Grant Making

As a trusted charitable resource, we provide education, guidance, and support for donors, nonprofits, and the community. We bring together local leaders to assess pressing needs and collaborate on impactful solutions. By managing funds and creating lasting charitable legacies, we help ensure that Nantucket remains a vibrant place where all residents can flourish.

The Community Foundation awards grants through the funds we hold including the Nantucket Fund, Donor Advised Funds, Initiative Funds, the Remain Fund, and Community Wind Fund. This section provides information on the scope of grant making CFN facilitates. In 2024 the Community Foundation granted $4.6 million to non-profits.

2025 Nantucket Fund Grant Recipients
  • A Safe Place – Trauma Therapy Program
  • Addiction Solutions Nantucket – Database Management Support
  • Artists Association of Nantucket – Senior Arts Outreach Program
  • Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Cape & Islands – Nantucket Mentor Program
  • Bulgarian Education Center – Bulgarian School Cultural Education Program
  • Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation – Maternal/Child Health Program
  • Elder Services of Cape Cod & the Islands – Nantucket Meals on Wheels and Saltmarsh Senior Meals Program
  • Fairwinds – Telehealth Hybrid Program
  • Friends of Children’s Cove – Children’s Trauma Therapist Travel Support
  • Friends of Nantucket Public Schools – Scholarship Program for After School Activities
  • Habitat for Humanity – Waitt Drive Village Project: Duplex
  • Health Imperatives – Health Clinic & Women Infant and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program
  • Homeless Prevention Council – Program support for Unstably Housed Youth and Young Adults on Nantucket
  • Housing Nantucket – Rehabilitate Rental Properties
  • In The Herd – Equine Therapy Sessions for Youth
  • Mass Audubon Nantucket Sanctuaries – Youth Environmental Stewards Program
  • Montessori Children’s House of Nantucket – Tuition Stabilization for 2025
  • Nantucket Center for Elder Affairs – Programs for Nantucket Seniors
  • Nantucket Community Ice Rink – Program Support
  • Nantucket Community Music Center – Nantucket Island Youth Orchestra Free After School Program
  • Nantucket Community School – Summer Boost & English Language Learners Program
  • Nantucket Community Television – ACK Ambassadors Program
  • Nantucket Dreamland Foundation – Free Youth Matinees & Community Screenings
  • Nantucket Interfaith Council – Food Pantry and Rental Assistance Programs
  • Nantucket Island Fair – 2025 Island Fair
  • Nantucket Lighthouse School – Extended Day Program for Pre-K to Grade 5
  • Nantucket Pride – Nantucket Pride Film Festival
  • Nantucket S.T.A.R. – Sports and Therapeutic Accessible Recreation Wellness Program
  • New England LifeFlight – Emergency Flight Service Support
  • Our House – Outreach to Hard to Reach and At Risk Youth
  • PASCON – Caregiver Support Program
  • Rising Tide Preschool – Building Bright Futures Program
  • Small Friends on Nantucket – Opening an Older Toddler & Early Preschool Classroom
  • St. Paul’s Church on Nantucket – Early Childhood Family Space & Free Community Suppers Program
  • The Maria Mitchell Association – Learning Labs Program
  • The Nantucket Book Foundation – Visiting Authors in Schools Program
  • The Warming Place – Emergency Shelter Program

Nantucket Fund

CFN’s unrestricted funding source that provides annual grants to the island’s most critical needs and initiatives.  Grants support everything from pre-kindergarten readiness programs and elder services to trauma therapy resources and affordable housing initiatives. The Nantucket Fund will grant a record high $1,000,000 in 2025.

Initiative Funds

Initiative Funds include Field of interest, and Designated Funds supporting a broad cause or issue that fund holders care about, such as the arts, education, healthcare, or environmental conservation. 

Donor Advised Funds

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a flexible charitable giving account that allows donors to support multiple causes over time while receiving an immediate tax deduction for their contributions. Donors make a gift to establish the fund, and the contributions can be invested to grow tax-free.

Scholarship Funds

A Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to students pursuing education at various levels, from high school to college and beyond. Currently CFN awards scholarships from 14 funds focused on a variety of disciplines. $86,000 was awarded in Scholarships in 2025.

Past Grantees

Grants are the primary means by which the Community Foundation for Nantucket improves and enhances the Island. Proceeds for grants come from restricted and unrestricted endowments and donations from charitably-minded organizations and individuals.

2024 Wind Community Fund Grant Recipients
Town Of Nantucket – Total award: $223,078:
  • Department of Culture & Tourism -Virtual Visitor Guide
  • Cemetery Commission- Historic Colored Cemetery Walking Tour Virtual Guide
  • Department of Public Works- Solar project on Nobadeer Farm Rd. Field House
  • Planning and Land Use- Historic Properties Survey Plan
  • Sewer Dept.- Solar project on Surfside Rd. Sewer Plant
  • Landbank & TON Select Board- Washington Street-Outreach and communication.
  • Wannacomet Water Company- Solar project on main office building

Nantucket Preservation Trust – Total Award amount $304,453:
  • Design and printing of annual preservation magazine, Ramblings, for two years.
  • Reprinting Off Centre: The Wesco Acre Lots, The Houses and Their Histories
  • Integrity and Condition Study of the Nantucket Historical Land District to document major changes that have occurred since its destination in 1966.
  • Preservation Easements Program that works to support the creation, administration, and defense of historic preservation easements.
 Community Fund – Total award: $254,462
  • First Congregational Church Community Group- Stormwater Management Project
  • Independent Order of Odd Fellows- Energy Optimization Heat Pumps
  • NHA Properties, Inc./Housing Nantucket- Solar panels for affordable rental units
  • Nantucket New School & Strong Wings- Solar power system for campus buildings
  • Linda Loring Nature Foundation- Resilience Restoration Project at North Head of Long Pond
  • Mass Audubon Nantucket Sanctuaries- First phase of Forest Management and Resilience Initiative at Lost Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Artist Association of Nantucket- Preservation of Permanent Collection
  • Nantucket Historical Association- Year 2 of a disaster and climate risk management plan for historic properties.
  • Nantucket Island School of Design- Solar panels on historic Long Shed Ceramics and Fine Arts Studio building
  • Nantucket Conservation Foundation – Solar panels at Squam Farm
  • Nantucket Conservation Foundation – Engineering and design steps for Nantucket’s first raised bridge at Medouie Creek
  • Nantucket Boys & Girls Club- Solar panels to the main building

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