YOUR PASSION. YOUR LEGACY. YOUR CAPE.
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Payable To: Community Fund for Young People
Mail To: The Cape Cod Foundation
261 Whites Path, Unit 2
South Yarmouth, MA 02664
Community Need
All young people need assets: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity. The more assets young people have, the better equipped they are for the future.
Opportunities also help young people reach their potential. But, when circumstances out of their control determine the opportunities they receive, it creates a gap we need to close to give every child the best possible chance to lead a happy, productive life. The achievement gap, the disparity in academic performance among different groups, in Massachusetts is one of the largest in the country.
The number of students reporting mental and behavioral health challenges has more than doubled in the last 10 years. We continue to see the significant impact the pandemic has had on learning, mental and behavioral health, and social and emotional development over time. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of the academic year) grew in Massachusetts schools by 72% from 2019-2023. Since the pandemic, chronic absenteeism has more than doubled among elementary school students. Incidents of bullying and hate speech/acts have also risen.
It is more important now than ever to identify and close the opportunity gaps for our next generation.
Foundation Strategy
Our key strategies include: increasing access and affordability to programs and services for children and youth; expanding access to resources and education for parents and caregivers; supporting programs and services that help close the “opportunity gap” for young people.
Recent Grantmaking
- Provided support for schools to expand their school-based, mental and behavioral resources.
- Supported mentoring and college and career readiness programs that link caring adults with young people.
- Provided resources to enhance wrap-around support to students who are pursuing a technical education, including scholarships, toolships, funding for drivers licenses and licensing fees.
Fund Snapshot
FUND NAME
Community Fund for Young People
FUND DESCRIPTION
To support initiatives for children, youth, and families on Cape Cod
DATE OF INCEPTION
1995
FUND TYPE
Permanent Endowment. Follows spending policy set and approved annually by Foundation’s Board Of Directors
CURRENT BALANCE
$747,323
TOTAL GRANTMAKING FROM FUND
$177,997
5-YEAR LOOKBACK/ALL FUNDS
$1,853,765. Total grantmaking from all Foundations Funds to support youth development initiatives from 2019-2023.
FUND BACKGROUND
In 1995, Mimi McConnell, a member of the Foundation’s Board, organized a fundraising party at the home of the late Dorothy and Herb Carver. The guest of honor was Dr. T. Berry Brazelton (1918-2018). The Barnstable resident, referred to as Dean of American Pediatrics, was a nationally recognized expert on child development. At the event, he spoke about the importance of the relationship between parents and children and the need for supporting and nurturing that relationship from the moment of birth. The event raised nearly $15,000 to seed an endowment fund to support Cape Cod children and families: The Community Fund for Young People.
All figures updated April 2024.
Building Flexible Resources to Support All Aspects of Community Life
You can donate any amount to any of these field-of-interest funds at any time.
Through collective giving, we can fund broadscale initiatives that lead to regional, systemic change.
UNRESTRICTED
FUND
ANIMAL PROTECTION & WELFARE FUND
ARTS & CULTURE FUND
EDUCATIONAL SCHOALRSHIPS FUND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION & PRESERVATION FUND
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES FUND
HOUSING FUND
WOMEN AND GIRLS FUND
WORKFORCE
& CAREER DEVELOPMENT FUND
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
FUND
TO MAKE A MULTI-YEAR PROMISE
Kristin O’Malley
President and CEO
The Cape Cod Foundation
komalley@capecodfoundation.org
508.790.3040, Ext. 115
MAKE A RECURRING GIFT
IN ANY AMOUNT ONLINE
Together, we have invested more than $100 million in grants and scholarships in the Cape Cod Community. For good.
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Cape Cod Foundation
508.790.3040
261 Whites Path, Unit 2
South Yarmouth, MA 02664
info@capecodfoundation.org
