Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is seeking applications to its Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund Grant Program.  Grants are awarded for projects that provide restoration, protection, and enhancement of the river, wetlands and shore lands within the Connecticut River watershed above White River Junction, VT.

The deadline for grant applications is Monday, November 30, 2009. Applicants seeking more than $25,000 from the fund must also submit a brief concept paper by Wednesday, September 30, 2009.  Awards will be announced early in 2010.

Grant application materials, including specific criteria for the types of programs eligible for funding and a list of previous grant awards, can be downloaded from www.nhcf.org in the “Apply for a Grant” section.  For more information, contact Senior Program Officer Kevin Peterson at (603) 653-0387, ext. 1270 or kp@nhcf.org.

The Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund was created in 2002 as part of the settlement agreement between parties involved in the federal process to award a new operating license for three hydroelectric dams on the Connecticut River at Fifteen Mile Falls near Littleton, NH and Ryegate, VT.  Under the terms of the settlement agreement and federal license, dam operator TransCanada Hydro Northeast, Inc. made contributions to support the fund.  Over the next several years, the fund is expected to provide a total of approximately $17 million for river restoration, wetland protection, restoration and enhancement, and shoreland protection.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation serves communities throughout New Hampshire, southeastern Maine, and east-central Vermont. The Charitable Foundation manages a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families, and corporations, and awarded more than $34 million in grants and scholarships in 2008. The Charitable Foundation is non-partisan, frequently playing the role of convener and catalyst on a broad spectrum of issues. Based in Concord, the Charitable Foundation roots itself in the communities through seven regional advisory boards. More information is available at www.nhcf.org, or by calling 603-225-6641.