Teens Active in Grantmaking (TAG) Awards First-Ever Grant Following Santa in the Park Fundraiser
$250 awarded to Bella Ease; spring grant cycle to open with $20,000 available

Photo, from left to right: Lori DeVerger (Bella Ease), Abigail MacDonough, Xavier Richardson, Caroline Seaman, Ava Geisendorfer, Medha Pujar, Gloria Miles, Gabrielle Esselman (Bella Ease)

Teens Active in Grantmaking (TAG) is proud to announce the awarding of its first-ever TAG grant, made possible through proceeds from its hot cocoa and baked goods fundraiser held during Santa in the Park with The District. The event raised $250, which TAG students decided to award to Bella Ease, a local organization making a meaningful impact on young people in the community. The funds that TAG donated arrived during Bella Ease’s yearend “You Matter” campaign, meaning that the impact was doubled. The funds will go toward program support. Bella Ease works with individuals, children, adults, and families to make real life changes. 

Bailee Duesterhaus, Program Manager at the Community Foundation, shared, “This moment represents exactly what TAG is designed to do. We connected students with community needs and gave them a voice in philanthropy. We’re incredibly proud of the students for taking this first step.”

TAG is a youth-led philanthropy program that empowers students to learn about charitable giving, community needs, and grantmaking by putting real dollars to work for causes they care about.

Teens Active in Grantmaking (TAG) is a youth philanthropy initiative of The Community Foundation, in partnership with Tracy Family Foundation, that educates students on community impact, nonprofit work, and grantmaking. Through fundraising and guided decision-making, TAG members award grants to organizations making a difference in their community. 

Callie Niederhauser, Program Manager at Tracy Family Foundation, added, “TAG is shaping the next generation of community leaders by giving them hands-on experience in intentional giving. I am impressed by these students and excited to see the positive impact they will continue to make in our community.”

Looking ahead, TAG will open its first full grant application cycle this spring. During this cycle, TAG students will review applications and award a total of $20,000 to nonprofit organizations and causes they are passionate about supporting.

Nonprofit organizations and eligible community organizations dedicated to community and youth in the Quincy area are invited to apply for a TAG Grant (up to $2,500) for programs and projects that impact youth in the Quincy area. Grant applications open February 1, 2026, and are due March 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Applicants will be notified about awards in April 2026, and a grant presentation will follow in May. 

For more information and full eligibility details about the TAG grant and to apply, visit www.mycommunityfoundation.org/tag or contact Bailee Duesterhaus at bduesterhaus@mycommunityfoundation.org.