CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $600K IN GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
New leadership introduces streamlined application process for grantees The Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) announced grants in response to key issues that affect local residents and the community as a whole. Grants reflected six themes or areas of interest, including: Economic Opportunity and Mobility, Educational Opportunity, Hunger and Homelessness, Arts and Cultural Vitality, Civic Engagement and Volunteerism, and Elder Support. Grants were also made with respect to the Environment, and in a category labeled Serving the Underserved. “One overriding goal is to give support to organizations that offer both high quality programs and the ability to drive change in issues that affect residents,” said Geeta Pradhan, president of the foundation. “We are looking to move the needle on key issues.” Pradhan was named to head the foundation in July. She succeeded Robert S. Hurlbut Jr., who retired after more than 20 years overseeing the city’s only community foundation. What once required multiple submissions and a complex set of deadlines for organizations seeking support from the Cambridge Community Foundation was simplified this year. Now there is a single application for four separate funds, and an online form means far less paperwork. Meanwhile, the grants approved by the foundation’s board on November
