Ipswich resident Amy Moran Lowe joins ECCF as Director of Grants and Programs
Beverly, MA – Essex County Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization that inspires philanthropy across the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, is pleased to announce that Ipswich resident Amy Moran Lowe has joined ECCF as the foundation’s new Director of Grants and Programs.
In this role, Amy will focus on maximizing ECCF’s grantmaking to strengthen our local nonprofits, which serve Essex County’s residents and communities every single day. She will not only lead the management and evaluation of the foundation’s grant programs, Amy will also evolve the grantmaking process in order to meet the changing needs of our cities and towns.
“As we continue to foster collaboration and drive meaningful change, operational excellence and innovation will be essential,” said ECCF President and CEO, Stratton Lloyd. “Amy’s expertise, strategic thinking and deep community knowledge will be instrumental in advancing this work, allowing us to scale, increase our impact and deepen our commitment to the region.”
To date, ECCF has deployed more than $160 million in grants to nonprofits supporting Essex County communities.
Prior to joining ECCF, Amy served as the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Engagement at the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund, an organization that alleviates financial barriers for more than 450 college-bound students each year. As a former recipient of the scholarship, Amy welcomed the opportunity to support the organization’s life-changing work, which expands access to post-secondary education for more students across New England.
Before that, she worked for more than 12 years at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), most recently as an Assistant Director for Education, Workforce, and Income Security issues. Amy managed teams that evaluated key issues in K-12 education and human services programs. Her teams’ work directly influenced Congressional priorities and was cited in national media like the New York Times and NPR.
“One of the things that was critical to my work at GAO was gathering feedback directly from the communities most impacted by government policies,” said Lowe. “We made it a priority to incorporate grantee and citizen perspectives into our recommendations and I look forward to continuing this type of community engagement at ECCF.”
Amy, who’s lived most of her life on the North Shore of Massachusetts, is also an avid volunteer. In addition to donating time to her children’s school, she has also dedicated volunteer time to several English-language teaching and tutoring programs, including with the Ipswich Refugee Program and the North Shore Community Development Coalition.
“Giving where I live is really important to me,” said Lowe. “At a time when connecting with our neighbors and strengthening our local social sector feels so critical, I’m truly honored to have the opportunity to serve my community as a part of the ECCF team.”
About ECCF
Essex County Community Foundation inspires philanthropy that strengthens the communities of Essex County by managing charitable assets, strengthening and supporting nonprofits and engaging in strategic community leadership initiatives. Since 1999, ECCF and its family of 344 charitable funds have granted $169 million to nonprofits, schools and students in Essex County and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to have 34 thriving cities and towns in Essex County and to improve the quality of life for the region’s 800,000+ residents. Learn more at eccf.org.
