A Community Eager to Learn, and a Grants Program Offering Assistance

The value of learning in Durham and Middlefield is evident in many ways. In addition to a strong public education system, there are many other opportunities for enrichment. Library programs, activities through each town’s community center, service organization sponsorships and workshops – these are just a sampling.

The Coginchaug Valley Education Foundation (CVEF) also believes in lifelong education, and one of the primary ways it backs that conviction is with grant funds. Through its grants program, CVEF supports and fosters – and makes possible – an even greater array of learning opportunities. This year’s grants cycle hopes to build on that foundation.

“This is our third grants cycle,” explains CVEF Grants Chair Renee Edwards. “We’ve made some changes in both our timing and our focus, so we want to get the word out in as many ways as possible.”

The program is taking a somewhat different approach than in previous years, Edwards explains. “We spent much of 2010 talking to Durham and Middlefield residents about, among other things, what they view as unmet needs or areas of high interest in the community.”  

The two prominent themes to emerge from that discussion were mentoring/networking and the arts. “It seemed clear to us that one way to fulfill our mission of lifelong learning was to incorporate these ideas into the grant proposal guidelines.” 

Edwards, who, coincidentally, was elected president of CVEF this past winter, explains the 2011 emphasis in more detail, “For mentoring and networking, we’re looking for grant applications that tap into the varied and rich expertise within the community, really across generations.” Applications focused on sharing this expertise with others to support learning of new skills, creating new opportunities, and fulfilling goals or needs within the community are the kinds of things CVEF is looking for in the way of grant applications.

Regarding the arts theme, Edwards stresses that this could be music, theater, visual art, film, poetry readings, basically, any type of creativity. “We’re looking to deliver what has been asked for by our communities,” she notes, and that is any segment of the arts.

Grants outside of these criteria will also be considered, “as long as they enrich our community and bring learning and new opportunities to those of all age groups,” Edwards says.

Who can apply? That answer is simple: any community organization, community member, school or group with a realistic plan and an organized budget. 

Edwards and the other Grants Committee members are looking forward to reading and reviewing this year’s submissions. “It’s pretty amazing to see the kinds of projects and ideas that are out there in our towns,” admits Edwards, “and knowing that we can help realize some of the projects and ideas that might not normally be possible is a great feeling. It’s really the cornerstone of our organization’s mission – to promote lifelong learning in Durham and Middlefield.”

The deadline for CVEF grants applications is July 15, 2011. Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded at the end of August, 2011. Applications are available at  " www.coginchaugvef.com, or you may email Renee Edwards directly at redwards29@comcast.net.

In its previous two grants cycles, CVEF has awarded 12 grants, totaling $13,570. More information about the grants CVEF has awarded is available on the foundation’s website.