A Message from the President and CEO

Dear Nelson,   

"Education is a great equalizer of the conditions of men and women - the balance wheel of the social machinery." Horace Mann, pioneering American educator, 1848. A society that is well informed and civically engaged is fundamental for a strong democracy and economic prosperity. Education empowers our self-sufficiency and community engagement. It makes the difference.

Towards that end, two weeks ago, Lowell High School celebrated its 2023 Honors Night. Hundreds of parents, family, staff, and students gathered with great anticipation and excitement as thousands of dollars of scholarships were to be awarded. It’s such a special night as LHS’ brightest students are recognized. The cheers and applause among the students for each other as the awards are granted is heartwarming. It’s one of my favorite events. 

In 1998, Lowell High School transferred 26 scholarship funds totaling $75,500 to the Foundation to manage and invest. Today, the LHS Endowment Fund totals over $6m. Over the past 25 years, thousands of students have received thousands of dollars to help them achieve their educational dreams. 

When the 2023 Honors Night was over, 369 scholarships were awarded to 214 deserving students totaling over $600,000! Every eligible student received an award. About half of those students are the first in their family to go to college and two-thirds exhibited financial need. 

A sincere thank you to all our donors, as well as our volunteers for investing in education. They donated their time and money for the promise of the next generation. It is philanthropy at its best! 

How important was education in your life? If you want to share it, we can help and I guarantee an amazing return on that investment.

GLCF Event

Seating is limited. Register by May 31.

GLCF's Annual Meeting 2023

Equity and the Rule of Law: A Conversation with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell

Open to all community members, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation is set to host its annual meeting on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. The event will highlight Equity and the Rule of Law: A Conversation with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.

On January 18, 2023, Andrea Joy Campbell was sworn in to be the 45th Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, pledging to build economic prosperity and stability for all residents, prioritize the mental health and well-being of children, stop cycles of incarceration and violence and ensure the people across the state have access to the AG’s Office regardless of their zip code, language or ability.

Andrea served as legal counsel to Governor Deval Patrick, working to improve our education and transportation systems and move forward an agenda of equity across the state.

In 2015, Andrea successfully ran for the Boston City Council becoming the first woman to represent District 4 on the Council. Her first piece of legislation was the Community Preservation Act, which still generates over $20 million annually for new affordable housing, historical preservation, and parks and open space. In 2018, she was unanimously elected City Council President – the first Black woman to hold the title. 

The event is free, but registration is required as seating is limited.

Register

Sponsorship Opportunities are Available: Support the work of GLCF by becoming an annual sponsor.

GLCF Grant Opportunity

Grant Applications sought by June 20 for Women Working Wonders Fund

The Women Working Wonders Fund supports programs that empower women and girls to effect positive change in the community. Founded in 2004, and funded by women, the Women Working Wonders Fund awards grants each year to nonprofit organizations whose programs/projects:

• assist women in transition
• provide leadership development for women and girls
• contribute to the beautification of the environment to benefit women and girls

This year, the Women Working Wonders Fund will award (5) grants at $10,000 each to program/projects that impact the lives of women and girls while advancing your organization's mission.

The deadline to submit an application is Tuesday, June 20 at noon.

Learn more.

GLCF News

2023 Lowell High School Honors Night

Lowell, MA – On May 16, 214 Lowell High School seniors walked out of the Irish Auditorium having earned 369 scholarships adding up to more than $600,000.

Greater Lowell Community Foundation CEO Jay Linnehan explained that 80 volunteers scored and evaluated the scholarship applications. "People have invested their time and their money for your benefit," he said. "It is philanthropy at its best. Don't forget where you came from and don't forget who helped you along the way." 

In 1998, Lowell High School transferred 26 scholarships funds totaling $75,500 to the Foundation to manage and invest. Today, the LHS endowment fund totals more than $6M. Over the years, thousands of students have received funds to help them achieve their dreams. 

Greater Lowell Community Foundation awards $190K in community grants to local nonprofits 

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $190,000 in grants to 19 local nonprofits within funding focus areas of: Children’s Services, Elder Services, and Racial Equity and Inclusion. The focus areas collectively work toward creating a better quality of life for Greater Lowell residents and supporting local nonprofits.

These grant awards are part of a competitive grant process in which nonprofit organizations apply for funds, and independent committees review the proposals and select awardees. The GLCF Discretionary Grants is one of several competitive grant programs offered through the foundation each year. 

“As we embark on our 26th year of improving the quality of life in Greater Lowell, GLCF awarded 19 grants to support the important work of our local nonprofits. The 2023 grants highlight some great collaborations between nonprofit partners, something the foundation has worked hard to encourage,” said GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan. “These grants were made possible by generous donations from our community and strategic investments.”

