are interconnected. They cannot be solved through isolated programs working in parallel.
NOW WE KNOW therefore seeks to coordinate real estate, human services, capital, public-private partnerships, and community engagement around neighborhood-scale outcomes. We do not replace the organizations already serving Baltimore communities — we work as a convener, partner, platform, and catalyst alongside them.
- Housing instability
- Vacant properties
- Economic disinvestment
- Limited homeownership
- Workforce barriers
- Health and human-service needs
- Neighborhood conditions
How We Work
A four-step model that keeps work grounded.
1
Listen first
Understand residents, conditions, and partner capacity before recommending a path.
2
Coordinate strategy
Align housing, human services, capital, and land strategy around neighborhood outcomes.
3
Partner to deliver
Work through public, capital, development, and community partners rather than duplicating them.
4
Measure outcomes
Track housing, stability, neighborhood investment, and community wealth results over time.
Leadership
Guided by mission-driven leaders.
Omar McBee
President
Leading NOW WE KNOW's work to connect people, capital, partnerships, and development opportunities across Baltimore neighborhoods.
Board of Directors
Independent governance
An independent Board provides mission stewardship, fiduciary accountability, and strategic oversight.
Strategic Advisors
Non-voting guidance
Advisors contribute specialized expertise without governing authority and are distinct from voting directors.
Implementation Relationships
Bravo Two LLC.
Independent Development & Implementation Company
Bravo Two LLC
Bravo Two LLC is an independent, for-profit development and implementation company that may provide professional services to NOW WE KNOW on a project-by-project basis under written, arm's-length agreements.
Any related-party engagement is subject to NOW WE KNOW's conflict-of-interest procedures, independent review by non-conflicted Board members, fair-market-value considerations, written scopes of work, and applicable procurement, funding, and regulatory requirements.
Compliance
"NOW WE KNOW is committed to responsible nonprofit governance, transparent operations, measurable impact, and mission-aligned partnerships."