The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF), also referred to as the Taconic Foundation, is a community foundation that provides grants and philanthropic support across western Massachusetts, eastern New York, and northwestern Connecticut. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Sheffield, Massachusetts, BTCF manages donor-advised funds (DAFs) and permanent charitable funds supporting environmental conservation, community development, and other charitable initiatives. While the foundation describes itself as nonpartisan, its grantmaking priorities and institutional partnerships align with left-of-center policy objectives, particularly in environmental protection, equity-focused economic development, and social justice philanthropy. ¹

Leadership

According to the organization’s 2024 tax return, the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s senior leadership included Peter Taylor, president and chief executive officer, who received $202,330 in compensation that year; Kara Mikulich, who received $128,968; and Joseph R. Baker, vice president of finance and administration, who received $154,964.  ² In 2024, BTCF announced that Taylor would step down from his position after having worked as president since 2016. ³

Taylor led BTCF from 2016 to 2024. Prior to joining BTCF, he held senior roles at the Maine Community Foundation, including vice president of program, where he oversaw grantmaking and scholarship programs. Earlier in his career, Taylor worked in higher education administration at Bates College. After leaving BTCF, Taylor began providing consulting services to community foundations and nonprofit organizations through Anchor Point Consulting and the Community Foundation Impact Initiative. Taylor has also sat on the boards of Philanthropy Massachusetts, the Maine Philanthropy Center, the Maine Association of Nonprofits, and Entrepreneurship for All. These organizations focus on philanthropic coordination, nonprofit sector advocacy, and community-based economic development, and are frequently involved in policy discussions related to charitable regulation, nonprofit funding, and social impact initiatives. ⁴

Kara Mikulich succeeded Taylor as president. Before assuming the role, Mikulich worked as the foundation’s chief philanthropy officer, overseeing donor engagement and fundraising operations. Before joining BTCF, Mikulich held senior development and strategy positions at Public Allies, Single Stop USA, New Leaders for New Schools, and the Jesuit Grants Partnership. ⁵ These organizations focus on leadership development, education reform, and nonprofit capacity building and have received funding from major national foundations that support liberal policy priorities in education and social services. ^{6  7  8}

Grantmaking

Taconic Foundation functions primarily as a grantmaking institution, distributing funds to nonprofit organizations that operate within its service region. ¹ A substantial portion of its grantmaking supports environmental conservation and land preservation efforts, sectors that frequently intersect with regulatory policy and environmental advocacy. In 2023, Taconic Foundation awarded more than $1 million to the Great Mountain Forest Corporation for environmental quality and conservation-related activities and $522,500 to the Dutchess Land Conservancy for similar purposes. ^{9  10} Both organizations are involved in land-conservation and environmental-stewardship initiatives that often align with liberal environmental policy objectives. ^{11  12}

Initiatives

Taconic Foundation’s “Equity Initiative” directs funding toward Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities, shifting grantmaking decisions from traditional donors and leadership to selected community representatives. Developed with BRIDGE, a regional racial justice nonprofit, the program uses outreach, focus groups, and surveys to guide grant priorities. The Equity Fund, BTCF’s largest discretionary commitment, supports BIPOC-led organizations focused on racial justice, economic mobility, educational equity, health, and leadership development. Allocation decisions are overseen by a Leadership Advisory Committee of regional leaders of color. ¹³

The program also includes a donor Learning and Giving Circle that educates funders on so-called systemic racism, equity frameworks, and implicit bias, facilitated by consultants such as Changemaker Strategies, which provides liberal DEI consulting to philanthropic organizations. ¹³

Financials

In 2024, BTCF reported $25.4 million in revenue, $21.4 million in expenses, and total assets of approximately $251.8 million, placing it among the larger community foundations in the Northeast. The organization is classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity and derives a significant portion of its support from donor-advised funds (DAFs) and foundation grants. ¹⁴

BTCF receives funding primarily through gifts, grants, and contributions from individuals, donor-advised fund sponsors, and private foundations. Public support totaled $15,011,888 in 2024, following $13,326,526 in 2023, $16,434,857 in 2022, and $18,970,906 in 2021, reflecting consistent inflows of philanthropic capital over multiple years. ¹⁵

In 2024, BTCF reported receiving $456,550 from Donor Advised Charitable Giving (DAFgiving360), a DAF sponsor affiliated with the Charles Schwab investment house. ¹⁶ Additional contributors in 2024 included the Clara Phelps Tuw-Lee VNA Foundation, which gave $260,083; the Donald C. McGraw Foundation, which contributed $125,000; and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, which gave $37,160. ^{17  18  19}

1. “About.” Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://berkshiretaconic.org/about.
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc. 2024. Part VII, Section A – Officers, Directors, Trustees, Key Employees, and Highest Compensated Employees.
3. “Message from President Peter Taylor.” Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://berkshiretaconic.org/news/message-from-peter-taylor-president.
4. “Peter Taylor.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-taylor-8227b9118/.
5. “Kara Mikulich.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-mikulich-676bb94a/.
6. “Welcome to Public Allies: Everyone Leads.” Public Allies. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://publicallies.org/.
7. “About Single Stop: Mission, Leadership & Impact.” Single Stop. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.singlestop.org/about.
8. “Our Sponsors.” Public Allies San Antonio. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://publicallies.org/sanantonio/.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc. 2024. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments. Line 332.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc. 2024. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments. Line 113.
11. “Welcome to Great Mountain Forest.” Great Mountain Forest. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://greatmountainforest.org/.
12. “Dutchess Land Conservancy.” Dutchess Land Conservancy. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.dutchessland.org/.
13. “The Equity Initiative.” Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://berkshiretaconic.org/initiatives-impact/equity-initiative.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc. 2024. Part I – Summary.
15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc. 2024. Schedule A, Part II. Section A – Public Support.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Donor Advised Charitable Giving. 2024. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Clara T Phelps Trust Uw Fbo Lee Visiting Nurse Association. 2024. Part XIV – Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Donald C Mcgraw Foundation Inc. 2024. Part XIV – Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment.
19. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Jewish Federation Of Palm Beach County Inc. 2024. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments. Line 166.