1991

The Community Foundation is established and we begin coordinating grantmaking for $20 million in endowments, including BayBank Charitable Trusts and Julia B. Buxton Charitable Foundation at Shawmut Bank. Sandra Eagleton is hired as our first President and CEO.

1998–1999

Fleet Bank transfers $29 million in charitable trusts to the Community Foundation, including 14 scholarship funds—and establishes our role as a local leader in providing student scholarships.

1999–2000

Our first proactive grantmaking initiative provides funding to nonprofits collaborating on issues of early childhood education.

2000–2001

Sandra Eagleton retires and Kent Faerber assumes the role as second President and CEO.

2001–2002

We launch our first website, which includes an online application for scholarships and interest-free loans.

2005–2006

Our second proactive grantmaking initiative, 5 & Under, supports educational programming for children in poverty. $2.6 million is awarded to 14 organizations over five years.

2009

Kent Faerber retires, and Ron Ancrum becomes our third President and CEO.

2010–2011

Our community collaborations include Community Conversations, City to City, Leadership Pioneer Valley; and Reading for Success.

2011

We establish the Tornado Relief Fund for Western Massachusetts, quickly awarding $230,000 of grants to nonprofits affected or helping those affected by the June Tornado.

2012-2013

ValleyGives Day begins! Our 24-hour giving day helps area nonprofits build their online fundraising skills and introduces donors to hundreds of nonprofits. The day raises $1 million with more than 10,000 gifts from 6,466 donors. Katie Allan Zobel is our fourth President and CEO.

2014-2015

ValleyGives raises $2.7 million in its third year.

2016-2017

Relocating to the community! We move out of Tower Square to a street-level office in Springfield’s new Innovation District.

2018

ValleyCreates, a new collaboration with Boston’s Barr Foundation, defines a new strategic direction to support our region’s diverse creative sector. ValleyGives Day raises more than $10 million in its six years of operation.

2019

Bank of America transfers ownership of $25 million in trusts to the Community Foundation, bringing our assets to over $180 million.

2020

We establish the COVID-19 Response Fund and distribute weekly emergency grants for food, shelter and care. Later grants support nonprofits at risk of closure. The Fund leverages over $10 million from donors throughout the state in five months.

Explore Your Community Foundation

Our Impact

How Exactly does the Community Foundation help your region and community?

Impact

Bold & Innovative

Learn about the mission, vision, and values that guide your Community Foundation

Mission, Vision, Values

Who We Are

Meet the people on the CFWM team.

Who We Are