The foundation’s initiatives:

The mission of NGCF is to promote the positive development and enrichment of Nantucket children.  Through the generous support of the members of Nantucket Golf Club, their guests and others, the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation has raised almost $42 million the last 21 years for the benefit of Nantucket youth.  Its charitable initiatives include our recurring Grant and Scholar Programs as well as occasional capital contributions to worthy, local, causes benefitting children on our island.  

The Foundation began by distributing funds to island non-profits who shared in the mission and that work continues today.  The process for the Grant Program has evolved into an application based bi-annual review. Since the Foundation’s inception, grants have been made to over 80 organizations ranging from large groups serving hundreds of children such as Boys & Girls Club, Community Network for Children, Maria Mitchell Association and the Nantucket Atheneum to smaller groups such as Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum, Nantucket Arts Council and Nantucket Preservation Trust.  Grants have also been awarded to groups who focus on children with extreme need:  Mentoring Youth Nantucket, A Safe Place, Family & Children’s Services and Nantucket S.T.A.R.  And a myriad of other non-profit organizations have received grants including private schools, sports programs and art and music groups. 
 

In 2006, the Board decided to expand its direction and focus on the importance of quality education by initiating the Nantucket Scholar Program.  Each year, two Nantucket High School graduating seniors are granted a four-year scholarship that covers tuition and fees to the college or university of their choice.  By offering a unique scholarship opportunity, the Board felt this could be a way to impact generations of Nantucket children while providing inspiration to students seeking the value of higher education.  

In 2018, the Board decided to expand on the scholarship program to reach a wider group of students who exhibited exemplary work in a vocational program, internship, summer employment, or similar experience. Each selected student receives a partial scholarship to the college, university or technical school of their choice. Examples of vocational programs include, but are not limited to automotive, plumbing, woodworking, welding, photography, culinary, architecture, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.