The Western Massachusetts Transformation Fund is a regional funding program within the Peace Development Fund’s Community Organizing Grants (COG) portfolio. The Peace Development Fund (PDF) is a private philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting community organizing that builds movements for justice and equity. Through this specific fund, PDF focuses on grassroots organizations based in and serving the four westernmost counties in Massachusetts—Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden.
The purpose of the Western Massachusetts Transformation Fund is to strengthen regional community organizing by supporting organizations rooted in and accountable to these counties. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to building power within communities impacted by injustice, as defined by the funder’s Four Pillars of Community Organizing: shifting power, building a movement, dismantling oppression, and creating new structures. Organizations are evaluated on how they integrate these pillars into their work and their capacity to influence structural change.
Grants from this fund average $4,000 and are available to organizations with annual budgets under $250,000. Applicants must be located in one of the four eligible counties, possess 501(c)(3) status or be fiscally sponsored by a U.S.-based nonprofit, and show clear alignment with community organizing principles. Organizations that have received funding from PDF for three consecutive years must observe a two-year pause before reapplying.
The application opens in November and closes at the end of January. PDF notifies applicants of first-round decisions in March, with final award decisions announced in early May. The online application, accessible via the PDF grants portal, is shared across all Community Organizing Grants under a single form titled “Community Organizing Grants.”
The fund operates on an annual cycle and will reopen in November each year. Application evaluations emphasize sustained grassroots engagement and accountability to communities in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, or Hampden County. Successful applicants are expected to clearly describe their regional focus, community base, organizing strategies, and alignment with the fund's transformative justice goals.
Highlight community ties and how you organize in Western Massachusetts; align your response with the Four Pillars
