Amherst Community Foundation

The Amherst Community Foundation Annual Fund keeps the Foundation running and makes all of our other work possible. ACF is a 100% volunteer organization with no paid staff. Gifts to the Annual Fund help cover the basic costs of operating a nonprofit, from maintaining our website and accepting donations to banking, accounting, tax preparation, insurance, and other administrative expenses. It may not be the most glamorous part of our work, but it’s essential. For more than a decade, ACF has worked behind the scenes to connect people, ideas, and resources to make Amherst an even better place to live. Supporting the Annual Fund helps keep that infrastructure in place so we can continue saying “yes” when our community has a good idea, an important need, or an opportunity to make Amherst better. The Amherst Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Contributions to our Annual Fund and our charitable projects are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

For generations, the lighting of Amherst’s Holiday Tree has marked the beginning of the holiday season in our community. What started with a group of residents in the early 1960s has become a beloved Amherst tradition: neighbors gathering on the Village Green, counting down together, and watching the tree come to life with thousands of colorful lights. What many people may not realize is that this tradition is powered by volunteers and community generosity. It receives no direct Town funding. Donations to the Amherst Holiday Tree Fund help maintain the lights and equipment and cover the annual cost of the lift needed to safely install and remove nearly 3,000 LED lights from the tree. It’s a relatively small investment that creates a little bit of magic for the entire community. Your gift helps make sure the lights keep shining and this uniquely Amherst tradition continues for generations to come.