Community Grants Program

Organizations serving New Hampshire and select bordering communities in Maine and Vermont (see list below) may apply. Organizations that are headquartered outside of the Charitable Foundation’s service area but provide services in New Hampshire (and the towns listed below) are eligible for project grants only, since funding will be restricted to work in this service area.

Maine
Berwick
North Berwick
South Berwick
Eliot
Kittery
York

Vermont
Baltimore
Barnard
Bethel
Bradford
Bridgewater
Cavendish
Chelsea
Chester
Corinth
Fairlee
Groton
Hartford
Hartland
Newbury
Norwich
Pomfret
Randolph
Reading
Royalton
Ryegate
Sharon
Springfield
Strafford
Thetford
Topsham
Tunbridge
Vershire
Washington
Weathersfield
West Fairlee
West Windsor
Windsor
Woodstock

Eligible to apply:

• Organizations that are 501(c)(3) public charities
• Municipalities, religious-based nonprofits, private operating foundations, and programs with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor are eligible only for project-based grants to support charitable activities that are open to all community members

Not eligible for this program:

• Private, non-operating foundations
• Public, charter, and private schools
• Hospitals
• Colleges/universities
• State government agencies
• Non-501(c)(3) organizations (without a fiscal sponsor)
• Nonprofit organizations that have an active New Hampshire Charitable Foundation multiyear Community Grant (awarded in December 2022) or nonprofit partners receiving a Charitable Foundation initiative-based grant application invitation are not eligible to apply. For more information see our June 6, 2024 communication to nonprofits.

We will accept applications for:

• One or two years of grant support for up to $15,000 per year
• Project-based or unrestricted grant support (organizations may only submit one application per year)

As part of the application review process, staff will consider the following:

• That applicants are in good standing with the IRS, the NH Secretary of State’s office, and the Charitable Trust Unit of the NH Department of Justice. A financial trends analysis created through a nonprofit’s Candid profile will be downloaded as part of the application, if it is available.
• How the organization’s mission and impact aligns with the focus of this grant program (see description at top of page).
• Applicants’ main accomplishments in recent years and how organizations and/or projects are positioned for success.
• For unrestricted applications: We will consider the timing of this request as it relates to the stability and focus of the organization. We will review the goals and strategies of the proposal, and organizational capacity to achieve the desired outcomes. We will consider the organization’s financial documents and if they indicate appropriate planning, management, and stability.
• For project applications: We will consider if the project will address a critical community need, that the project budget is clear and that requested funding is appropriate to the size and scope of the project. We will also consider planned outcomes and plans for collaboration.

Thursday, September 5, 2024, 5:00 pm Eastern time

GrantSource application portal opens Monday, July 15, 2024

• Completed applications can be submitted at any time after the GrantSource application portal opens and the review process will begin upon submission.
• Grant decisions will be made and shared with applicants on a rolling basis through an initial email from GrantSource. Then, an official “notification of grant award” email will be sent, and checks will be mailed shortly after that notification.
• All grant decisions will be communicated by Monday, December 2, 2024.

View our frequently asked questions