Grant Center

The New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund works in partnership with community-based child abuse prevention programs across New Hampshire to keep children safe and families strong. By funding, monitoring, and evaluating family support programs, we are working towards our mission of preventing child abuse and neglect. Our grantees cover a wide range of family support services and are dynamic in their approaches to reaching out to all families regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic status.

Upcoming Dates for 2010 Grantmaking: TBA

2009 Applicant Workshop: June 19, 2009

2009 Application Due Date: August 17, 2009 by 5:00 pm

Download the 2009 materials here

Grants are awarded in two-year cycles with a maximum award of $8,000 the first year and 50% of the first year’s award in year two, pending the satisfactory completion of progress reports and the availability of funds. We encourage you to read on and learn about our grantmaking process and application guidelines.

Effective in 2007, the new policy is that the maximum amount of years a program can receive funds is four, or two two-year grants. Then the agency must take one year off, prior to reapplying. This policy is noted in the application.

Logic Model Support & Information

FRIENDS National Resource Center
United Way


Requirements for Funding

Grants are not awarded:


Funding Priorities of the New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund

Primary Prevention

The highest priority of the New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund is to support programs that emphasize primary prevention services and activities for children and families. Primary prevention is defined by the NHCTF as those services and programs designed to promote the general welfare of all children and families before abuse or neglect occurs. Primary prevention programs are accessible to everyone in the community, but may target populations at risk for abuse and neglect. Programs focus on education and training in child development, parenting, skill building, coalition building and natural network building between families. They may also include health and developmental screenings to identify children at risk and general information and referral services.

System Building

The NHCTF is particularly interested in funding programs that are a part of a community-wide plan to improve the child and family service system. Evidence of organizations that share ideas, staff, and other resources in a creative and flexible fashion is strongly encouraged in the grant application. The NHCTF is equally interested in supporting programs that recognize the collective knowledge of parents and other program participants, and partner with them in all phases of the development of the program.

Building Program Capacity

The NHCTF is committed to helping programs develop stronger boards, well-trained staff, and effective organizations. Up to thirty percent of requests may be for building the long-term capacity of the program. Examples of how these funds may be used include technology upgrades, program equipment enhancements, staff development, and fund development planning and implementation.

Incentives for New Programs

Many New Hampshire communities lack basic family-centered, family supportive programs and services. The NHCTF is interested in supporting new projects in communities where resources for family-centered programs are lacking, and/or where funding for these services has been significantly disproportional with other communities in the state.


The 2009 Application Process


The Smith Award for Excellence in Service to Families

Since 1998, the New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund has honored the memory of Lou and Lutza Smith by awarding the Smith Award for Excellence in Service to Families to a New Hampshire family support program that has demonstrated leadership in the community, a philosophy of service that recognizes the value and importance of parenting and healthy families, and organizational capacity. This special recognition grant of $15,000 is awarded every two years. The next opportunity to apply for the Smith Award will be in 2010. Go to our homepage for application materials for 2010.

Click here to learn more about the Smith Award’s previous winners, unique set of guidelines, eligibility criteria, and requirements.

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