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Grants Program

Grants are the primary means by which our Community Foundation improves and enhances the community. Proceeds for grants come from restricted and unrestricted endowments and donations from charitably-minded organizations and individuals. The Community Foundation provides its expertise and objectivity in determining the most beneficial use for funds available for grantmaking. All grants are approved by the Foundation's Board of Directors.

While our website is our main vehicle for communicating grant information, non-profit organizations serving Middlesex County are encouraged to provide us with current contact information.

Overview
A community foundation improves the quality of life for the people in its area by making grants that address community needs. Grants can be Designated, Donor Advised or Competitive. This section provides information on the Foundation's competitive grants, which are determined by the Grants Committee and recommended to the Foundation's Board of Directors, which must approve all grants. See Types of Funds for more information on grants from designated or donor advised funds.

Funding for competitive grants comes from several sources:

• Our growing endowment is beginning to yield substantial income and will in the future be our most important source for grantmaking. Income from endowed Funds is allocated to the purpose determined by the donor. Funds can be unrestricted or restricted to a specific geographic or field of interest for competitive grantmaking. See Types of Funds for more information.
• Organizations that are funding partners with the Foundation provide money for a specific purpose. The Connecticut Humanities Council, for example, provides funding for heritage enhancement grants. The River View Cemetery in Essex provides funding for programs and services in Lower Middlesex County. These and others rely on the Foundation's Grants Committee to make decisions in the best interest of the community.
• Individuals and some private foundations provide donations especially for grantmaking for a variety of reasons. These reasons include: helping expand the Community Foundation's impact, trusting the Foundation's wise allocation of their donation to worthy organizations, providing broad impact in many areas including arts, education, environment, health and human services.

We are grateful to all donors who have made it possible for the Middlesex County Community Foundation to provide more than $860,000 in grants since our inception in 1997.