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Katie Merrow, Senior Director, NH Tomorrow and Public Policy Initiatives. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Katie Merrow, Senior Director, NH Tomorrow and Public Policy Initiatives. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)

Thank you, Katie

Katie Merrow, who led the Charitable Foundation's community impact department for 14 years with outstanding distinction, has made the decision to hand off the reins. The Foundation is deeply grateful to Katie. "We will dearly miss her passion, her commitment to the work, and her tireless drive to make New Hampshire a better community,” said president and CEO Dick Ober.

By Lois R. Shea, Senior Writer and Communications Officer  |  

The Foundation is deeply grateful to Katie Merrow, who served as Vice President for Community Impact from 2008 until the fall of 2022.

“Katie has served in this role with extraordinary distinction, and her work has helped make people’s lives better all over New Hampshire,” said Dick Ober, president and CEO of the Charitable Foundation. “We are full of admiration and gratitude for what Katie has done and will continue to do to help communities and people across the Granite State. We will dearly miss her passion, her commitment to the work, and her tireless drive to make New Hampshire a better community.”

During Katie’s 14-year tenure, the Foundation more than doubled its grantmaking, leveraged millions in outside funds for important work in New Hampshire, deepened partnerships with nonprofits and donors, streamlined its grant application processes and increased multiyear operating support. Katie’s work was instrumental as the Foundation helped lead policy initiatives, from working on criminal justice reform to strengthening practice in substance use prevention, treatment and recovery, and administering the Nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund program so nonprofits had access to CARES Act funds at the height of the pandemic. Katie was a primary architect and leader of New Hampshire Tomorrow, the foundation’s 10-year initiative to increase equity of opportunity for children and youth.

“It has been the honor of my career to hold this seat for 14 years,” Katie said, “and to support the nonprofit community and every person in it. They are the heart and soul of our communities, and show up every day even in the worst of times. And I am incredibly proud of the staff team that does the community impact work at the Foundation, and grateful to have had the opportunity to lead them.”

“It’s time for me to hand off the reins,” Katie said. “As the Foundation embarks on a new strategic plan, it feels like the right moment to make space for new leadership of our community impact work.”

Katie will be with the Foundation through early November. The Foundation is working on plans for future leadership of its Community Impact department. Please check nhcf.org for future news and announcements.


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