A fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund
Coös Conservation District – No Till Drill Workshop. (Photo by Whitney Lewis)

Coös Conservation District – No Till Drill Workshop. (Photo by Whitney Lewis)

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Apply for a grant

Each year, The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund awards more than $4 million in grants to support economic development, education and community safety net programs that focus on the people in Coös County, NH and communities in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont and the MRC De Coaticook in Québec, Canada that share a border with Coös County.

Well-being for all

Goal: Support people and families to meet their essential needs for heath and well-being.

We invest in efforts to:

  • Meet essential needs for people and families: food, housing, transportation, health care, learning, childcare, etc.
  • Strengthen systems of care in early childhood, behavioral health, youth services and more that emphasize:
    – collaboration among agencies and organizations
    – programs that build on people’s individual strengths
    – making services accessible and welcoming to all
    – full participation of families
    – shared community responsibility for success

Thriving workforce

Goal: Strengthen the capacity of local employers to maintain and/or grow operations, build and retain a dynamic workforce, stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, ensure business continuity and plan for the future.

We invest in efforts to:

  • Attract and retain a workforce.
  • Establish workforce housing.
  • Help companies and employees build skills and systems for long-term success.
  • Connect employers to business-development support.
  • Connect employees with support in financial literacy and planning, housing and more.
  • Increase access to affordable, quality childcare.

Healthy environment

Goal: Address the negative impacts of climate change by investing in mitigation and adaptation strategies, responsible stewardship of natural resources and efforts that help people connect with nature.

We invest in efforts to:

  • Protect the health land, air, forests, waterways and wildlife.
  • Encourage and support environmentally responsible tourism and recreation.
  • Build and enhance sustainable food systems.
  • Promote, sustain and expand energy efficiency, clean energy and green building practices.
  • Implement climate-smart forestry solutions.

Resilient communities

Goal: Support initiatives and activities that build trust, belonging and connection and lead to stronger, more resilient communities.

We invest in efforts to:

  • Empower youth.
  • Bring people together collaborate on community work and celebrate the region.
  • Build skills, knowledge and approaches to advance equity.
  • Support community-builders and change agents.
  • Revitalize population hubs and preserve cultural and historical assets.
  • Engage people in civic life.
  • Help cities and towns to strengthen leadership and the delivery of community services.

Coaticook Regional County Municipality

Barnston-Ouest
Coaticook
Compton
Dixville
East Hereford
Martinville
Sainte-Edwidge-de-Clifton
Saint-Herménégilde
Saint-Malo
Saint-Venant-de-Paquette
Stanstead-Est
Waterville

Coös County

Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant
Bean’s Grant
Bean’s Purchase
Berlin
Cambridge
Carroll
Colebrook
Columbia
Clarksville
Crawford’s Purchase
Dalton
Dix’s Grant
Dixville
Dummer
Errol
Erving’s Location
Gorham
Green’s Grant
Jefferson
Kilkenny
Lancaster
Low & Burbank’s Grant
Martin’s Location
Millsfield
Milan
Northumberland
Odell
Pinkham’s Grant
Pittsburg
Sargent’s Purchase
Second College Grant
Shelburne
Stark
Stratford
Stark
Success
Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase
Wentworth’s Location
Whitefield

Bordering communities

Bethlehem, NH
Littleton, NH
Batchelder’s Grant, ME
Bomantown Township, ME
Gilead, ME
Grafton Township, ME
Lincoln Plantation, ME
Lynchtown Township, ME
Magalloway Plantation, ME
Parmachenee Township, ME
Parkertown Township, ME
Riley Township, ME
Upton, ME
Bloomfield, VT
Brunswick, VT
Canaan, VT
Concord, VT
Guildhall, VT
Lemington, VT
Lunenberg, VT
Maidstone, VT

Informed by community

Recognizes that people in the region hold the knowledge and ingenuity needed to solve problems, create opportunities, and build thriving communities. Demonstrated authentic collaboration with the community members being served is a funding priority.

Guided by equity

A thriving community is one where all members can fully participate and experience a sense of belonging. The fund prioritizes funding for organizations and projects working to remove barriers to accessing services and programs and/or addressing disparities in outcomes for all community members, with an emphasis on communities historically excluded and under-resourced.

Meaningful collaboration

Lays the foundation for openness, connection and engagement in community. The fund prioritizes requests that can show meaningful collaboration and engagement with other organizations, nonprofits, businesses and municipalities.

Measurable impact

Success in reaching goals of a grant proposal can take many forms. Applicants are encouraged to have well-thought-out strategies and activities that result in positive change in the region, people’s lives, environment, economy, and community. The fund seeks to support work that can demonstrate local and/ or regional impact through reflection, data collection and learning and adapting over time.

Broad range of support

Support from the community and financial sustainability are critical pieces of competitive grant requests. A diverse resource base including financial and in-kind contributions, as well as community leadership are examples of what is sought in all proposals.

Download our Grantseeker Guide

The Grantseeker Guide provides everything you need to know about applying for a grant, including background and eligibility information, review considerations and instructions for applying to any of our grant programs.

Grantseeker Guide (English)
Grantseeker Guide (Français)

Our grant programs

Dash Grant Programs

Deadline: Rolling

The Dash Grants Program provides rapid grant awards ranging from $250-$2,000 for one-time projects or activities.

Learn more and apply

Local Grant Programs

Deadline: Thursday, January 25, 2025 or Thursday, July 17, 2025

The Local Grants Program offers grants ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 over one to three years. Funding can be used for projects, operating support, or capital expenses.

Learn more and apply

Large Grant Programs

Deadline: Rolling

The Large Grants Program provides grant awards from $20,000-$300,000 over one to three years. Funding can be used for projects, operating support, or capital expenses. The larger the request, the more the organization or project needs to demonstrate a measurable and significant impact in Coös County, NH.

Learn more and apply

Grants in action

These are just a few of the grants we made in 2024.

$150,000

NH Small Business Development Center

To support business advising delivery by NH Small Business Development Center in Cöos and northern Grafton Counties over three years.

$10,000

Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital Association

To support the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery program at the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital to provide needed SUD supports for Colebrook and surrounding area.

$10,000

Vermont Energy Education Program

To offer project-based learning opportunities focused on climate change.

$20,000

Special Olympics New Hampshire

To support organizational capacity building and expanded programming in Coös County.

$1,810

The Loading Dock

To purchase equipment to improve live audio production and exterior signage.

$1,964

White Horse Addiction Center, Inc.

To purchase a video conferencing system for the Berlin location.

See all grants made

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