The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund is receiving an infusion of publicity and money to lend to community businesses from a national campaign launched in November by Starbucks. The campaign, Create Jobs for USA, is a collaboration between Starbucks and the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). The Create Jobs for USA Fund collects donations online and at nearly 7,000 company-operated Starbucks across the country. One-hundred percent of donations are pooled into a nationwide fund to create and sustain jobs in communities across America, with a special emphasis on low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged communities.
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Concord/Berlin – The success of the 2010 merger of four independent New Hampshire United Ways that led to the formation of Granite United Way was so encouraging to the Board of Directors of the United Way of Northern New Hampshire (UWNNH) that they recently voted to also become part of the organization. As of February 1, Granite United Way will now serve over half a million residents in NH and VT and cover nearly 75% of the state’s geographic territory. The current United Way office on Main Street in Berlin will remain open.
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Concord - The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation recently announced $1,164,961 in grant awards from their Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund. Grants were awarded to 12 projects across the upper Connecticut River watershed. A twelve-person advisory committee, made up of representatives of environmental organizations, state and federal agencies, local community groups and TransCanada Hydro Northeast, recommends grants from the fund to support restoration, protection, and enhancement of the river, wetlands, and shore lands within the upper Connecticut River watershed (upstream of White River Junction, VT). Over a 15-year period, the fund is expected to provide approximately $21 million for these projects. This is the tenth round of grants awarded from the fund.
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Douglas Deihl is Director of American Indian & Ethnographic Art at Skinner, Inc., of Boston and Marlborough, Massachusetts where he has worked since 1996. Deihl has a degree in cultural anthropology from Wayne State University and is currently a member of ATADA (Antique Tribal Art Dealers of America). He brings an in-depth knowledge of Native American arts to the board.
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Northfield - Suzanne Gottling, PhD, of Sunapee NH was recently elected to the Spaulding Youth Center Board of Trustees for a three-year term expiring in 2014.
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Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc. has received a grant of $45,000 from the Walmart Foundation. The grant will benefit high school students that are part of the state network of Jobs for America's Graduates.
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Brian Young, Executive Director of Nashua Center, was recently honored with the Business Excellence Award in the Nonprofit category by a panel of judges for the New Hampshire Business Review (NHBR).
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At a state reception sponsored last month by Volunteer New Hampshire, Governor John Lynch presented a “Spirit of New Hampshire” award to Center Harbor, Meredith, Moultonborough Community Caregivers as the year’s “Outstanding Champion” in the nonprofit category. Volunteer Champion Awards are given to organizations that provide structure and support for volunteer efforts in three categories: education, business, and nonprofit. In the nonprofit category, Community Caregivers was cited as a model for other organizations.
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Concord – Concord Community Music School is pleased to welcome two new staff members. Anne Janeway of Norwich, VT, has joined Concord Community Music School as Director of Development.
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Bedford - As it enters its centennial year, Girl Scouts of the USA was named one of the 10 Nonprofits to Watch in 2012 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
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Portsmouth – For the seventh straight year, the TD Charitable Foundation, the giving arm of TD Bank, has made a substantial donation to support the Dental Center at Families First.
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Keene – Monadnock United Way (MUW) campaign volunteers gathered for a seventh Report Breakfast on Friday, January 13th. John Hoffman, General Campaign Chair announced to the attendees that the Campaign has raised $2,081,054. “I am confident that with the continued generosity of this community, this Campaign will raise the necessary funds to provide our Partner Agencies and their programs with 100% of their allocation.” Hoffman said. With just over two weeks remaining, the dollar-for-dollar match of the New Year, New Challenge still going on, plus several workplace campaigns that have just started or haven’t reported in yet, everyone remains hopeful that a successful conclusion to this year’s Campaign is just around the corner.
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Concord - Red River Theatres has named a new executive director after a months-long search from a field of nearly 150 applicants. Shelly Hudson will begin her position at Red River on Feb. 4. She's replacing Connie Rosemont, who announced in July that she would step down at the end of 2011. Hudson will be the third executive director since the nonprofit cinema opened in 2007 on South Main Street.
