ABOUT US

Howard EcoWorks looks very different today than it did when it first began. It started with a simple idea, inspired by the pressing needs within the community.

Lori Lilly, Founder and Executive Director, brought with her a background in watershed planning and restoration when she moved to Ellicott City in 2009. Inspired by local nonprofits focused on protecting streams and watersheds, she quickly noticed something was missing: an organization that could lead efforts to mobilize communities around watershed priorities. She began to ask herself, ‘What could be done differently?’

 

Ellicott City and its surrounding areas have been deeply affected by climate change, facing devastating flash floods in 2011, 2016, and 2018. These frequent and destructive events highlight the urgent need to address the growing intensity and frequency of climate-driven disasters.

 

At EcoWorks, we focus on finding solutions to this challenge while also tackling the loss of biodiversity caused by human impact. Through conservation landscaping, tree plantings, and forest maintenance, we aim to address the interconnected crises of climate change. We believe that fostering climate resilience is key to protecting human health, property, and wildlife habits.

 

Lori also recognized another gap in our system: While our younger generation, in both the workforce and student body, is deeply passionate about climate change, there are a few clear pathways to employment in the environmental sector. Breaking into this field can be challenging. Our workforce development programs were created to bridge this gap, providing both opportunities for young people and the labor needed for conservation projects. 

 

The READY program launched in 2012 through a partnership between Howard County Government, People Acting Together in Howard (PATH), and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, with support from the Parks and People Foundation and the University of Maryland Sea Grant. PATH advocated for a green jobs program to address youth unemployment and stormwater management needs, leading the County to fund the Alliance to administer READY with an annual grant.

 

The first few years of the summer program were successful, though they came with their share of challenges. Limited space and resources made it difficult to run the program effectively. However, with additional support and the introduction of maintenance contracts, we were able to expand beyond the summer seasons into the fall.

Through steady support and building trust with Howard County Government and the community, EcoWorks grew closer to the organization we recognize today. In 2016 Howard EcoWorks became incorporated and formed its first board membership.

 

In 2016 our native plant nursery, Seeds of Change was formed. Part of its objective was to grow and provide native plants for our conservation projects. Located behind the Howard County Corrections Department, the nursery also served as a training ground for inmates, offering valuable skills and employment opportunities. The goal was to apply the values and ideas of the READY program for incarcerated people to provide pathways to a better future.

 

By 2017 EcoWorks became fully operational year-round and moved into the Howard County NonProfit Collaborative (NPC) building. This move was a pivotal development for the organization, providing much-needed space for our growing team and aligning us with other established Howard County nonprofits in the area.

 

In 2018, our program UpLift was developed. Developed with similar goals to the READY program, UpLift supports longer work seasons for adults 18 and older, is open to participants beyond just Howard County residents, and supports placement with EcoWorks employer partners. Later, through a partnership with the MD Department of Labor, EcoWorks became the first Green Infrastructure Strategic Industry Partnership, allowing us to partner with industry leaders to implement effective training programs, bridging the gap between workforce and employers. The partnership also enhances our ability to help diversify a predominantly white, male industry.

 

In June of 2019, EcoWorks’ field operations moved to Freetown Farm in Columbia. Prior to this move, we struggled with limited space for tools and materials while using a parking lot on County property, which was to be slated for a new courthouse.  After nearly a year of searching, we found Freetown Farm, owned by the Community Ecology Institute. This property, the last remaining farm in Columbia, had been preserved to promote environmental education and stewardship - making it the perfect fit for EcoWorks. 

 

In 2020 we all faced the global pandemic, which brought challenges that were new for everyone. It was during this time, as grants and donations to the nonprofit community went down and businesses struggled with operations, that EcoWorks significantly enhanced and expanded its fee-for-service revenue generation.  For example, Rent-An-EcCrew services began when a friend of EcoWorks said, “I don’t want to see you crews losing work, can they come help my elderly mom with her yard work and I’ll pay them?” Virtual site consultations were launched, which eventually, post pandemic, became on-site consultations. Navigating the pandemic highlighted the opportunities to support our programs and operations with non-grant funding, but we also proved the vitality of outside green jobs at a time when the world shut down.
 

In 2021 we launched our EcoAmbassador program which was designed to empower local high school students. Serving 8 weeks in the summer, students learn environmental leadership while collaborating on a community project with support from our team. 

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In June 2023 we launched our first annual fundraising event called Soak It Up! It had a tremendous turnout with support from our board members, sponsors, Howard County government officials, and many supporters from the community. You can learn more about Soak It Up here. 

 

Additionally, in 2023 we expanded our organization significantly with additional staff positions, more participants in our programs, and introducing permanent crew positions (Senior Crew) for participants who wanted to continue conservation work with us. 

 

Throughout 2024 Lori worked tirelessly with Howard County Government, state officials, banks, board members, and funders to secure our new home. In September we finally acquired the new property in Glenwood, MD, Holly Hills. It is our vision with this property to centralize our operations, our office staff, and our nursery production while leading in conservation and sustainability initiatives. Learn more about Holly Hills here.

 

We will continue our environmental restoration work, build up the next generation of environmental stewards, and inspire others to care for their community. What started as an idea of identifying a need has grown so much in the past decade. We now face the tremendous task of moving and building our new home, and are grateful that the community will continue to support us.