The Curtis Trust was established by the Will of George E. Curtis, which was allowed by the Plymouth County Probate Court in 1931. The Curtis Trust’s mission is to assist low income elder and disabled persons in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, and the contiguous towns to remain in their homes and experience an improved quality of life. Curtis Trust support for low income elders and disabled persons in the target area has primarily been in the form of assistance to Visiting Nurses Associations ("VNA") and like groups that make skilled and unskilled nursing visits to homes. In recent years, however, the Trust has broadened its scope of support with assistance to the visually impaired, emergency fuel assistance and palliative care to those dying at home. The trust has also funded telemonitors through V.N.A’s that allow individuals with complex medical problems to remain at home while being monitored at their local VNA by trained medical personnel.
Grants are awarded in a lump sum to be used over a one year period beginning in September 2009 and ending August 2010. Applicants may submit budget requests for programs running six months or less in duration.
Grants are limited to US organizations which are tax exempt under section 501 ( c ) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Grants from the Curtis Trust are not made to individuals.
Preference is given to those organizations that offer direct service to elderly and disabled individuals to assist them in remaining in their homes despite economic, physical or other hardships. In addition to helping various VNAs in the area, the Curtis Trust also supports organizations that subsidize the cost of fuel, electricity, and other expenses that face low income elder or disabled individuals who live in their homes.
The Trustees look favorably upon applicant organizations governed by a Board of Directors which demonstrate a positive history of accomplishment, stability and low employee turnover. The Curtis Trust expects applicant organizations to demonstrate a commitment to sound management of trust funds and to complete timely and well documented quarterly reports which record the use of the funds.
The Curtis Trust does not ordinarily provide financial support for:
Grants to Individuals
Renovations to existing facilities frequented by elderly or handicapped persons.
An eligible organization may print a copy of the application from the Curtis Trust Website or may contact the Trust Administrator, Joan S. Pizzano, for a copy by mail. Applications for 2009 may be requested by mail on or after May 15, 2009.
All grant applications are due no later than 5:00 p. m. on July 17, 2009. Grant award notification will take place in early September 2009 and fund distributions will occur in Mid-September 2009.
Please mail or deliver all applications to the Trustees, James R. DeGiacomo and Richard J. Lawton, care of:
Joan S. Pizzano, Trust Administrator
The George Curtis Charitable Trust
Murtha Cullina LLP
99 High Street, 20th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Please provide (2) copies of your application. Each application should include a one page cover sheet, one page summary sheet, (2) copies of a budget sheet and any additional information which the applicant believes would be helpful to the Trustees in evaluating the application. Copies should be stapled. Please use one side of paper only.
This section discusses the format to follow when writing a proposal for a grant from the Curtis Trust:
a. Description of the organization: The description of the organization should include the background and mission of the organization seeking support. Helpful information includes, but is not limited to, the future objectives of the applicant organization, the target population(s), the type(s) of programs currently offered, the number of staff involved and a list of the members of the Board of Directors or other governing body.
b. Description of Program: This section should include a description of the program for which assistance is sought. Information in this section includes, but it not limited to, an assessment of the necessity of the program, how need for Curtis Trust support is determined, the expected outcome of the program, plans and timetables for implementation, staffing requirements as they relate to implementation of the program, and means by which an applicant organization will evaluate successful results for the project.
c. Financial Information /Budget: The financial information supplied by the organization must show the actual or projected expenditures and revenues in detail for current and upcoming fiscal years. It is necessary to include a complete copy of the most recent budget and, if available, a copy of the report or opinion letter submitted by an independent auditor.
In the financial information section of the application, the Trustees of the Curtis Charitable Trust expect an evaluation of the impact that a grant from the Curtis Trust would have in accomplishing program goals and the plan for sustaining funding upon the expiration of the grant. Finally, applicants must include a listing of other funding sources they have applied to or grants which they have received, as well as an assessment of any projects undertaken by other local entities responding to the same need.
A George Curtis Charitable Trust recipient must agree to the following:
The following appendices should be attached to the proposal: