Baltimore Nonprofit Sues Maryland Governor's Office Over Funding Dispute

HER Resiliency Center claims changes to Victims of Crime Act funding have crippled its ability to help women in need

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The HER Resiliency Center, a Baltimore nonprofit that helps women struggling with addiction, abuse, trafficking, poverty and other forms of trauma, is suing the administration of Maryland Governor Wes Moore over a funding dispute. The organization claims it has lost over $218,000 in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding through the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) after the agency changed eligibility rules without explanation, leaving many of the women the center serves no longer counted as crime victims eligible for the funds.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights the challenges faced by community-based organizations that rely on government funding to provide critical services, especially when funding rules are changed without clear communication. The HER Resiliency Center's work is seen as vital for supporting vulnerable women in Baltimore, and the loss of this funding has threatened its ability to continue operating.

The details

According to the nonprofit's founder Natasha Guynes, the HER Resiliency Center has received VOCA funding since 2020 to support its mission, including providing hygiene kits and other resources to women engaged in sex work or trafficking. However, Guynes says the GOCPP changed the rules last year without explanation, making many of the women the center serves ineligible for the funds. This has resulted in the organization losing over $218,000 in approved reimbursements, forcing it to shut down operations.

  • The HER Resiliency Center has received VOCA funding since Fiscal Year 2020.
  • The GOCPP changed the eligibility rules for VOCA funding last year.

The players

HER Resiliency Center

A Baltimore nonprofit organization that helps women struggling with addiction, abuse, trafficking, poverty and other forms of trauma.

Natasha Guynes

The founder and president of the HER Resiliency Center.

Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP)

The state agency that administers Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding in Maryland.

Governor Wes Moore

The current governor of Maryland.

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What they’re saying

“We just don't have the money to continue spending with the hopes of being repaid.”

— Natasha Guynes, Founder and President, HER Resiliency Center (WBAL-TV 11 News)

“I want (the HER Resiliency Center) to be compensated for the funding that we lost so that we can show up for victims in Baltimore City. I often talk about the women we serve as 'hidden in plain sight,' and that's exactly how they are being treated now by this agency, the governor's agency.”

— Natasha Guynes, Founder and President, HER Resiliency Center (WBAL-TV 11 News)

What’s next

The lawsuit filed by the HER Resiliency Center against the state of Maryland, Governor Wes Moore, and the executive director of the GOCPP is headed to federal court. Lawyers representing the state have filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming it lacks merit.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the challenges faced by community-based organizations that rely on government funding to provide critical services, especially when funding rules are changed without clear communication. The loss of this funding has threatened the HER Resiliency Center's ability to continue its vital work supporting vulnerable women in Baltimore.