Community Impact

Lee Bank Foundation | Community Sponsorships

 

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The next application deadline for the Lee Bank Foundation is December 1st!

 

Lee Bank’s community commitment stretches back to our origins in 1852. Since then, our contributions and sponsorship programs have cast a wide footprint across the Berkshire County region.  In 2021, the Lee Bank Foundation was established to support the Bank's long-standing mission of community reinvestment. In the first three years, the Foundation has distributed 129 grants totaling $652,830.

As an independent, community-based bank, we do not have financial obligations to shareholders. Instead, our obligation--and our privilege--is to focus on community reinvestment with financial support for many fine organizations that keep the Berkshires thriving and striving.

Our grant and sponsorship recipients range from arts and culture organizations to grass-roots groups focused on food security, literacy, job readiness, economic development and many other initiatives benefiting area families and children. We prioritize Berkshire-based organizations that receive the majority of their funding from local sources.

To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas:

  • Education and literacy
  • Food security and nutrition
  • Economic growth and development
  • Health and human services
  • Mentorship, internship and “school to work” initiatives

Organizations may only receive grant funding once in a 12-month period. In order to support the broadest range of community organizations, the Lee Bank Foundation has a provision that organizations may only receive funding for the same program for 3 consecutive years. Once an organization has received their third year of funding for the same program, they must either reapply for a new program or take a year off from applying for grant funding.

We welcome your inquiries and applications for both grant funding from the Foundation and sponsorships from the Bank as you seek to better our communities and improve the lives of our neighbors.

Any questions can be submitted to our AVP of Marketing and Community Engagement, Alison Brigham, at [email protected].

Documents to help you prepare your proposal:

Sample Grant Application 

Sample Program Budget

 

We want to congratulate all of our 2023 Lee Bank Foundation grant recipients!