GLOUCESTER — There will be 22 “low number” special Cape Ann license plates going up for auction in April through the Cape Ann Community Foundation, which provides grants each year to organizations and initiatives.
In 2015, the Cape Ann Community Foundation was established to manage the proceeds from the sale of these special license plates.
This year, the numbers on the block, all under 100, are: 2, 4, 8, 10, 49, 51, 54, 55, 59, 66, 78, 79, 82, 87, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96.
Each year, the foundation holds its Low Number License Plate Auction, which will be April 10-16, on its website, lovecapeann.com. The money raised from the auction supports the foundation’s annual grant giving to local groups.
“We also encourage residents and visitors to buy the Cape Ann license plate, to continue the support so we can give back to local organizations,” said Ruth Pino, board president of the Cape Ann Community Foundation, a 501©(3) nonprofit.
“Just $20 a year is added to the cost of registration renewals, but the benefits for Cape Ann that these dollars help deliver are immeasurable,” she said.
The foundation will make grants this year ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 for projects that support its mission to improve the overall quality of life for Cape Ann. This will be the foundation’s seventh funding cycle since its inception when the idea for the Cape Ann license plate came to fruition.
Starting March 31, the Cape Ann Community Foundation invites Cape Ann nonprofit and community organizations to submit a grant application. The deadline to apply is May 1.
“In 2023, the foundation will reach a milestone in terms of giving,” Pino said. “Since 2015, a total of $100,000 will have been awarded in grants over the past seven years.”
To date, the foundation has awarded 38 grants to groups representing a variety of interests, including education, social services, recreational, cultural and economic initiatives.
Pino thanked the nonprofits and civic organizations that have submitted proposals.
“The board members and I were impressed by the grant applications, and we encourage organizations that were not successful in the past and new groups to come forward and submit a grant application,” she said.
In 2022, 10 grants totaling $19,000 were awarded to the following groups: Art for Equity in support of its Diverse Book Fund; Cape Ann Art Haven to expand access for summer art classes; Kops n Kids to support the Youth Anglers program; Magnolia Library & Community Center to support its summer lecture series; Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library to support summer youth programs; Maritime Gloucester to support its Apprentice Program; Rockport Illumination Weekend; SeniorCare Inc. to create Memory Kits; Together Gloucester Inc. to assist individuals with basic needs; and the Essex Council on Aging.
In addition to the license plate purchases and renewals, any individual or entity can make a charitable donation through the foundation’s website.
For grant guidelines, applications, to make a donation and for more information, visit https://lovecapeann.com.
