The Bermuda Community Foundation has approved $480,000 in grants to 43 non-profit organisations.

According to a statement, the foundation’s board of directors made the grants, which represent the BCF’s final grants of the 2016 fiscal year, from seven donor funds.

“BCF’s grantmaking programmes are supported by a range of unrelated donors who wish to ensure the sustainability and success of non-profits in Bermuda,” managing director Myra Virgil stated.

“These donors use the resources and expertise of BCF to support their grantmaking.”

Dr Virgil added: “This extraordinary set of grants totalling almost half a million dollars is the result.”

In the field of community improvement and capacity building, BCF approved $135,000 in grants to deliver paratransit services, build organisational capacity in the non-profit sector, help build a national employment registry and database, and promote non-profit certification and accreditation.

Grantees include Age Concern Bermuda, Project Action, MyFutureBermuda, the Coalition for Community Activism and YouthNet. Community-based youth development efforts such as the PHC Foundation’s scholarship programme, the Bermuda Bridge Club, Bermuda’s Brazilian Football School, Raleigh and YouthNet also received support.

To advance community development, BCF’s board approved $155,000 in grants from donor-advised funds to go towards infrastructure building projects. These include the provision of residences for people struggling with mental health issues, an initiative managed by the Bermuda Mental Health Foundation. The Coalition for Community Activism received a grant to support efforts to improve educational outcomes through their work with parents and the Ministry of Education.

And educational programmes received a funding boost of $81,000 to support the work of the Adult Education School, Bermuda Education Network, Impact Mentoring Academy, Centre for Talented Youth and CARE Computer Services scholarships.

BCF also approved $44,000 in grants to the Coalition for the Protection of Children, Salvation Army, the Bermuda Society for the Blind, Family Centre and others to continue providing direct service support to people in need.

Those interested in setting up their own charitable funds to improve Bermuda can learn more about donor-advised philanthropy at www.bcf.bm. A complete list of grant recipients will also soon be available.