Our History
 In 1998, David Tory, together with Lorraine Astle, founded Broadhow, a 501(c)( 3) company, to provide infrastructure support and training services to non-profit organizations supporting children and families at risk throughout Essex County. Uniquely, Broadhow's mission was to provide these services for free or at minimal costs. In the course of providing these services, Broadhow staff became aware of a number of issues that would be best addressed by a community foundation -- but at the time there was no such foundation that focused on Essex County.
On the nonprofit side, some organizations were losing funding because of their geographic location, or because they were too small. There was also a clear need for non-profits to collaborate and share resources. On the funding side, many successful individuals were searching for ways to donate to their communities, particularly through estate planning, but had no means of doing so within the county. Their only choice was either to create a private foundation dedicated to Essex County, or move their funds outside the county.
In response to these needs, Broadhow, after many months of consideration and close consultation with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and community leaders decided to change its legal status and name and became the Essex County Community Foundation.
Since we incorporated as a community foundation, our mission has remained connected to the community - to the philanthropists who live here and want to make a difference and the nonprofit organizations working to improve things. We regularly convene donors, nonprofits, and other community leaders in informal conversations, workshops, conferences, online forums, and in topic-specific meetings to present information and ask for advice about what is needed. When we feel we can make a difference, we respond by making grants, providing support services, or in some circumstances, initiating a regional program.
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