From the Maplewood Foundation:
MAPLEWOOD, N.J., Oct. 23, 2023 – The Maplewood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) philanthropic community foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life of all Maplewood residents, today announced its inaugural grant recipients. Seven non-profit organizations serving local residents will receive grants totaling $50,000 to develop new programs or expand their services.
The Foundation, launched in January, also announced it has raised $1,020,000 in donations from members of the community and others who have a strong connection to Maplewood. It set a first-year goal of raising $1.1 million, with the intention of awarding up to $45,000 in Program grants and $5,000 in Seed grants.
“The people of Maplewood, New Jersey, stepped up and answered our call to make a sustainable investment in transforming the lives of all our residents,” said Fred Profeta, president of The Maplewood Foundation board of trustees. “We are thrilled to be able to deliver on our promise of giving $50,000 in grants in our first year and now ask our generous neighbors to help us get across the $1.1 million finish line before the end of 2023.”
The Maplewood Foundation 2023-2024 grant recipients are:
-
- Beloved Bath received a Program Grant for $5,000
- Family Connections received a Program Grant for $10,000
- Maplewood Village Alliance received a Program Grant for $10,000
- South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race received a Program Grant for $7,000
- South Mountain YMCA received a Program Grant for $5,000
- South Orange Rescue Squad received a Program Grant for $8,000
- Together We Bloom received a Seed Grant for $5,000
The Foundation received 15 applications from local non-profit organizations for its first grant cycle. The requests included 13 Program grants and two Seed grants for initiatives ranging from education and recreation to cultural awareness and racial equity.
Maplewood Foundation Trustees (and kids). Photo by Jin S. Lee.
Celebrate The Maplewood Foundation Grantees on Dec. 2
The Foundation will recognize the grant recipients and share more details about their innovative programs at a special celebration on Saturday, Dec. 2, at The Woodland in Maplewood.
Attendees will also enjoy dinner, drinks, a live comedy show and dancing. Tickets for “Celebrate Maplewood: An Evening to Honor Our 2023 Grantees & Founding Donors” are available for purchase online.
Donations to The Maplewood Foundation are invested into a fund for a longer-term and wider impact within the community. The Foundation gives approximately 5% of its holdings each year as Program and Seed grants through an annual grant cycle.
“The strong interest from the non-profits who serve our residents demonstrates the value a community foundation will bring to Maplewood this year and in the future,” said Profeta. “We greatly appreciate the effort the organizations made in completing their applications and we look forward to awarding even more grants as our fund grows over the years.”
The Foundation’s areas of grantmaking focus include: diversity, equity and inclusion; environmental and climate-related initiatives; programs for individuals with special needs; promotion of the arts; enhancement of public education; youth recreation; educational scholarships; support for senior citizens; and, emergency relief for residents.
Program grants are awarded to established non-profit organizations to launch innovative and high-impact programs, or to build their capacity to provide existing programs. Seed grants are awarded to organizations that demonstrate the ability to achieve their proposed program, but lack sufficient capital and/or resources to gain non-profit status or realize their vision.
To make a donation to The Maplewood Foundation, visit www.themaplewoodfoundation.org/donate. No gift is too large or too small. To learn more about event sponsorships, please contact themaplewoodfoundation@gmail.com.
Susan and Fred Profeta Photo by Jin S. Lee.
ABOUT THE MAPLEWOOD FOUNDATION
The Maplewood Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation dedicated to providing a continuously growing bedrock of financial support to nonprofit organizations in Maplewood, New Jersey. Founded in 2023, the organization uses a grant-awarding process to disseminate approximately 5% of its assets each year in support of established Maplewood-focused organizations and aspiring nonprofits.
