Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announces summer arts grant deadlines
Sheffield — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has announced summer deadlines for competitive art-related grants. The funds support regional artists and nonprofit arts organizations.
For artists
The Martha Boschen Porter Fund supports emerging artists in all media who reside in Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess or northwest Litchfield counties, as well as artists who plan to take their work in a different direction. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded. Applications are due Sunday, July 15.
The Artist’s Resource Trust Fund for Individuals provides grants to support the creative work of mid-career visual artists. Applicants must be age 35 and older and reside in New England or New York’s Columbia and northeast Dutchess counties. Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded. Applications are due Wednesday, Aug. 1.
For nonprofits
The Artist’s Resource Trust Fund for Organizations provides grants to regional nonprofit organizations to purchase, exhibit or commission work created by mid-career visual artists who reside in New England or New York’s Columbia and northeast Dutchess counties. Grants of up to $7,000 will be awarded. Applications are due Wednesday, Aug. 1.
The application process for all grants is online.
–E.E.
Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires to hold one-day bootcamp for nonprofits
Stockbridge — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires will hold a one-day Nonprofit Boot Camp Wednesday, July 11, at the Red Lion Inn for new, young and small nonprofits in need of a tune-up. The daylong session will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will cover the basics of nonprofit management including governance, finance, fundraising, legal and best practices.
Lead presenter Susan Nicholl will address topics through a combination of facilitator-led instruction, interactive discussion, local experts and panel discussion with area practitioners. Aimed at directors, board members and volunteer leaders who want to build a solid foundation or address gaps, the session presents an opportunity for staff and board members to attend together. Attendees will leave with a 100-page handbook containing templates, sample descriptions, articles and other resources to guide them in the coming months. Attending organizations will also receive a free hour of phone consultation with the boot camp presenter to help the organizations get past any hurdles.
Nicholl has served as a management consultant for the Institute for Nonprofit Development in central Massachusetts and was instrumental in launching and establishing the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. She has served as the past chair of the MetroWest Nonprofit Network and as a former editor of massnonprofit.org. She has worked professionally with boards of directors at more than three dozen organizations, providing consultation focused on re-energizing and growing small organizations.
The cost of the boot camp attendance is $125 for the primary participant and $50 for each additional participant. For more information, contact the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires at (413) 441-9542.
–E.E.
* * *
Diane Wortis joins Jacob’s Pillow as deputy director of philanthropic engagement
Becket — Jacob’s Pillow has announced that Diane Wortis has joined the organization as its deputy director of philanthropic engagement.
In her new position, Wortis will work closely with director of development Alexandra Groff, director Pamela Tatge and the board of trustees to set the Pillow’s strategy for all fundraising and major gifts integral to the Pillow’s $7.1 million annual operating budget. The position will also be focused on donor relations pertaining to Vision ‘22, the organization’s strategic plan for growth that will allow it to more robustly serve artists and audiences alike as a year-round institution.
Wortis worked most recently as the director of development of alumnae relations at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, where she oversaw a historic increase in major and planned gift-giving. Wortis has also served as director of development at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, where she secured a major grant from the Kresge Foundation to help complete the first phase of the Clark’s $145 million campus expansion.
Additional experience includes executive, development and communications roles at Austen Riggs Center, Boston Arts Academy Foundation, the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Harvard University and Huntington Theatre Company. Wortis also has an acting and dance background, and got her start working at the Institute for Contemporary Dance in her hometown of Cambridge. She received her bachelor’s degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and a master’s degree from Simmons College’s School of Management.
–E.E.
* * *
Salisbury Bank to hold Community Day
Canaan, Conn. — Salisbury Bank will hold a free Community Day Saturday, July 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at its Canaan location. Each participant may bring up to four boxes of paper (no binders) for shredding by Legal Shred personnel. All shredded paper will be recycled.
Participants are asked to consider contributing a donation of nonperishable food items including canned goods, cereal, macaroni and cheese, cake mix, peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and tomato sauce. Household necessities such as paper towels, diapers, shampoo and soap are also appreciated. The donated items will be distributed among local food pantries.
For more information, call Salisbury Bank at (860) 824-5423.
–E.E.
* * *
Dorset Theatre Festival celebrates Giving Back Program with Community Partner Night
Dorset, Vt. — Dorset Theatre Festival aims to expand participation and awareness for its Giving Back Program and thank its regional business partners by hosting three pre-show receptions honoring community heroes. The first of these Community Partner Nights took place June 28 in honor of Vermont’s volunteer firefighters.
Members of the Dorset, Manchester and Pawlet fire departments, their families, and DTF’s corporate sponsors and advertisers showed up early for the evening performance of the theatre’s production of “Cry It Out” to find the Dorset Playhouse filled with food and libations donated by area businesses. The Dorset Union Store, Barrows House, the Dorset Inn, the Marble West Inn, Mio Bistro Mobile, Dorset Rising and the Inn at Westview Farm provided gourmet platters. Local musician William Seeders Mosheim performed live on his banjo throughout the reception. Community members including Reps. Linda Joy Sullivan, D-Dorset, and Susan Buckholz, D-White River Junction, were among those raising glasses after a toast by DTF artistic director Dina Janis.
DTF will host two more Community Partner Nights this summer. On Thursday, July 26, the reception will be sponsored by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in honor of rescue workers and nurses. The Vermont Country Store will host the third event Thursday, Aug. 16, in celebration of local farmers. All honorees and their families are invited to the receptions and to enjoy the evening’s performance for free.
–E.E.
