Forty-four registered charities will share $290,000 in grants from the Bermuda Community Foundation, the organisation announced today.

The donations are from the foundation’s Bermuda Community Fund, a permanent fund set up to support the non-profit sector in perpetuity.

“This fund represents the primary purpose of the Bermuda Foundation,” said Myra Virgil, the managing director.

She added: “It is an unrestricted endowment fund with the singular goal of supporting current community needs. That means that as circumstances change in Bermuda over the years, this fund can always be appropriately directed to areas of greatest need.

“As an example, for the past two years, the foundation’s entire grant-making budget has been directed towards pandemic response funding, non-profit stabilisation funds and the purchasing of antigen tests for non-profit groups working across the sector.”

Contributions to the fund are from donors focused on long-term philanthropy for the community and the non-profit third sector organisations that provide support for essential services.

Since its establishment in 2014, the fund has granted more than $1.48 million to more than 400 programmes.

Grants were made to a range of non-profit programmes for youth and leadership development, housing and food programmes, environmental education, sport, remedial learning, specialised services, human rights education and early childhood development.

Dr Virgil added: “In addition to our own funds, Bermuda non-profits are supported by a range of unrelated donors, families, individuals and companies who have opened legacy funds at the foundation with the aim of ensuring the sustainability and success of non-profits in Bermuda.

“These donors use the resources and expertise of BCF to support their grant-making. Their contributions have resulted in an extraordinary set of grants totalling more than $3.5 million as a result.”

Amanda Outerbridge, BCF chairwoman, said the board was “especially pleased” to again fund the Beacon Awards Scheme through the Beacon Fund, which enables not-for-profit agencies — non-profit and public — to become certified or accredited.

“We encourage organisations to make the most of this opportunity. Funders have found that grant applications from organisations with certification or accreditation by the Bermuda National Standards Committee tend to be of a higher quality because they have met the extensive governance, compliance and service requirements,” Ms Outerbridge said.

“It is a robust process that provides value by ensuring that standards are attained and maintained in the third sector, and that grant-makers have access to a trusted indicator of the credibility and sustainability of these organisations.”

A complete list of the foundation’s 2022 grant recipients is posted on its website under “Our Work — Grantmaking History”.