The Forage Center for Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Education is pleased to announce it has received a $2,000 grant from the United Service Foundation (USF) that supported this year’s Coastal Promise Maryland field training exercise, that took place June 27–29, 2025 in Swanton, MD.

The Coastal Promise exercise is the signature program of the Forage Center, providing students and emerging professionals with immersive, scenario-based training in humanitarian assistance and crisis response. This unique, hands-on experience prepares participants to operate effectively and ethically in complex emergency settings.

The grant from the United Service Foundation will help cover logistical costs, supplies, and operational support for the exercise, ensuring a high-impact learning experience for all participants.

The United Service Foundation supports projects that align with its mission to foster community well-being, leadership, and service. Notably, USF does not accept unsolicited grant requests, making this support a particularly meaningful recognition of the Forage Center’s work and impact.

“We are deeply grateful to the United Service Foundation for this generous support,” said David J. Smith, President of the Forage Center. “This grant helps us continue to prepare the next generation of peacebuilders and humanitarian professionals.”

About the Forage Center: The Forage Center for Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Education, Inc. (Forage Center) empowers emerging humanitarians by providing educational opportunities and experiential-based training for students, educators, and professionals working in peacebuilding and humanitarian environments around the world. For more information visit foragecenter.org.