By Kirsten Scobie, Director of Tillotson Funds |
Opportunities for kids are expanding. Access to health care is being improved. Locally-grown food is becoming more widely available. Community forests are being created. Businesses are getting professional technical assistance. A strong network of local leaders is working to improve North Country communities. Hungry children are being fed. Arts venues are flourishing.
Explore the full 2015 Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund Report to the Community, including a full list of grants made to strengthen communities in the North Country and surrounding regions.
Read the 2015 Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund Report to the Community (PDF)
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Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund announces more than $210,000 in grants to support efforts in the North Country
Hikers exploring the Cohos Trail in Pittsburg will cross bogs using new bridges — and leave vegetation intact. The City of Berlin will update its master plan. Teachers in Colebrook will get the tools they need to support the social and emotional well-being of their students. And more
Dreaming big for the North Country
Megan Flanagan, a four-year recipient of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Scholarship, graduated last spring from the University of Vermont with a degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism. She is now pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration while running two small businesses — and dreaming of a bright future in the North Country
Melissa Jellison awarded 2019 Louise Tillotson Teaching Fellowship
Life science teacher and the STEAM coordinator at White Mountains Regional High School awarded fellowship that recognizes excellence in public education and strives to retain outstanding educators in North Country schools
Students garner life lessons on the trail
Jobs for America's Graduates and the Appalachian Mountain Club have partnered up to offer Berlin students meaningful, paid summer employment, skill-building work in environmental stewardship, and exposure to careers in conservation and land management
Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund awards nearly $1 million to support the North Country
Families will have increased access to nutritious foods. Community forests in Gorham and Milan will expand, providing additional income, lumber and open space for recreation. A local community college will train students for high-demand careers in industrial mechanics. And more
Louise Tillotson Teaching Fellowships awarded to three North Country teachers
Since 2007, the Louise Tillotson Fellowship has awarded $445,100 to North Country public school educators
The Power of Many: giving and working together for NH
A few examples of recent grants making a difference in communities around the Granite State: Portsmouth Music and Arts Center builds community through the arts; Christa McAuliffe's legacy continues; Kids in Chichester get new playground equipment; Empower Coös Youth Grant Committee makes its first round of grants; Veterans get support and services; History is preserved in Manchester; The largest remaining dairy farm in the Monadnock region is conserved
Community matters
Results of the 10-year Coös Youth Study by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire show that a strong civic culture and deep sense of community act as protective factors for young people in the North Country, even as the region struggles to adapt to a shifting economy and out-migration. Data will be used to inform grantmaking in the region
Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund announces more than $350,000 in grants to support efforts in the North Country
Adventure seekers will learn about mountain-biking opportunities in Coös County thanks to a new marketing campaign. A local theatre will entertain thousands of guests with live performances and film. And more
Mobile STEM Lab delivers ‘awesome’ to North Country students
White Mountain Science, Inc.'s Mobile STEM Lab crisscrosses the North Country to bring STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — programs to students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to dive into this modern curriculum. The mobile lab was launched with support from the Charitable Foundation's Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
Coös Youth Grantmaking program awards first grants
Tilly Players, after-school program at Boys & Girls Club of the North Country and After School Kids in Whitefield receive support from youth-led program of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
Building a mountain-biking mecca in Gorham
The Coös Cycling Club is providing outdoor recreation opportunities for local residents, drawing tourists, and contributing to economic revival in the Gorham area. The group has now joined forces with the Borderlands Trail System, which is promoting trail networks and communities across the Northern Forest region. Grants from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation support this work and other efforts to promote sustainable economic development for the North Country