McCarthy Family Foundation Charity Fund

The McCarthy Family Foundation Charity Fund, established in 1956, is a private charitable entity with a philanthropic focus primarily in the areas of education, food, health, and housing and shelter programs. Co-managed by Bank of America and a board of trustees, the fund administers grants to nonprofit organizations that serve communities in Massachusetts, with an emphasis on locations north of Boston, east of Route 93 to the ocean, and south of the New Hampshire border. Cities receiving special attention include Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Peabody, Gloucester, Ipswich, Newburyport, and Salisbury. The foundation provides grants to organizations working within a wide array of program types: Arts, Culture, & Humanities; Education; Food, Agriculture, & Nutrition; Health; Human Services; and Youth Development. Grants may be used for general operating support, specific program funding, or capital improvements that enable program delivery. Emergency grant requests are rarely approved and should be considered only in exceptional cases. Matching requirements and multi-year disbursements may apply depending on the project and foundation decision. Eligible applicants include IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) public charities. Public schools, including charter schools, are not eligible for general operating support, although project-based proposals that extend beyond normal public mandates may be considered. Applications from nonprofits must be submitted through the Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions’ online portal. One proposal per calendar year may be submitted to this foundation, regardless of the outcome. However, the McCarthy Family Foundation allows applicants to reapply for future deadlines even if they applied earlier in the same year to other foundations under Bank of America management. The foundation has two annual application deadlines: March 31 and September 30. Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on those dates, unless the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case it shifts to the next business day. Decision-making meetings take place in June and December, with notifications issued by June 30 and December 31 respectively. Site visits may occur prior to funding decisions. Organizations that previously received funding are required to submit a one-page expenditure report before applying again. Applications must include specific attachments such as current and prior year operating budgets, board list, organizational budget, and program budget (if applicable), all labeled correctly. Only one worksheet is permitted per Excel file, and all documents must be under 25 MB. Applications are not accepted by email, mail, or hand delivery. Technical assistance for the application portal is available on weekdays only, and it is strongly recommended that applicants begin their submissions well in advance of the deadline. For questions regarding the grant or application process, applicants may contact Bank of America at ma.grantmaking@bofa.com or call 866-778-6859. The team includes philanthropic officers Lauren Cerullo, Kimberly Fielding, Katelyn Korzec, Michealle Larkins, and Laura Silva. Detailed contact information and procedural guidance can be found in the Massachusetts Procedures PDF and Online Application Help document.

Read guidelines carefully. Be specific with demographics and impact. State numbers served, outcomes, intensity and frequency of service. Avoid jargon. Do not submit if foundation would be sole funder.