Cambridge/Agassiz/Harvard Community, Culture, and Recreation Fund

Thank you for your interest in the Cambridge/Agassiz/Harvard Community Culture and Recreation Fund (“CAH Fund”). The charitable fund was created by Harvard University and the Agassiz Neighborhood to support a range of programs to benefit children, teens, families, individuals and seniors and to enhance the quality of life within the City of Cambridge and the Agassiz community. It is expressly intended to supplement rather than replace existing sources of funding. The CAH Fund is managed by a seven-member advisory board of City, community and university representatives and is being administered through the Cambridge Community Foundation.

In order to be considered for a grant your agency must be tax-exempt (501(c) (3) under the IRS code), and your program must serve people of Cambridge. There are two annual deadlines for proposal submissions: October 15 and April 15.

Proposals must be submitted via email to the fund administrator at [email protected] no later than 5:00 PM on the day they are due. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications are due by 5:00 PM on the following business day.

CAH Fund Proposal Guidelines:

Agencies must submit the following

• Your proposal (see below) with the completed CAH Fund Proposal Summary Sheet
• A digital copy of the determination letter from the IRS confirming the organization’s tax-exempt status
• A digital copy of the organization’s most recent annual audit report

Proposals must include the following:

1. A CAH Fund Proposal Summary Sheet
2. A statement of your agency and project (Please limit this to one page.)
3. A description of the specific project and budget for which funds are being requested
   • No more than 5 pages in length
   • Be clear on your goals, outcomes, and how you intend to evaluate the effectiveness of your project as CAH Fund requires an evaluation of funded projects within 1 year of award
4. An agency budget for the current fiscal year
5. A list of the organization’s current Board of Overseers

Optional support materials included must not exceed 3 pages.

New proposals will not be considered from agencies that have not submitted an evaluation from a previous grant.

First-time applicants are encouraged to call with any questions about the application process or the appropriateness of your proposal. Please contact CAH Fund administrator, Terry DeLancey, at [email protected]

As a part of a mutually beneficial relationship regarding development in Harvard’s north campus memorialized in a Memorandum of Agreement, dated March 1, 2004, Harvard and the Agassiz Neighborhood agreed to establish a fund to support a range of programs to benefit children, teens, families, individuals and seniors and to enhance the quality of life within the Agassiz Baldwin community and the City of Cambridge.

Funding Guidelines and Priorities

• Funds may go only to public entities or charitable nonprofit organizations that are exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or similar successor law).
• Funds must be used for purposes that fall within the broad rubric of “community, culture, health, environmental sustainability, education and recreation.”
• Grants are expressly intended to supplement rather than replace existing sources of funding and to strengthen organizational capacity, self-reliance and sustainability.
• Grants are intended to help enable ‘pilot’ projects. The CAH Fund is not a source of annual operating funds. The Advisory Board will seek to support a range of organizations serving the community.
• Projects that foster collaboration among non-profit agencies with related missions are encouraged.
• Projects and activities supported through the CAH Fund must be open to Cambridge residents regardless of where they live in the city and encourage inclusion of diverse racial, ethnic and socio-economic constituencies.
• Strong preference will be given to projects or programs of the Agassiz Baldwin Community and organizations seeking funds to increase access of under-served groups and people of modest means to educational, cultural, recreation, health or community building opportunities.