2007 Annual Report - Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Grantmaking
The Foundation makes grants in six key areas: arts
and culture, community and economic development,
education, environment, health, and human services.
We invite grant applications from all 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organizations residing in Worcester County.
Following are competitive grant opportunities offered by
the Foundation:
Discretionary, field-of-interest and committee-advised
grants enable the Foundation to respond quickly to
pressing community needs. Twice a year, our board’s
Distribution Committee reviews applications for
discretionary and field-of-interest grants. Volunteers
appointed by our board or donors annually review
proposals for committee-advised grants. Grants in these
three categories range in size from $250 to more than
$300,000, depending on fund resources, and support
strategic planning, programmatic activities, and technical
improvements.
Scholarship awards are granted by the Foundation each
year from more than 90 scholarship funds designated
for college-bound residents of Central Massachusetts.
Most awards are for graduating high school seniors; but
some support older adults returning to school. A student
submits just one application to become considered for
all scholarships that suit their qualifications. Donors
establish the criteria for their awards, which vary from
$250 to more than $6,000, and many are renewable
throughout the student’s education. Applications are
available in paper and electronic form between early
February and late March. Most awards are announced by
the end of June.
The following grants are recommended by fund-holders:
Donor advised grants express the interests and priorities
of the donors or their designated advisors, who may
make grant recommendations at any time throughout the
year. Nonprofits are not usually required to submit an
application.
Agency and designated grants provide nonprofits with
ongoing support from endowment funds created by their
boards or by others for their benefit. Grants from agency
and designated funds require the compliance of the
organization’s board prior to disbursement and may be
distributed automatically on an annual basis. Grants may
be for general operating costs, special projects, capital
expenditures, or emergency needs.
Grants Approved by Broad Category in 2007
0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000
Arts and Culture
$636,400
Community Development
$309,536
Education
$1,199,222
Environment
$170,382
Health
$960,176
Human Services
$1,390,956
Grant Totals
$$4,666,672
Discretionary, Field of Interest and Committee Advised Funds
Scholarship Funds
Designated and Agency Funds
Donor Advised Funds
All 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and students residing in Worcester County are invited to
call or visit www.greaterworcester.org for complete grant and scholarship guidelines.
16 Greater Worcester Community Foundation • 07 ANNUAL REPORT