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Portsmouth - "Got Milk?" was the question posed to Portsmouth Rotarians this month, when a proposal made by the Pease ‘n Carrots Holiday Food Drive to provide milk for 300 families receiving assistance from the Seacoast Family Food Pantry was discussed. The Portsmouth Rotary Club's Basic Needs Committee agreed to give $3,600 towards milk for needy families, which added to the contributions of canned goods and donations collected by the Pease n' Carrots Annual effort, run by Rotarian Mark Sullivan of Seacoast Asset Management. Sullivan was instrumental in helping the food pantry to obtain discounted milk along with a large, new refrigeration unit provided and maintained by H. P. Hood beginning last year, and wanted to further help the Food Pantry by subsidizing projected 2012 milk costs.
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Manchester - St. Mary’s Bank recently donated $3,500 to Child and Family Services (CFS) of New Hampshire, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the well-being of children by providing an array of social services to prevent child abuse and neglect, strengthen family life and promote community commitment to the needs of children. The funds will be used to help CFS implement an online data management system to track and evaluate the impact of its services.
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This month's Business NH Magazine taps 65 leaders across NH as those making the "Influencer Index list." Included as "people who get things done" are 12 nonprofit executives and many well-known nonprofit board leaders.
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Concord – The HNHfoundation awarded $649,076 grants during its 2011 program year. The grant awards benefit 31 health-related initiatives and projects at non-profit organizations and government agencies across the State. This year’s grants were awarded to many “first-time” grantees to fund projects that focus on policy and environmental changes to prevent childhood obesity, to provide preventive and restorative oral health for children in Coos County, and to advocate for increasing access to children’s health and dental insurance coverage.
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Northfield - The Board of Trustees of the Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation of Pittsburg, PA recently approved a grant of $100,000 in support of the Spaulding Youth Center Foundation’s Capital Campaign, ‘Success Under Construction,’ to fund the construction of a new school facility at Spaulding Youth Center. The Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation focuses its giving primarily in central NH as well as Pittsburg, PA, and Santa Barbara, CA.
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North Conway – The Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund recently awarded $7,940 to Kismet Rock Foundation’s (Kismet) summer scholarship program. Thanks to the generosity of the Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Kismet will be able to offer four four-year climbing scholarships to deserving students from New Hampshire beginning in the summer of 2012.
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Portsmouth – Families First Health and Support Center recently received a $20,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Grant dollars were provided by the Barbara K. & Cyrus B. Sweet III Fund and the Oliver J. and Dorothy Penniman Hubbard New Futures Fund.
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Manchester -  St. Mary’s Bank announced it recently donated $2,900 to the Manchester Historic Association (MHA), an organization that collects, preserves and shares the history of Manchester, New Hampshire. The funds will be used to purchase a new computer for MHA’s education department as well as the hardware necessary to provide security for critical data.
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Concord – TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada) has donated $40,000 to the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund’s Campaign for Opportunity, pushing the capital campaign closer to its $2.2-million goal.
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Manchester – Families in Transition (FIT), a Manchester- and Concord-based homeless housing and services provider, received a new Toyota Sienna mini van on Thursday, December 15, as a winner of Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program. The vehicle was picked up from Ira Toyota in Manchester, and representatives from Corporate Toyota were also present as the keys were handed to FIT President, Maureen Beauregard.
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Keene - Monadnock United Way (MUW) campaign volunteers gathered for this year’s final Report Breakfast on Wednesday, December 14th. John Hoffman, General Campaign Chair addressed the attendees with some serious, yet inspirational words. “We have a lot more to do, and we’ll do it.” Comparing the campaign to a marathon, Hoffman told volunteers, “The last six miles of a marathon are always the toughest, but that’s where the race really begins. This final strech is the time to make it happen.”
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Northfield - Stephen (Steve) McCarty of Boxford, MA was recently elected to the Spaulding Youth Center Board of Trustees for a three-year term expiring in 2014. McCarty is the President and founder of the Concept Group which provides client services in the areas of strategy, business analysis, organization and leadership primarily in the healthcare industry.
