Our Vision
The Community Foundation for Nantucket works to enhance the well-being of our community by addressing critical issues and supporting the social, physical, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions essential for all Islanders to flourish and fulfill their potential.
Our Mission
Our mission is to strengthen Nantucket now and for future generations through thoughtful philanthropy and community leadership. In pursuit of this mission we act as a:
- Grant Maker – by strategically awarding grants through the Nantucket Fund™ and donor- directed funds to critical island nonprofits to support their work and provide essential services to our Island community.
- Charitable Resource – by maintaining a trusted in-depth knowledge of the nonprofit sector, and by providing education, discussion forums, resources, and managerial support for donors, nonprofits and the community.
- Convener – by organizing community leaders to assess Nantucket’s most critical needs and facilitate collaborative solutions.
- Steward – by creating and managing funds to ensure a permanent legacy for charitable solutions and providing donors with informed gift-giving advice.
Goal 1: Increase community awareness of the CFN and the Nantucket Fund, both prompted awareness (when asked about the CFN, people know who we are and what we do), and unprompted (when asked about important nonprofits serving Nantucket, the CFN is included as one of top 5).
Goal 2: Grow the Nantucket Fund to $15,000,000 with a long-term goal of $25,000,000 so it can serve as a true endowment for the CFN and the Island.
Goal 3: Increase annual grantmaking, utilizing a range of from 3% to 5% of the three-year rolling average of the Nantucket Fund balance with the amount to be approved annually by the Board.
Our History
The Community Foundation for Nantucket was founded in 2005 by a group of local residents who identified the need for an organization to support and enrich the quality of life for Nantucket’s growing community. These Founders were Peggy Gifford, Wade Green, Reggie Levine, Eileen McGrath, John Miller, Nancy Nelson, Richard Oman, Les Ottinger, and Clarissa Porter. Some of the founders had worked closely with other community foundations and knew their value. Some had first-hand experience with Nantucket’s nonprofits. Some were acutely aware of the needs of the local community. All of them cared deeply about Nantucket.
The Community Foundation for Nantucket is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, autonomous, nonsectarian philanthropic institution supported by the public with the long-term goals of:
- Building permanent, component funds established by many separate donors to carry out their charitable interests;
- Supporting the broad-based charitable interests and benefitting the residents of Nantucket
- Serving in leadership roles on important community issues.
National Standards
Since 20
19, the Foundation continues to achieve accreditation with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations®. This accreditation, signified by the Seal shown here, indicates that the Community Foundation for Nantucket meets the highest standards for philanthropic excellence.