Fund for Williamstown Awards Ten Grants
April 24, 2008
Great Barrington, MA—The Fund for Williamstown today announced that it has awarded a total of $23,000 to eight nonprofit organizations and two individuals. The Fund for Williamstown is an initiative of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
This was our second year of awarding grants and we were again impressed with the variety and worthiness of the applications,” said Mark Gold, chair of the fund’s advisory committee. “This year’s grants will support programs ranging from a teen coffeehouse to affordable housing to a local history day for families.”
The Fund for Williamstown seeks new ideas, approaches and collaborations that continue Williamstown’s strong history of community improvement.
The Fund for Williamstown received a total of 24 proposals totaling $74,417. The fund awarded 2008 grants for the following projects and programs.
Deborah Burns: $3,500 to revive JavaJive, a teen-run coffeehouse where young people can enjoy conversation and live entertainment in a safe environment. The grant will provide a stipend for a part-time coordinator and for the purchase of sound equipment.
Juliana Haubrich: $1,250 to support expanded programming for “Haunted Williamstown,” a family event that celebrates Halloween and the town’s history. The project is a collaboration of Williamstown’s Milne Public Library, Rural Lands Foundation and House of Local History.
David & Joyce Milne Public Library: $3,900 for a six-part illustrated lecture series on milestones relating to the written word. Each lecture will be coupled with a play that dramatically illustrates the lecture’s theme.
The New Opera: $1,500 to help engage vocal soloists, a conductor and a 45-member orchestra for a concert presentation of selections from Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier.
Northern Berkshire Creative Arts: $2,000 for year-round, creative arts programming for children and adults related to the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute’s special and permanent exhibitions. The grant will keep course fees low and increase the number of programs offered.
Williamstown Affordable Housing Committee: $5,000 to fund preliminary engineering studies, property inspection fees and a development plan proposal to create eight moderately priced housing units in the former St. Raphael’s Church and rectory. The grant is contingent on the archdiocese accepting the committee’s purchase offer.
Williamstown COOL (CO2 Lowering) Committee: $1,500 to pay a summer intern to work on two initiatives: the COOL business recognition program and the COOL Challenge to town residents to reduce their carbon footprint by 10 percent. Both projects advance Williamstown’s climate action plan.
Williamstown Farmers Market: $225 for a sign at the top of Spring Street.
Williamstown House of Local History: $2,000 to inaugurate a Local History Family Day, which will include activities, exhibits and performances for community members of all ages.
Williamstown Youth Center: $2,307 for the purchase of lacrosse equipment to introduce the sport to children in grades one through four.
The Fund for Williamstown advisory committee members are Jane Allen, Carolyn Behr, Liz Costley, Carol DeMayo, Henry Flynt, Mark Gold, Rob Jandl, Stefanie Jandl and Jack Merselis, all residents of Williamstown.
The fund was established in 2006 as an endowment of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Within three months, it completed a Founding 50 campaign, in which 50 donors pledged at least $1,000 per year for the next five years. Half of the contributions will be used for grantmaking and half will build the endowed portion of the fund.
The next grant deadline is March 14, 2009. Grant applications will be available online at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grants-scholarships.html, at the Williamstown Town Hall or by calling Berkshire Taconic at 413.528.8039.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents in the region it serves: Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Founded in 1987, Berkshire Taconic currently has over 500 funds and manages more than $86 million in assets. Each year, it distributes more than $7 million through grants and scholarships, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goal and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work.
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