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Richard Ober

President and CEO

Richard Ober

Dick Ober leads the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the largest private provider of nonprofit grants and student aid in northern New England. The Foundation manages more than $1 billion in charitable funds donated by hundreds of families and individuals, and awards some 8,000 grants and scholarships exceeding $70 million annually.

Dick has 40 years of experience in nonprofit management and civic affairs. Before coming to the Foundation, he held senior staff positions at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and the Monadnock Conservancy. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards and public commissions, including several Gubernatorial appointments.

Dick is the co-founder and past chair of the Community Foundation Opportunity Network (CFON) and a past chair of CFLeads. He has also served on the board of directors for the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Dick has written and lectured widely on community philanthropy, civic life, and the connections between people and the places they live. His work has been published in books, book chapters, magazines, and journals. He has been recognized with awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, the State of New Hampshire, and Plymouth State University, and has repeatedly been named as one of the state’s most influential people by leading New Hampshire business publications.

Dick lives with his wife and daughter in Dublin, New Hampshire.



Latest Posts


A letter from Foundation President Dick Ober

When I was asked to take on the role of president and CEO of the Foundation, I fully expected this to be the most rewarding and humbling experience of my professional life — and it has been both.

State House, Concord, NH

Lawmakers should adopt a common-sense budget that helps people thrive

The Foundations urges the Senate to craft, and Governor Ayotte to endorse, a state budget that advances fairness, dignity, and economic prosperity for all the people of New Hampshire.

Charitable Foundation President Dick Ober [Photo by Cheryl Senter]

Our shared work now

It has never been more important to look outward, to embrace a shared imperative to build communities of care and belonging, to protect the most vulnerable, to try to heal community fractures.

Foundation President and CEO Richard Ober speaks at the Foundation's "Here for Good" event at the Capitol Center for the Arts on September 17, 2024. (Photo by Cheryl Senter).

Here for Good

Charitable Foundation president and CEO Richard Ober's remarks from the Foundation's fall, 2024 community events.

Charitable Foundation President Dick Ober [Photo by Cheryl Senter]

Helping New Hampshire families thrive

New Hampshire nonprofits are bringing extraordinary dedication and ingenuity to the task of making high-quality, affordable child care available to all families who need it.

Attempts to erode LGBTQ rights undermine the NH community

Our LGBTQ families, friends, neighbors and allies deserve to live in a New Hampshire community where they are safe, where they are respected, where they belong. As the legislature and governor have correctly recognized in the past — and as they should again — that kind of New Hampshire community is better for us all.

Charitable Foundation President Dick Ober [Photo by Cheryl Senter]

A transformative gift

Oliver Hubbard left $43.5 million to the Foundation to address substance use disorders and related mental and physical health issues.

Foundation President Richard Ober. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Nurturing our Civic Health

Civic health undergirds every issue and is a good in and of itself: People are more productive and happy when they are informed, welcomed and respected.

Foundation President Richard Ober. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Together We Thrive

The Foundation’s new strategic plan is focused on advancing equity and racial justice — to help make New Hampshire a community where we can all thrive, together.

State House, Concord, NH. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Foundation urges state leaders to allow remote testimony

Citizen participation has always been a priority for the New Hampshire legislature. The health of our citizen government depends on it. And the health of our people and economy depend on stemming the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation joins many others in urging House and Senate leaders to provide the people of New Hampshire the option to testify remotely during the upcoming legislative session.

State House, Concord, NH. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Foundation statement on state budget

A state budget is a statement of community values, and we believe that elements of this budget and trailer bill run contrary to the values of free speech, democratic representation and equality of opportunity.

Supporters and curious voters wait to hear then Democratic presidential candidate South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg speak at a campaign event in Nashua NH, Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

How’s our civic health?

The latest NH Civic Health Index from the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire shows that the state does well by some measures — and it also raises some critical questions.


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