The nonprofit offers numerous direct financial services to help low- to moderate-income Marylanders improve their financial health and wealth.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore will present its Community Champion of Equity and Justice Awards at the 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 5. The CASH Campaign of Maryland will receive one of the awards. (In photo: Robin McKinney, left, and Sara Johnson)
As co-founders and leaders of the CASH Campaign of Maryland, Robin McKinney, MSW, and Sara Johnson, MSW, have a shared commitment to improving the financial health and wealth of low- to moderate-income Maryland citizens. The two co-workers and friends also share an alma mater, the University of Maryland School of Social Work, having graduated in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
Their collaboration can be felt in the impact of the nonprofit CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) Campaign, which offers an array of direct financial services and works with foundations, other nonprofits, community-based organizations, government agencies, and the Internal Revenue Service. Services include free tax return filing, financial coaching, financial education, and practitioner training.
The CASH Campaign’s tax preparation services help individuals and families ensure that they maximize their tax refunds by accessing all eligible deductions and credits, including the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The organization also helps individuals identify if they are eligible for financial services and benefits from government agencies and nonprofit organizations. It also offers financial literacy and budgeting resources at sites throughout Maryland.
“Financial decision-making and management impacts every single adult. It impacts every client in any social services setting, but it’s rarely talked about,” said McKinney, who is the CASH Campaign’s chief executive officer. “We want to make sure that every person and practitioner in Maryland has access to the knowledge, skills, and products they need to meet their financial goals.
“Our work addresses both personal choices and systemic issues. People need access to safe and affordable products and fact-based information. The communities we serve have experienced decades of disinvestment, discrimination, and exploitation.”
McKinney says the campaign’s work “is personal to me.”
“I have lived the challenges of not having enough money at the end of the month,” she said. “There are no quick fixes when your income does not cover your expenses.”
Johnson, who is the nonprofit’s chief operating officer, said, “The people we assist are always an inspiration to me — seeing them continue to strive despite the challenges of systems that work against them. It motivates me to do my part to support them in their journey to a better financial future.”
The CASH Campaign was formed in 2017 as a result of a merger between the Baltimore and Maryland CASH Campaigns.
“The alignment of our programs was years in the making, so merging was a natural next step for the growth of our work,” Johnson said. “What I like best is how we decided to approach it through a shared leadership model.”
The CASH Campaign has 23 full-time employees, two interns, five community fellows placed at nonprofits across the state, and 800 tax volunteers. In addition to Baltimore, it has partners in 19 Maryland counties and provides direct services in five locations, including UMB’s Community Engagement Center.
Bill Joyner, JD, MSW, assistant vice president for community engagement and partnerships, UMB, has seen the CASH Campaign’s impact up-close.
“One of the great things about the CASH Campaign is that they don’t just offer financial education classes and label it ‘financial empowerment,’ ” Joyner said. “They help families increase their annual income and reduce their actual expenses. In West Baltimore alone, they have helped bring in millions of dollars in tax refunds for our neighbors that need economic support the most.
“They also partner with UMB to make services available in West Baltimore, and they’ve even included our School of Social Work students in the work as interns.”
In 2025, the CASH Campaign helped Maryland citizens file more than 21,000 tax returns (federal and state) and bring in $33 million in refunds and tax credits and $5 million in child/other dependent tax credits. It also saved Marylanders $6.6 million in tax preparation fees.
“It is most impactful that we have services that can help low-income individuals and families wherever they are on their financial journey — from accessing public benefits to meeting financial goals,” McKinney said. “We offer our programs on demand and in the community so that people can learn wherever and however they are most comfortable.”
She added that the most satisfying part of the job is “watching how the team and work evolve to meet the needs of individuals and families — through recessions, the Freddie Gray uprising, the pandemic, and federal uncertainties. We are professional pivoters!”
Johnson said what is most satisfying to her is “knowing that we have a strong reputation in the community as being a source of truth, a team player, and a quality provider.”