Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Tops $2 Million in Summer Grants
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SHEFFIELD, Mass. — The board of directors of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation have announced the recipients of the second round of grantmaking for 2016.
The foundation distributed a total of $430,378 in grants to individuals and nonprofits in the four-county region it serves; $496,786 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors; and grants totaling over $1.1 million from donors with charitable funds at the foundation.
In Berkshire County, the foundation awarded grants from the Fund for Williamstown; James and Robert Hardman Fund; New World Fund; Simple Gifts Fund; five education enrichment funds; and 41 scholarship funds.
Education and Enrichment: Grants to regional schools, school districts and education programs in Berkshire County totaled $45,247. Select grant recipients include: Berkshire County Head Start ($7,000) for a “Lunch and Learn” summer program for students in the Pittsfield Public School District; Flying Cloud Institute ($3,000) to enhance STEM programming at Undermountain School and Mount Everett High School in Sheffield; and Williamstown Elementary School ($4,000) for its math club.
Scholarships: A total of $303,986 in scholarships was awarded to Berkshire County students. Of that total, $86,750 was awarded by the Zenas and Winthrop Crane Scholarship Funds, which support graduates of Wahconah Regional High School; $72,500 by the McLaughlin-Wilson Scholarship Fund for residents of Monterey; and $17,000 by the Honorable James P. Dohoney Scholarship Fund for high school seniors in southern Berkshire County. To view a full list of 2016 scholarship recipients, visit www.berkshiretaconic.org/scholarships.
Arts and Culture: Grants to arts organizations and arts programs in Berkshire County totaled $45,610. Select grant recipients include: Berkshire Pulse, Inc. ($1,000) for an after-school dance program at Undermountain Elementary School; Community Access to the Arts ($2,000) to exhibit paintings and artwork by artists with disabilities at the Clark Art Institute; and WilliNet ($2,500) for a website project.
Health and Human Services: Nonprofits and individuals providing social and human services across the county received $45,706 in grants. Select grant recipients include: Volunteers in Medicine ($5,000) to provide care and interpretation services to immigrant patients; Berkshire Food Project ($3,000) to serve free, hot meals during the week and provide emergency food assistance on weekends; and yoga instructor Connie Wilson ($400) to teach basic skills to elementary school students at New Marlborough Central School.
Environment: Grants to environmental organizations and programs totaled $20,855. Select grant recipients include: Hoosac Harvest ($2,500) for its Subsidized Shares program, which connects lower-income community members with farms, farmers and locally grown food; Mass Audubon ($1,200) to offer an earth science program at Morris Elementary School; Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation ($800) to provide transportation to its Sheep Hill conservation property; and Greenagers ($3,000) for its environmental education projects.
A full list of regional grants can be found online.
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