Future Goals
This September marks 50 years since the founding of Greater Worcester Community Foundation by a group of passionate residents in 1975. As we celebrate this historic milestone, we are also looking to the future with a full rebrand and bold investments aligned with our three core pillars:
• Greater Giving: We’re deepening engagement with current and future donors, offering a range of charitable tools, including donor-advised funds and legacy gifts. Our local insight and personalized philanthropic services make us a trusted partner for those seeking to give back to the community.
• Greater Impact: We’re growing our support for nonprofit resiliency in light of shifting federal policies — expanding capacity-building grants, enhancing our Nonprofit Support Center, and investing beyond traditional grantmaking through initiatives like our affordable housing impact investments and new Nonprofit Loan Fund.
• Greater Worcester County: Looking to the next 50 years, we reaffirm our commitment to the entire region. We’ll continue advancing county-wide initiatives like the Worcester County Green Fund, our data platform Worcester County Insights, and Creative Worcester County.
Giving Opportunities
We offer a number of giving options for individuals and organizations. Whether a donor wants to give now or give later, be involved in their giving or leave it up to us, we provide the support, expertise, and community knowledge to turn donors’ philanthropic goals into meaningful and lasting giving strategies. We require a minimum of $10,000 to establish a fund ($30,000 for scholarship funds). Once a fund is established, individuals and organizations can contribute any amount to that fund.
We also hold an annual appeal for our Community Leadership Fund, an unrestricted fund that helps the Foundation respond to pressing community needs. Anyone can donate any amount to this fund.
Volunteer Opportunities
Participation from the community is a cornerstone of our work and essential to our operations.
Over 250 individuals from the business community, educational sector, and local nonprofits serve the Foundation annually as corporators. Corporators are volunteers who act as ambassadors applying their expertise, talent, and knowledge to help the Foundation grow its philanthropic impact across the region. Corporators serve for up to two, four-year terms. All of our board members also serve as corporators.
We also have community volunteers who serve as members of our staff-led grantmaking and scholarship award committees, helping to review applications and advise on the selection process.
Leadership
Peter Dunn, President & CEO
Joyce Augustus, Jcassand, Chair
Maria Heskes-Allard, Fidelity Bank, Chair-Elect
Thomas J. Bartholomew, Bartholomew & Company, Treasurer
Dennis F. Kerrigan, The Hanover Insurance Group, Clerk
Ché Anderson, UMass Chan Medical School, At-Large
Michael Angelini, Prince Lobel, At-Large
Board Members
Kola Akindele, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Linda T. Cammuso, Estate Preservation Law Offices
Marybeth Campbell, Worcester Community Action Council
Christine Cassidy, Community Volunteer
Germán Chiriboga, UMass Chan Medical School
Ross K. Dik, Knight-Dik Insurance
Charran Fisher, Fisher Contracting Corporation
Naomi Sleeper, Imperial Distributors
Eric Torkornoo, Fidelity Bank
Ann K. Tripp, Community Volunteer
Ron Waddell, Legendary Legacies
Julian Davis Wade, Davis Publications
Elizabeth Wambui, Fontaine Bros.
Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham, Promoting Good
