The Beacon Hill Civic Association board of directors voted unanimously to launch a grant program to assist other area nonprofits during its April 8 meeting at 74 Joy St.
“Part of the reason for creating this fund was the idea that the Civic Association should give back to the neighborhood where we can, and this is another way for us to be help out our community,” said Rob Whitney, president of the organization’s board of directors.
According to the motion made by Whitney and seconded by board member Leslie Adam, the Beacon Hill Community Fund will distribute $20,000 each year “to community-based Beacon Hill, Cambridge Street, and adjacent neighborhood non-profit organizations, community development corporations, and other civic groups dedicated to promoting and enhancing quality of life in the community through projects and programs for residents involving the arts and education, youth sports and recreation, day care centers, playgrounds, activities for seniors and persons with special needs and disabilities, community gardens and spaces, affordable housing, social services, and whatever the [board]…deems appropriate.”
Grants would be made in increments of $2,500 to $10,000 in most instances, but sums in other amounts could also be awarded, if deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee and subject to full board approval.
“For someone seeking a smaller amount, this will also be a great way to partner with us,” Whitney said.
Some grants could be made in two- to three-year installments when deemed appropriate, but no recipients would be “perpetually funded” in order to make funds available for other causes.
“We might make one- or two-time donations to the same group, but not so often that our grants appear on some organization’s operating budget,” Whitney said.
A webpage is now in the works as part of the BHCA website (bhcivic.org) that will include rules for applying, deadlines for applications, how to submit a simple grant request letter, if desired and other details, and any nonprofit organization in or around Beacon Hill seeking grant money is encouraged to apply when the process opens July 1. The Civic Association is then scheduled to award the first set of grants this fall.