A Message from the GWCF President
Friends and Partners,
These are interesting times. Like all of you, we at the Foundation are paying close attention to the evolving situation regarding COVID-19. Please know that we are being thoughtful about how we continue our work, and are paying close attention to the immediate and long term impacts COVID-19 will have on our community. We will keep you informed going forward as the situation evolves and our response changes.
In the e-news below, you will see information about a number of upcoming events we are planning. While we are hopeful that these activities can proceed, we will always put the safety of the community first when final decisions are made.
The Foundation remains committed to building a strong and vibrant Worcester County and we all have a role to play in maintaining a healthy community.
Please reach out if you have questions.
Stay well!
Barbara Fields
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Reminder: Register now for upcoming NSC Workshops
Build your organization’s capacity this spring with free workshops from GWCF’s Nonprofit Support Center. Upcoming sessions are designed to help you improve operations, evaluate your programs, utilize data, and be more effective grant writers!
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Now Accepting Applications for Fairlawn Foundation Fund
Applications are now open for small and growing projects that address the behavioral health needs of Greater Worcester.
The grants are made possible through the Fairlawn Foundation Fund, created in 2017 to support innovative projects that expand access to mental health resources. This year, the Foundation is awarding more than $100,000 to proposals that demonstrate an evidence-based approach with specific outcomes and measurable indicators of progress and effectiveness. Projects should have the potential to be scalable and/or replicable and have a realistic long-term sustainability plan.
Nonprofits serving the Greater Worcester area are encouraged to apply. For more information, and to complete the online application please visit
our
website
.
Applications are due April 24, 2020.
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ESG to be Featured at Upcoming PAN Event
ESG is one of investing’s hottest buzz words, but what does it actually mean? Simply, ESG investing is a growing category of investment choices that blend environmental, social, and governance factors in to traditional investment evaluations.
Join GWCF on April 22 for a panel conversation to learn how organizations like the Foundation are using this model for socially responsible investing to maximize impact and make a difference in our global community.
This Professional Advisers Network (PAN) event is hosted in partnership with the Community Foundation of North Central MA and the Estate & Business Planning Council of Worcester County.
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Leadership Worcester Helps
Sarah Sanders ’18 Change Lanes after 10 Years
As a lifelong Worcester resident, Sarah Connell Sanders (left) thought she had an intimate knowledge of her hometown, but her experience with Leadership Worcester showed her just how much she had been missing.
As a member of the program’s Class of 2018, Sanders joined an eclectic cohort of passionate professionals to learn about public safety, government, sustainability, economic development, culture, and healthcare. As an educator for more than ten years, Sanders looked forward to broadening her horizons beyond her professional field. To her surprise, however, the session dedicated to education had the greatest impact on her career.
“I assumed it would feel like another day at the office” Sanders recalls. But when her cohort arrived at Burncoat Middle School, she discovered “students literally [dancing] through the halls; I found the buildings creative culture invigorating.”
Today, Sanders serves as the media and library specialist at BMS, helping students plan and execute civic engagement projects on a daily basis.
“I’m not sure I would have ever considered a lane change after ten years in the same school system without the motivation of Leadership Worcester,” Sanders notes. “The program empowered me to take meaningful action in the community.”
Chamber Exchange
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Now Accepting Grant Applications through Leicester Savings Bank Fund
GWCF is now accepting grant applications for projects that seek to build a stronger community in Leicester, Massachusetts.
The grants are made possible through the Leicester Savings Bank Community Fund, created by Country Savings Bank following its merger with Leicester Savings Bank in 1997. The $1M endowment commemorates the Bank’s decades of service and leadership in the community.
The fund provides financial support for a wide variety of projects that seek to improve the lives of Leicester residents at every age. Applicants must demonstrate how they will use the grant to improve community life through education, recreation, arts, human services, or community development.
All non-municipal associations or nonprofit organizations serving Leicester are invited to apply.
For more information please visit our
website
.
Applications are due April 17, 2020.
Apply now
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Save the Date: GWCF Annual Meeting
Save the date! GWCF’s 45th Annual Meeting is coming up on May 13
th
. This special gathering is a chance to celebrate our work in the community and will feature a keynote address from Paul Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation.
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GWCF Spotlight: GWCF Board Chair Honored at JCC Gala
A special shout out to our very own GWCF Board Chair, Carolyn Stempler and her husband Howard, for being honored as “Stars of Worcester” at the Worcester JCC’s 2020 HollyWOO’d Gala and Silent Auction. The event raised money for JCC’s scholarship program, providing financial assistance to children and teens for the JCC’s many summer programs. Carolyn and Howard have long been active in Worcester and the Jewish community, Howard as a former Chair of JCC’s Board of Directors. GWCF is proud to have these community leaders as a part of the team!
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Connect with the Foundation on social media!
Join the conversation with over
4,200 followers!
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Greater Worcester Community Foundation
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