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The Coalition is excited to welcome former State Representative Suzanne Harvey to the board of directors. Suzanne served three terms in the New Hampshire House from 2005-2010, and was vice chair of the Science, Technology & Energy Committee for two terms. During her time in the House, she also served as chair of the Statewide Interagency Commission on Human Trafficking and was prime sponsor of the bill that made human trafficking a felony in the state. Read more...

Concord, NH - The NH Charitable Foundation recently hosted a reception in honor of Anthony Blenkinsop and to welcome him to his new position as Director of Charitable Trusts for the State of New Hampshire.

Pictured on the right: From Left: Mary Ellen Jackson, Executive Director, NH Center for Nonprofits; Anthony Blenkinsop; Terry Knowles, Assistant Director of Charitable Trusts; and Richard Ober, President, NH Charitable Foundation.

Manchester - St. Mary’s Bank recently donated $15,000 to the YMCA of Greater Londonderry in support of the Y’s capital campaign to build the town’s first outdoor community swimming pool and state-of-the-art recreation facility.
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Concord - New Hampshire Audubon will hold a press conference Thursday to announce it has become the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). These two organizations will remain very independent but will collaborate on shared conservation, education and policy concerns that will strengthen New Hampshire’s unique natural resources.
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Concord - Families in Transition (FIT), a Manchester and Concord-based homeless housing and services provider, is the recipient of a $36,575 donation from Anagnost Investments, Inc. through the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority tax credit program. The donation will fund the ongoing expansion and relocation of OutFITters Thrift Store Boutique in Concord and will help combat homelessness by enhancing Families in Transition’s housing and programming.
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Portsmouth - Arts In Reach (AIR), an organization supporting teen girls through mentoring and the arts in Rockingham and Strafford Counties, announces the appointment of Sarah Gnerre, to the position of President of the Board. AIR also welcomes new Board Members, John Fitzpatrick, and Dr. Kimberly Higney to the organization.
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Concord - The New Hampshire Association for the Blind’s Board of Directors have elected Michelle Arruda, Contoocook as Board Chairperson, Susan Manchester, Amherst as Board Vice Chairperson, Tom Pare, Salem as Board Treasurer and Doreen Manetta, Nashua as Secretary. Collectively the officers of the Board have served more than 20 years as board members. Their leadership will strengthen the organizations mission to advance the independence of persons who are blind or visually impaired. The NH Association for the Blind has been serving NH residents for 100 years throughout all communities.
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Concord - The Children’s Alliance of NH has announced the launch of NH Hunger Solutions, a statewide initiative working to improve children's nutrition and end childhood hunger in New Hampshire. A diverse coalition of advocates, business and community leaders is developing a roadmap consisting of short and long term strategies to share with government and human services agencies, policymakers, and families struggling with hunger. NH Hunger Solutions will build support to implement the plan and achieve permanent solutions.
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Loudon - Speedway Children's Charities of New Hampshire has awarded a $2,500 grant to On Belay, a nonprofit organization offering free adventure-based support programs to children in northern New England whose families have been affected by cancer. The New Hampshire Motor Speedway became a part of the Speedway Motorsports company in 2008. Each speedway in the Speedway Motorsports family hosts a "Children's Charities" chapter, which is responsible for raising and distributing funds in the local region. Speedway Children's Charities works to improve the lives of children by providing funds for hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the nation that meet the direct needs of children, no matter what obstacle they are facing.
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Concord - The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has named Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, of Portsmouth, N.H., to the position of philanthropy advisor. In this role, Bloodworth Botop is based in the Piscataqua Region office, where she works closely with advisory board members, donors, and professional advisors.
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Manchester - Ruth Zax, development director for Child and Family Services of NH, was recently honored with the Award for Excellence in Development by the Council on Fundraising (CONFR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of philanthropy in New Hampshire.
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Montpelier, VT - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack selected recipients in 50 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for grants to make critical repairs and improve housing conditions for low- and very-low-income rural residents.
