About the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund serves as a resource for the people of Coös County, New Hampshire, Coaticook, Québec and neighboring communities.
A fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Tillotson Fund supports priorities identified by people in the region and works in partnership with local organizations, people and communities to advance those priorities. The Fund awards more than $4 million annually and has awarded more than $63 million since its inception in 2006. Local advisors help direct the Fund’s grantmaking, along with Charitable Foundation staff who are based in the region.
In addition to the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, the Foundation manages the Louise Tillotson Teaching Fellowship, the Neil and Louise Tillotson Scholarship Fund, the Coaticook (Québec) Region Fund, Hereford Forest Fund, Dixville Cemetery Fund and the Tillotson Guatemala Fund.
About Neil and Louise
Neil Tillotson was an entrepreneur who, from the humblest beginnings, built numerous companies that employed thousands of people. Louise Tillotson, his wife, was a force all her own. They traveled the world, but were deeply attached to the North Country as “home.”
About Neil and Louise
Neil Tillotson was an entrepreneur who, from the humblest beginnings, built numerous companies that employed thousands of people. Louise Tillotson, his wife, was a force all her own. They traveled the world, but were deeply attached to the North Country as “home.”
Who we are
The work of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund is guided by a local advisory committee and managed by a small team of staff who live in the region.
Vision
The vision of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund is to serve as a resource for the people of Coös County and neighboring communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and southern Québec to forge their own pathways to well-being and cultivate a region that thrives. The Tillotson Fund serves as a stable and consistent source of support for the people of the region to:
- Create and enhance opportunity;
- Preserve and uplift the historical and cultural assets that make the region unique;
- Hold the confidence and capabilities to foster strong communities and healthy rural land
Purpose
The purpose of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund is to engage with local communities to identify their short- and long-term priorities and invest in the ideas and initiatives which advance those priorities. The people and organizations of the region partner with the Tillotson Fund to create, to innovate and to achieve their aspirations.
Principles
We, the staff and advisory committee of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, work with community members to uphold the following principles:
Foster potential
The people in the region hold the knowledge and ingenuity needed to solve problems, create opportunities and build thriving communities. The Fund aims to foster these strengths by supporting organizations and initiatives aimed at cultivating the entrepreneurial power, relationships and confidence that support self-determination and well-being.
Follow community lead
The resources of the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund are primarily dedicated to the people and communities of this region. The fund works shoulder-to-shoulder with people in the region to help direct these resources to priorities and initiatives that they have identified. The Fund works to be inclusive of all community members in this process, including those who are often excluded from decision-making.
Cherish natural resources
The natural landscape is one of the greatest assets of the region. The Fund strives to be good stewards of the land, air and waterways, and to advance opportunities that strengthen human connection to the natural environment.
Cultivate belonging
We hold a deep respect for the diversity of life experience of the people in the region and aim to cultivate communities where everyone feels valued.
Trust in each other
We build trust by prioritizing respect, humility, honesty and empathy in the Fund’s collaborations and interactions with partners and community members.
Our strategic plan
As the region grows and transforms, the Tillotson Fund will continue to build deep community connection and ensure that the philosophy and legacies of Neil and Louise Tillotson are embedded into the work.
Other funds
The Charitable Foundation manages additional philanthropic funds set up by Louise Tillotson to benefit communities in the U.S., Canada and Guatemala where the Tillotsons lived and worked.
A resource for our community
The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund invests in the people and organizations in Coös County, New Hampshire and Coaticook, Québec and bordering communities.
Contact us
Got questions, feedback, or just want to say hi? Reach out anytime.