Among the grantees was the Lowell Plan, who received a grant to support its Board Diversity Initiative. “The Board Diversity Initiative is a new collaborative effort of the Lowell Plan, the Lowell Alliance, the Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA), and the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce (GLCC). With the help of the GLCF’s Discretionary Grant, we aim to build a culture of inclusion among Lowell’s nonprofit boards and support diverse leaders seeking opportunities to serve their community,” said Allison Lamey, executive director of Lowell Plan/LDFC. “We greatly appreciate GLCF’s support of this new initiative and commitment to advancing DEI initiatives in the community.”

Learn more.

NETSCOUT Awards $15K in Community Grants with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation 

LOWELL, Mass. – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization comprised of over 400 funds, currently totaling over $59 million, dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns, announced that NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC., (NASDAQ: NTCT), a leading provider of cybersecurity, service assurance, and business analytics solutions, has awarded its Heart of Giving community program’s $15,000 grant program through the Greater Lowell Community Foundation to recipients Project Kompass, Women’s Money Matters and UTEC. This year’s grant focus was funding mental health and addiction support services for young adults aged 18-25.

Project Kompass, based in North Chelmsford, received the $10,000 grant. The organization works to provide safe and secure housing, life skills, parenting support, and training to young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This grant award will provide funding for Project Kompass’ Youth Transitional Services: Life Coaching Program. “Project Kompass would like to thank NETSCOUT for believing in and recognizing the need to help our young adults navigate towards self-sufficiency and independent living,” said Ronnie Hoey, Project Kompass founder. “This grant award will be used for ongoing mental health support with a heavy concentration on individual life coaching to enhance and encourage personal growth, relationships, financial independence, and overall well-being.”

This annual grant partnership builds relationships between NETSCOUT and Greater Lowell nonprofit organizations and engages employees in learning about the community’s needs. The additional $5,000 in grant funding was distributed to Women’s Money Matters and UTEC.

Learn More

GLCF in the Community

GLCF Chelmsford Community Fund Supports Chelmsford Senior Center Monthly Veterans’ Breakfast

On Thursday, May 25, GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan joined the Chelmsford Community Fund's John Chemaly and George Dixon at Chelmsford Senior Center Monthly Veterans’ Breakfast. GLCF and the Chelmsford Community Fund provided a grant to support this important community event.

Chelmsford Senior Center Monthly Veterans’ Breakfast- held on the last Thursday of each month. 8:30am coffee 9am breakfast. FREE. Veterans of all ages welcome. Veterans from many towns attend! Please register in advance by 3pm the day before at 978-251-0533.  

Meet-the-Donors: Lawrence, Lowell, Merrimack Valley

On Monday, May 15, Philanthropy Massachusetts presented Meet-the-Donors: Lawrence, Lowell, Merrimack Valley. The event, which drew over 100 nonprofit attendees from across the region, was generously hosted by UMass Lowell.  

State Representative Vanna Howard served as moderator, and the featured funder presenters were: 

• Karley Ausiello, Chief Community Impact Officer, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley 
• Karen Carpenter, Board President, Theodore Edson Parker Foundation
• Jay Linnehan, President and CEO, Greater Lowell Community Foundation
• Josh Miner, Trustee, The Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation
• Carol Lavoie Schuster, Vice President for Program and Nonprofit Services, Essex County Community Foundation 

During the robust conversation the funders shared their strategies and priorities, and then took questions from the audience. This was the first in-person gathering that Philanthropy Massachusetts has hosted since early 2020. 

Mosaic Lowell News

Mosaic Lowell Updates

Mosaic held a listening session on May 2nd at LaLa Books focused on arts and culture, in collaboration with Lowell Forward, the city's master planning process. This was a rich conversation with feedback on what Lowell residents want to see in our arts and culture community! We are looking forward to more opportunities to listen and learn from the community as we implement the Mosaic plan.

Mosaic has two exciting opportunities currently open for Lowell creatives, an open call for window art that will be installed throughout downtown ahead of the Lowell Folk Fest. And Experience Lowell, an arts marketplace taking place in the Enterprise Bank parking lot during Folk Fest. This new event combines Art in the Courtyard and Destination Lowell and is focused on highlighting everything that Lowell's arts and culture community has to offer for Folk Fest visitors.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in these opportunities, please encourage them to apply! Window Art applications are open to visual artists and due by June 5, and Experience Lowell applications are open to creatives and organizations in Lowell, due by June 16.

