Parker’s First Year in Lowell: With Gratitude
2024 was truly a year of transition, of challenges, of welcoming change, as we moved our office to Middle Street in Lowell. We learned a lot and are continuing to meet the challenges of change.
This is a message of gratitude, not only for all who helped us in our move—but especially for the nonprofit grantee community who do all the work helping so many in Lowell.
We are committed to making changes that will help the community and help Parker understand the needs.
In response to a nonprofit survey, and thanks to those who responded with thoughtful suggestions, our application and progress report forms and deadlines have changed. Both our mini and regular grant applications are now due at the end of each quarter:
- March 30
- June 30
- September 30
- December 31
In addition, we are now using Google forms for our applications and progress reports:
Parker Foundation Mini-Grant Application
Parker Foundation Regular Grant Application
Parker Foundation Grantee Progress Report
Please note that we are extending our min-grant applications for this round to January 10th due to an error on our part on the website.
All the above links will be made available on our website in January 2025 however you are welcome to use them starting at this time.
Trustees and advisors are available to discuss concepts and issues that arise during programs. We particularly like site visits –to see the activity and results of the funding. We know it’s not easy to do the work, and we are grateful to all who are helping those in need. Social services programs are greatly enhanced by the work being done in Lowell.
To better understand and serve the community, effective January 1, we have appointed our fifth trustee, Vladimir Saldana and three new local advisors: Shamir Rivera-Quintal, Yun-ju Choi, and Merci Anampiu, whose deep knowledge of community serves as our eyes and ears. These new additions to our deliberations will add depth and breadth to our decision-making moving forward.
The highlights of our grantmaking include continuation of the mini-grant program, launched in 2023, capital grants at the Boys and Girls Club, at Girls Inc, at the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, and Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust’s Rollie Farm program.
To introduce the community to our new space, formerly occupied by Jim Wilde of MVHP for 16 very successful years, we hosted three open houses: one on Ground Hog Day (but the Ground hog was elusive), one on Pi Day, and one celebrating the art of Refuge Lowell, whose student artwork Deck our Walls! Please plan to join us on March 14, for the second annual pie/pi day!
Thank you and we look forward to continuing our service to Lowell.
Karen Carpenter
Trustee and President
