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Captain Robert Douglas

The Board and staff at Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation mourn the death of Captain Robert Douglas, the designer and captain of the topsail schooner Shenandoah whose commitment to sailing and wooden boat building helped shape the Vineyard Haven waterfront for the last 60 years. Through his generosity, thousands of Island schoolchildren enjoyed seafaring adventures aboard Shenandoah, a tradition that continued when he donated her to MV Ocean Academy. He also founded the Black Dog Tavern and oversaw the growth of various Black Dog enterprises.

Captain Douglas received our Creative Living Award in 2021. His dedication to actively supporting maritime traditions and to enhancing the quality of Island life represented the essence of the Creative Living Award. We produced a short documentary tribute to Captain Douglas at the time and we invite you to enjoy it again. You can also read more about his accomplishments on the Creative Living Award page.

We offer our condolences to Captain Douglas’s family, friends and all who sailed with him.

The Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation is a true community collaboration.

We bring together donors, local nonprofits and organizations—the people who live on and love our island—to ensure our diverse, interdependent community thrives. We support initiatives that promote a sound quality of life, create a rich cultural community, and protect healthy and sustainable environments.

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See the Good!

2025 Foundation Scholarship Portal Opens

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HIGHEST–EVER LEVEL OF FUNDING AWRDED TO LOCAL NONPROFITS THROUGH 2024 COMMUNITY & IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM

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41st Annual Creative Living Award: Kib and Tess Bramhall

By MVCF

The Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation has selected longtime Islanders Kib and Tess Bramhall as the recipient of its 41st Creative Living Award. The designation has become an annual celebration of creativity, innovation, and community since 1983.

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Oct. 22, 2024