A legacy of generosity - NH Charitable Foundation

Melissa Grella (right), Taproot founder and executive director with Kris von Dohrmann from Otokahe Farm of Jefferson. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Rooted in community

Taproot Farm & Environmental Education Center makes communities stronger by connecting people with healthy, local food.

Members of the Tillotson Fund’s Empower Coös Youth Grantmaking Committee (from left to right): Jessie Church, Bethlehem, NH; Tristan Robertson, Milan, NH; Colbe Goudreau, Gorham, NH; Faith Gingras, East Norton, VT; and Jonah Cote, Canaan, VT. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Building on the North Country’s strengths

The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation made $3.4 million in grants to 58 nonprofits in Coös County and surrounding communities in 2019.

Melissa Elander serves as the Energy Circuit Rider in the North Country, part of a pilot program of Clean Energy NH that is being funded through a three-year grant from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

‘Energy circuit rider’ helps towns become more energy-efficient

New position created with funding from Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund brings energy-efficiency to towns and school districts, with an eye to driving demand for sustainable energy systems and creating jobs in related industries.

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

Four-year recipient of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Scholarship, Megan Flanagan. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

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, White Mountains Regional High School life-science teacher, 2019 Louise Tillotson Teaching Fellowship recipient. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

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

Teen Trail Crew, a NH-JAG summer youth program. (Courtesy photo.)

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

The Lancaster Community Garden managed by Taproot Farm and Environmental Education Center provides the community with green space to grow their own garden.

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

For all her fondness of international travel, Louise Tillotson loved the North Country, and it quickly became her home. Courtesy photo.

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

Kristin Lizotte, a teacher at Kearsarge Regional Elementary School, has been awarded the 2019 Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

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

Youth Leadership Through Adventure (YLTA) students active with the Empower Coös Youth Campaign. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

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

Northern Forest Canoe Trail, post work paddle on the Connecticut River. (Courtesy photo.)

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

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