Four County Community Foundation Seeks to Deepen Partnership in Oxford
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Kathy Dickens, Executive Director of Four County Community Foundation, says Oxford represents an exciting opportunity to grow partnerships that support local students and community initiatives. “We serve eight or nine communities across our region, and Oxford has so much potential,” she said. “I’d love to see more local donors and civic partners connect with us to build scholarships and funds that can support Oxford students and organizations for generations.”
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The foundation distributes more than $1 million annually in scholarships across its four-county service area. Programs range from corporate scholarships tied to a company’s industry to nonprofit scholarships and memorial funds honoring loved ones. Dickens emphasized the foundation’s collaborative approach: “We don’t take over local programs—we partner with you. We help honor your vision and criteria while making the process simple through our online system.”
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On the grant-making side, Four County awards roughly $500,000 each year to local nonprofits and projects. In Oxford, recipients include Immanuel Congregational Church’s meal programs, Love INC, Polly Ann Trail projects, Imagination Library, Charter Township of Oxford, and other organizations and projects making a difference in the community. “We’re proud to support great work already happening here,” Dickens said. “And we’d love to build even more relationships that help expand that impact.”
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Dickens credits Jack Curtis with helping the foundation launch the Oxford Community Fund—an endowed fund created to support local initiatives long into the future. “This type of fund allows people to invest in Oxford in a lasting way,” she explained. “It ensures that resources stay right here in the community, supporting libraries, schools, nonprofits, and projects that strengthen quality of life.” We welcome donations to this fund, to build this fund, which is essentially a foundation exclusively for Oxford!
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Beyond grants and scholarships, Dickens sees the foundation as a thought partner for community ideas and initiatives. She frequently assists organizations with grant writing, partnership building, and exploring opportunities that strengthen the region. Recent efforts include helping secure transportation funding for eastern counties and developing public art initiatives through Thumb Art Spark. “I enjoy being part of conversations about the big opportunities in a community,” she said. “Sometimes our role is grantmaking, and sometimes it’s helping bring people together to make great projects happen.”
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Dickens is also working with the Oxford Chamber of Commerce and local schools to explore district-specific funds that would allow donations to directly benefit Oxford students and programs. “There’s so much potential here,” she said. “I’m excited to keep building connections and working together to support the community.”
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From scholarships to grants to collaborative projects, Four County Community Foundation continues to grow its work in Oxford while inviting local partners to help shape lasting impact. As Dickens puts it, “When communities come together around shared goals, great things happen.”
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To learn more about Four County Community Foundation, visit: https://www.4ccf.org/.