Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Northeast Dutchess Fund Fall 2009 Grants & May 7 Deadline

April 12, 2010

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA—The Northeast Dutchess Fund announced today that it has awarded $16,600 in grants to eight nonprofit groups. A fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, the Northeast Dutchess Fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations serving Amenia, Clinton Corners, Dover Plains, Millbrook, Millerton, North East, Pine Plains, Stanford, Washington, Wassaic and Wingdale, NY.

The next deadline for the Northeast Dutchess Fund is May 7, 2010. Unlike previous years, there will be only one grantmaking cycle in 2010. Nonprofits, community organizations or public agencies may submit applications. Applications and guidelines are available here or by calling Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation at 413.528.8039. A committee of local residents will review applications and award grants based on excellence of the proposed project or service, its impact on the organization or community, and the ability of the organization to carry out the project.

In Fall 2009 the fund awarded the following grants:

Wassaic Project: $1,000 to hire two professional sound technicians for The Wassaic Project Summer Festival 2010.

Saint Francis Health Care Foundation, Inc: $1,600 for anticoagulation management systems for patients on medications requiring monitoring and adjustments.

Rebuilding Together Dutchess County: $2,000 in housing improvements for two mobile homes.

North East Community Center: $5,000 for Family Support Program, a program that provides affordable child care to families in Millerton and the town of North East.

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Inc: $2,000 to introduce the students of Millbrook High School to the performing arts, refresh teachers’ perspectives on teaching Shakespeare and present a professional performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Housatonic Valley Association: $1,000 for a low impact development conference to provide knowledge and practical examples of best practices to build homes and businesses that conserve natural areas and drainage patterns.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension Dutchess County: $1,000 for the Relatives as Parents Program, a program that encourages and promotes the creation of services for grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting.

St. Thomas Church Food of Life Pantry: $3,000 for Food of Life Pantry project, which provides food and paper goods for community members in need.

In 2009, the Northeast Dutchess Fund awarded a total of $37,000 to nonprofit organizations. Additionally, the Northeast Dutchess Fund gives $100,000 per year to NED CORPS, a mobile social service agency which provides bi-lingual case workers to the residents of Amenia, Clinton Corners, Millbrook, Millerton, Pine Plains and Stanford on a regularly scheduled basis as well as $10,000 per year to the Latino Outreach program of Grace Church in Millbrook.

“In times like these, we are honored to support the organizations that provide vital services and programs to the residents of Northeast Dutchess. It’s wonderful to feel like we’re truly making a difference in the lives of community members and nonprofit organizations that need it most.” said Nancy Stahl, chair of the fund.

The Northeast Dutchess Fund was founded in 2002 as a permanently endowed fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. To make a donation to the fund please contact Berkshire Taconic at 271 Main Street, Suite 3, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, call 413.528.8039, or email us.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2009 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $7 million in scholarships and grants for programs in the arts and education, health and human services, and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.

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