OVERVIEW: The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation supports education, economic opportunity, community development and the arts in specific parts of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
IP TAKE: This funder works in specific geographic areas in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York to improve the lives of area residents and build community cohesion through a progressive lens. It also runs several signature programs, through which it collaborates with area nonprofits and schools. This is a an innovative, supportive and accessible funder. BTCF accepts applications for all of its programs through a straightforward application portal, but prospective grantseekers should feel comfortable reaching out with ideas and questions at any time.
PROFILE: Established in 1987, the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF) was founded by four friends from Sharon and Salisbury, Connecticut who raised money to form new community foundation for the region in the late-1980s. The foundation works almost exclusively to support nonprofit organizations the Berkshire Taconic region, which includes “all of Berkshire County, Massachusetts; the northwest part of Litchfield County, Connecticut; the northeast portion of Dutchess County, New York; and all of Columbia County, New York.” Its mission involves “improving life in our region by investing in the vision, passion and expertise of our residents.” BTCF stated areas of focus are educational attainment, community engagement and economic opportunity. It also makes grants to build the capacity of nonprofits in the geographic areas it serves.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
Early literacy and kindergarten readiness are main priorities of BTCF’s educational attainment grantmaking area. Grantmaking targets high-quality early childhood education and childcare, as well as programs that bring literacy into children’s homes. Grantee partners include local chapters of Reach out and Read, Childcare of the Berkshires, Connecticut’s Housatonic Child Care Center and Talk, Read, Sing Columbia.
Grants for College Readiness, Work and Opportunity
BTCF’s educational attainment initiative invests in college and career readiness programs that aim to “prepare students for a successful transition from high school to college or career.” Grantmaking from this subprogram tends to prioritize connections with local employers and certificate and vocational education programs at area community colleges. Recent grantee partners include Columbia-Greene Community College, MassHire, the Housatonic Youth Services Bureau and Greenagers, an organization that engages young people in “meaningful work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building.”
BTCF also makes grants for work and opportunity via its economic opportunity focus area. Recent grantmaking has prioritized entrepreneurship and the growth of “thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems” in the region. The foundation runs two signature programs: a one-year business accelerator for existing local businesses and a “public pitch” program through which early-stage entrepreneurs can compete for seed funding. The foundation has also made several grants to support economic development in the areas it serves, with recent grants going to the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation, 1Bershire, the Greylock Federal Credit Union and Common Capital, a nonprofit financial institution that works to create “economic opportuntiies for low- and moderate-income people, women, people of color, and immigrants in western Massachusetts.”
Grants for Arts and Culture
BTCF’s community engagement funding launched its Arts Build Community program in 2017 with the goal of increasing community engagement through arts and participatory arts programs throughout the region. Grants prioritize programs and organizations that provide arts experiences and opportunities to communities that have traditionally faced barriers to participation. The foundation has also made several grants for arts capacity building and arts education programs. Recent grants have supported the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Mass MOCA, the Shaker Museum and Library and Upstate Films in Rhinebeck, New York, among others.
Grants for Civic Engagement and Democracy
Grants for civic engagement stem from BTCF’s community engagement funding area. Bridging Divides, Healing Communities is a subinitiave of the engagement program that works “In response to heightened political polarization and a pandemic that has magnified persistent racial and economic inequities.” In addition to organizing signature programs including a speaker series and a youth film challenge, the foundation has made grants to organizations that “build and strengthen relationships among residents, especially people who hold different views or come from different backgrounds.” Grantees include Rebuilding Together Dutchess County, Operation Unite New York, Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action and programming at numerous faith based organizations and public libraries.
Important Grant Details
This funder made gave away over $13 million in grants in a recent year, with most grants ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000. The foundation’s average grant size is about $15,000. This funder supports organizations of all sizes in its areas of operation and tends to form collaborative partnerships with its grantees. For additional information about its past grantmaking, see the foundation’s initiatives and impact page or its recent financial reports.
BTCF accepts grant applications through its grants portal, which lists current grantmaking opportunities, along with information about eligibility and due dates for specific programs. Decisions are usually communicated within six to eight weeks of submission. For general inquiries, contact the foundation’s staff via email or telephone at 413-229-0370.
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