The F.M. Kirby Foundation in Morristown, New Jersey, has announced that it awarded 248 grants totaling $14.1 million in 2021.

In keeping with its philosophy of making long-term commitments to effective programs that foster self-reliance and work to build strong communities, the foundation has funded more than half the recipients of its 2021 grants for at least 20 years. More than a hundred grants totaling over $5.7 million were awarded to New Jersey-based organizations, 66 of which are based in Morris County, New Jersey. Another $8.4 million supported organizations in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The foundation also committed $3.5 million in support of current and new nonprofit partners working to increase access to COVID-19 resources, especially for underrepresented groups. 

“A common theme to our grantmaking this past year was resilience,” said Kirby Foundation executive director Justin Kiczek. “Though COVID continued to be of concern, we saw our grantee partners in 2021 emerge from the shutdowns and disruption of 2020 to implement new ways of offering services, reaching audiences, and taking care of their communities. However, in many cases, the challenges our partners faced did not ebb, so we continued to offer, in over 52 percent of our total grantmaking, general operating support, allowing nonprofit leaders to respond quickly and flexibly to shifting needs.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Ultima Gaina)