For more information on arts and culture opportunities and events, please visit: www.mosaiclowell.org

GLCF Grant Highlight

GRANT HIGHLIGHT -

Power of Flowers Project: Special Delivery Program

Last year the Power of Flowers Project received a GLCF Discretionary Leclair Elder Services Grant. The Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s Discretionary Grants Program includes the following strategic funding categories: Racial Equity and Inclusion, Leclair Elder Services, and Children’s Services and its purpose is to improve the quality of life for residents in GLCF’s 21 communities.

Power of Flowers Project started in 2009 when their founder, Joyce Bellefeuille, a floral designer, sought to reach an overlooked group of seniors and veterans by paying a visit, sharing a conversation, and leaving behind the gift of colorful, fragrant fresh flowers to brighten their lonely rooms. Her concept was born from the idea to reclaim still beautiful flower creations after they had served their single purpose at weddings, funerals, and corporate events. Today, Power of Flowers Project partners with numerous floral donor locations (florals from weddings, graduations, corporate events, memorial services, and retailers) and with the help from their volunteers, they deliver beautiful flowers to approximately 75 Care Communities (Assisted Living Facilities, Elder Services Agencies, Meals on Wheels, and Veterans Services) in the Merrimack Valley.

The GLCF Leclair Elder Services Grant provided funding for the Power of Flowers Project SPECIAL DELIVERY Program. The program provided a "Special Delivery" of 100 bouquets every month to care facilities in Lowell and the surrounding communities to celebrate a holiday or special occasion. The program’s primary goal was to Share Hope and Happiness with Elderly and Veterans and alleviate loneliness and feeling of isolation by delivering gifts of individual fresh flower bouquets with holiday embellishments to care facilities and Meals on Wheels programs.

Fiscal Sponsor News

Accelerating Women Leaders Coaching Program

The 2023 Accelerating Women Leaders program is a 3-month cohort designed to equip female leaders with the strategies, mindsets, and behaviors they will need to confidently lead themselves and others as they advance within their organizations. This successful program is led by Kim Meninger, an executive and leadership coach. 

The program will be virtual from Tuesday, September 12 – December 5, 2023. The tuition for the 3-month program is $750, including session recordings and course materials.  Discounted rate of $599 is available if you register before August 11, 2023. For more information, visit our website at or email us for more details. 

Partner Grant News

The Linden Foundation is pleased to announce that it is now accepting Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations seeking funding for comprehensive, holistic programs that further families’ well-being in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Such family-focused organizations and programs may be centered around three strategies: Family Relationships, Economic Opportunities, and Housing Opportunities. Please see below for more details on geographic focus.  

Letters of Inquiry must be received by June 15^th, 2023 to be considered for a November/December 2023 decision. Applicants should submit an LOI using this link and the access code linden2. The short, 2-page LOI form asks applicants to describe the organization and its current funding sources, the organization's annual budget, the project, its purpose, its target population, its likely impact, the amount being requested, and the total project budget.

 The Linden Foundation funds nonprofit organizations that partner with families seeking skills and support systems that help them grow in being cohesive, internally supportive, and self-sufficient. The Foundation prefers to fund comprehensive programs that most directly help those in need, involve multiple family members, provide sustained support to the participants, and are community-based. Target geographic areas include:

• Massachusetts: the North Shore area, especially Gloucester, Lynn, and Salem, and the Merrimack Valley area, especially Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence, and Lowell
• New Hampshire: the Lakes Region and northern New Hampshire, the Capital region, Greater Manchester, and the Seacoast region.

More Information

United Way of Massachusetts Bay’s Request for Partnership (RFP)

The Request for Partnership (RFP) is an opportunity for nonprofits to apply for multi-year, unrestricted funding to support their work in economic inclusion & wealth building, early education & out of school time programs, education & career pathways for 16-24 year olds, and safe and stable housing. Applicants can apply for funds to support direct services and/or public policy work and must be focused on at least one of our focus communities: Boston (with priority for Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roxbury), Cambridge, Chelsea, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Quincy, Revere, Salem, and Taunton.

More Information

Support the Work of GLCF

Become an Annual Sponsor

Since 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has supported this community with grants to nonprofits, scholarships to deserving students, and leadership to help determine, address, and resolve a wide variety of needs and opportunities.

With more than 390 donor-driven funds and expert staff, the Foundation provides vital resources that build on our community’s strengths, addresses its challenges, and brightens futures by helping deserving students to achieve their dreams.

To achieve more, we need your partnership through a generous annual sponsorship.

Learn more

Give to the Future: Make a Planned Gift

Everyone has a legacy. What’s yours?

Your legacy can be shaped to support the causes you care about now and provide financial and estate savings.

To discuss creating a personalized estate plan that supports issues important to you, please call Jay or Howard at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation at 978-970-1600.