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Concord - The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation announced today that it made more than 970 awards totaling more than $6.5 million during the third quarter of 2011. So far this calendar year, the foundation has granted $25 million.
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Portsmouth - BJ’s Charitable Foundation recently donated $5,000 to Families First Health and Support Center to be used for dental supplies.
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The Verizon Foundation recently awarded the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence with two grants totaling $10,000. The first grant, for $5,000, will enable the Coalition's member programs to hire interpreters to provide in person language services to victims. The additional $5,000 grant will allow the Coalition to purchase outreach materials containing the statewide hotline information.

Concord – A New Hampshire community lender today received a $231,000 grant from the Create Jobs for USA Fund, a collaboration between Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). The money will help the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund create and sustain jobs in New Hampshire as part of a national campaign to support small, community businesses.
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Manchester – Friends and supporters of Families in Transition (FIT), a Manchester and Concord-based homeless services provider, joined the organization’s board and staff to celebrate 20 years of the agency’s achievements on Wednesday, November 2 at the OutFITters Thrift Store in Manchester. Maureen Beauregard, FIT Founder and President, was also honored for her work within the community and leadership within the agency.
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Portsmouth – Piscataqua Savings Bank recently awarded $10,000 to Families First Health and Support Center to support mobile dental services for the homeless.
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The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has awarded New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) a two-year grant of $540,000 to support its Domestic Violence Advocacy Project (DVAP). Working in partnership with several other statewide non-profits and local crisis centers, DVAP advocates address critical civil legal needs of low-income domestic and sexual violence victims in the State of New Hampshire. DVAP advocates provide direct representation to the most needy and vulnerable low-income victim/survivors in family law cases and also provide holistic representation to these clients in a wide range of civil legal issues, including housing, government benefits, bankruptcy, and immigration. The DVAP has been in operation since 1999.
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Thirteen businesspeople were honored on October 27 at the New Hampshire Business Review's ninth annual Business Excellence Awards, which recognizes the efforts and achievements owners and operators of companies with 100 employees or fewer. Among the winners was Brian Young of the Nashua Center for the Multiply Handicapped who was honored for Excellence in Nonprofits. Also honored was Howard Brodsky of CCA Global Partners - who has worked closely with the Center for the past two years in the development of NonprofitNext. Mr. Brodsky was one of two inductees into the Business Excellence Hall of Fame.
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St. Joseph Community Services (SJCS), the provider of Meals On Wheels in Hillsborough County, has achieved exemplary level Magnet Accreditation from the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). SJCS is the first Meals On Wheels Program in New England to achieve any level of MOWAA Magnet Accreditation.
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Three boys from The Mayhew Program recently presented Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of the Granite United Way, with a check for $185.00 to help them create opportunities for a better life for all. 
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Portsmouth –Families First Health & Support Center, the community health center in Portsmouth, recently elected Daniel Schwarz and Joanne Lamprey to its Board of Directors.
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Concord - The Entrepreneurs Foundation of New Hampshire (EFNH), an initiative of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, presented grant awards to ABI Innovation Hub and the New Hampshire Food Bank through their AMP NH grant program at an event held in Manchester at Dyn, Inc. Each organization received $5,000 and will gain access to the broad expertise and intellectual capital of EFNH members, who include representatives from the software, web-based, food production, energy, advanced materials and venture capital companies.
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Concord - New Hampshire Audubon (NHA) announced the winners of its 2011 Annual Awards at their Annual Meeting on October 8. The Tudor Richards Award was presented to Geoff Jones of Stoddard. The award recognizes an individual who has worked tirelessly and effectively for conservation in the Granite State. Geoff’s history of service is long and impressive. As longtime chair of the Conservation Commission, he organized Stoddard’s first-ever investment in land conservation. Under his guidance as Director of Land Management for the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, its lands were the first to be “green certified” for sustainable forestry practices in the state. Geoff is a forester who has gone beyond that deep connection to be a force for conservation and natural resource stewardship.
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