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The Guilford Foundation Announces $135,000 Available Through Competitive Grant Process

The Guilford Foundation (TGF) announced it would distribute $135,000 through its competitive grantmaking process. Last year, TGF awarded 22 competitive grants to community-serving organizations, ranging from $1,500 to $10,000, with an average award of $5,000.

The application deadline is March 10, 2023; guidelines are available on TGF’s website.

To address the community’s ever-changing needs and increase impact, TGF builds flexibility into the process to evolve its guiding principles year-to-year. The Community Investment Committee’s 2023 grantmaking theme is community wellbeing. Take a look at our areas of focus by clicking here.

All non-profit organizations whose services support Guilford and The Guilford Foundation’s 2023 priorities are encouraged to submit a grant application. The review process is rigorous; all applications are thoughtfully read by the Community Investment Committee with the goal of making the most significant impact in the community.

“Our focus is competitive grantmaking. As we read the 2022 grant recipient reports, we’re reminded of the impact of our funding,” explained Executive Directory Liza Janssen Petra. “Whether it’s outpatient mental health programs, a nursery school nature center, support for women in crisis, reinvigorating the Shoreline Special Olympics program, school supplies for low-income families, or free hot meals, the grants improve the quality of life for many residents.”
Grant Submission Recommendations

The Guilford Foundation seeks grants that enhance the quality of life for the community. Applications should align their need with a focus area and demonstrate the potential impact on the organization, project, community, or persons served.

Before beginning a 2023 grant application, organizations should carefully review the guidelines on The Guilford Foundation website. TGF recorded its 2023 Grant Application Workshop, which provides insight into the process and 2023 priorities. Email Program Director Jennifer Mullett at jmullett@guilfordfoundation.org to receive a link to view.

Petra added, “We’re proud to address the emerging needs that impact the lives of our residents. A heartfelt thanks to those who generously support The Guilford Foundation’s mission to connect people who care with the causes that matter to them.”

2020 Competitive Grant Awards

The Guilford Foundation (TGF) recently awarded 14 grants through our regular Competitive Grant making process, although this year’s process was anything but normal. These grants are made annually through our endowment funds based on our spending policy. TGF’s original grant deadline was March 12—the Thursday of that fateful week that initiated a national shutdown.

While we had already received a number of applications, we made two decisions in response to the coronavirus:

1. We extended the deadline to May 1, 2020.

2. We reprioritized our grant making to focus on the impact of COVID19 on our community.

Organizations who had already submitted an application were given the chance to resubmit based on the changing landscape, and many did. Organizations were also encouraged to apply for funding through our new COVID19 Response Fund for Guilford, and many did that as well.

The resulting grants through our Competitive Grant making process are as follows:

… Read more

Guilford Foundation Awards $28,950 in Scholarships to Guilford High School Graduates

Although the ceremony was via Zoom this year, the Guilford High School scholarship awardees were no less impressive. The Guilford Foundation was honored to provide 18 awards to graduating seniors from Guilford High School.

These impressive students were selected according to a variety of qualifications, from academic excellence to sportsmanship to career intentions, and have finished their high school career under the most extreme and isolating conditions.

… Read more

The Guilford Foundation Awards $20,725 in Scholarships Awards

The Guilford Foundation (TGF) recently awarded $20,725 through 18 scholarship awards to graduating Guilford High School seniors (except where noted) who plan to pursue post-secondary education. The awards and honorees are as follows:

  • Elisabeth Adams Scholarship ($500 each): Mariam Kish & Keldon LaRose
  • Carl A. Balestracci Humanitarian Scholarship ($550 each): Giana Cardonita & Leo Westguard
  • Al & Gene Bishop Fund ($3,150): Noah Thomas
  • Richard Brooks Scholarship Fund ($1,000): Brielle Kendrioski
  • Stuart D. Burt Scholarship ($2,250): Ellis Riccio
  • Maureen Cyr Caruso Scholarship Fund ($1,000): Mia Tilton
  • Guilford ABC Scholarship ($2,000): Sumaiyah Lee
  • Jaffe Scholarship Fund ($1,300 each year for four years): Kush Patel
  • Stephen A. Looney Scholarship ($750 each): Alessandra Stankewich & Braden Stephens
  • Jake Penman Memorial Fund ($1,000): Juan Colberg-Martinez
  • Ralph Schipani Scholarship Fund ($750 each): Nicole Teply & Michael Kegel
  • Elizabeth M. “Lizzie” Schwanfelder Scholarship ($2,400): George Sanderlin
  • Kyle E. Smith Scholarship ($525): Karley Krickmier
  • Alison Varian Scholarship Fund for the Sound School ($1,000): Chloe Melillo

These students represent the best of Guilford’s future—they work after school jobs, they are active in politics, they volunteer at numerous organizations, they are in National Honor Society, play in orchestra and band, row crew, play baseball, softball, soccer, basketball & lacrosse, go on mission trips around the country, are honor students, are captains of their teams, lead Guilford’s Youth Advisory Group, are AP & International Baccalaureate scholars; participate in theater; tutor, and somehow sleep and go to school. The Guilford Foundation extends its deep congratulations to these remarkable scholars as they start the next chapter of their journey.

The Guilford Foundation Awards $68,400 in Competitive Grants

The Guilford Foundation (TGF) recently awarded $68,400 to organizations serving Guilford. These grants were awarded through TGF’s annual competitive grant making process.

TGF received 33 applications for funding—reflecting a 21% increase from 2018 in the amount requested for funding.  TGF was able to support 20 of those requests, including grants that relate to the environment, affordable housing, basic needs, arts and culture, and youth.

The full list of awardees, the amount and the purpose of the grant follows:

… Read more

2019 Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration!

The Guilford Foundation invites you to our Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration on Thursday, May 30th, 2019 at the Guilford Yacht Club (397 Whitfield Street).

Admission starts at $75 per person. Live music by high school trio “Heart Strings.” RSVP by May 20th.

The dinner is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including:

  • Guilford Savings Bank
  • GSB Wealth Management
  • Whittlesey
  • The Eder Family Foundation
  • The Guilford Courier
  • drinkcaffeine
  • Deborah Abildsoe & Irving Schloss
Guests at the 2018 Annual Dinner

Sponsorships are also available! Contact jmullett@guilfordfoundation.org with questions or to register.

2017 Guilford Community Report

The Guilford Foundation connects people who care to the causes that matter to them, to enrich the quality of life in Guilford. Established in 1975 as a community foundation, the Foundation builds and maintains a charitable endowment valued at nearly $2.5 million and uses a portion of the annual income to address the needs of the Guilford community.

View 2017 Guilford Community Report

Guilford Foundation Provides $12,300 Worth of Scholarships to 12 College Bound Graduates

The Guilford Foundation recently presented scholarship awards totaling $12,300 to twelve Guilford High School graduates to help offset the costs of their education. The records of these remarkable students reflect their hard work and commitment to personal development and inspire hope in the future citizenry of our great town.

The twelve students (as well as their colleges) are as follows:

Pictured right-left: Thomas Wiesler, Zachary Rodes, Olivia Mirek, Jordan Krause, Claire Dinauer, Luke McNamara, Emily Nolan.

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Donor-Advised Fund Provides the Flexibility for Education and Environmental Support

Acquiring an important piece of open space, providing environmental education, or maintaining trails and building a viewing platform are among the community investments envisioned by William (Bill) Bloss, who recently established the Jared Eliot Fund on behalf of an anonymous donor.

The donor-advised fund was started with a $200,000 contribution and will focus on environmental issues, the preservation of open space and improving educational services in Guilford. Bloss explains the unusual sequence of events that led to the establishment of this latest fund at The Guilford Foundation.

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12 scholarships totaling $11,450 to Guilford High School Graduating seniors

The 2016 scholarship recipients are:

… Read more

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