April 2022

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Food Security Grant Application Deadline TOMORROW GWCF has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to administer the CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG-CV”) Food Security Program in Central and Southern Worcester County.   This grant is intended to direct vital resources to individuals and households experiencing food insecurity as a result of COVID-19. GWCF’s goal is to significantly impact vulnerable and underserved populations across central and southern Worcester County who are living below 80% of the applicable area median income and households with no, or very limited, access to sources of economic relief.  Applications are open until April 29.

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YCI Grant Deadline TOMORROW Youth for Community Improvement (YCI) is currently accepting proposals from Worcester County nonprofit organizations for 2022 funding. Proposals must speak to the youth voice to be considered. Youth voice is the empowerment of young people through leadership roles, holding decision making power, and/or involvement of youth in program organization. Additionally, proposals must fit into one or more of the following areas: Mental Health support for young people Projects/programs that reduce stigma, empower young people and address the ongoing mental health needs of young people Projects/programs that address the impacts of COVID on young people Basic needs for our community Projects/programs/events that help provide clothing, food, shelter and/or menstrual products to those in need Career & education pathways and opportunities for high school students Projects/programs/events that that help young people explore and learn more about post-secondary opportunities Community Building Projects that foster community building/unification Opportunities for community leadership Projects/events that build on the socio-emotional and resilience of our communities Grants of up to $4,000 will be awarded and proposals will be accepted until April 29, 2022.

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Culture + Community in a Time of Transformation: Join us to explore new research findings for Worcester and the state of Massachusetts May 23, 3–6pm, in-person event, Worcester PopUp at the JMAC (20B Franklin Street) Hosted by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Slover Linett Audience Research, and the Barr Foundation How do Worcester residents engage with arts and culture today? What changes do they envision for the future of the sector? How can organizations deepen connections based on the experiences and needs of local communities? Join us for a presentation of highlights from recent research by Slover Linett surveying thousands of Massachusetts residents, including Worcester community members, and discuss ways to grow a more resilient and relevant arts and culture sector. Includes networking reception.  View the Worcester report.

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Thank You for Joining Us! Thank you to all those who joined us at Polar Park to welcome our new CEO Jim Ayres. It was great to be back together with you all. We look forward to seeing you at more in-person events and our continued work together

Advisor Portal System We are excited to announce the arrival of our new Advisor Portal system. This portal allows Fund Holders to interact with their account(s) via a secure, password protected website. An announcement email was sent to all fund holders in early April. Please reach out to the donor services team if you have any questions on using the new portal or have not yet received an email at [email protected].

Lyons Memorial Scholarship Enters 20th Year with Final Race The Lt. James F. "Jay" Lyons III Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in memory of Lt. James Lyons who lost his life in the 1999 Cold Storage Warehouse Fire. For the past 20 years, the scholarship has helped many Doherty High School students offset college expenses. Throughout that time, the funds for the scholarship have been raised through the efforts of friends and family volunteers who put on an annual road race. 2022 marked the final race, raising over $200,000 since the race was first organized.

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GWCF Adds New Talent to the Team Kaela Schmaus, Philanthropy Associate  Kaela recently moved to Worcester County and brings diverse administrative and programmatic experiences. Her background in assessing student applicants has already proved invaluable to the scholarship program during our busy season.

Isabella Corazzini, Program Associate  Isabella grew up in Worcester and has been involved with various causes and organizations throughout the city. She is also an alumni of the Foundation’s Youth for Community Improvement (YCI) and will be a key member of the team leading the current YCI participants.

Internal Updates at GWCF GWCF has a dedicated group of individuals all working to make our collective community better and we could not do this work without the entire team. At the beginning of 2022, Foundation leadership recognized the following staff members' hard work with well-deserved advancements.    Diane Allain – Vice President, Finance & Administration Nathan Rearick – Staff Accountant Lindiana Semidei – Program Officer Kelly Stimson – Vice President of Donor Services & Relations

Stay tuned for what's to come at the Foundation, from upcoming grant opportunities to workshops, and more. Together, we are building a stronger, more equitable Central Massachusetts.

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Greater Worcester Community Foundation 508-755-0980 | [email protected] | greaterworcester.org