Helen E. Ellis Charitable Grant Program

The Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust was established in honor of Helen E. Ellis, a renowned sculptor and community arts advocate. She was actively involved with the Old Dartmouth Historical Society as an assistant curator, where she championed exhibitions that encouraged public engagement in the arts. The Trust, administered by the Massachusetts office of Bank of America’s Philanthropic Solutions division, continues her legacy by supporting programs that offer cultural and artistic enrichment, particularly within select Massachusetts communities. The purpose of the Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust is to support initiatives that provide educational and cultural experiences to both children and adults. These experiences must be based in or benefit the towns of Westport and Dartmouth and the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts. In alignment with Miss Ellis's life work, the Trust funds programs that involve the arts, music, crafts, conservation, wildlife, and local historical preservation. Applicants are encouraged to present clearly defined project or program requests. Operating expenses are only considered for limited support of essential programming, and certain types of funding—such as capital campaigns, endowments, academic or medical research, or religious purposes—are expressly excluded. Eligibility for this grant is geographically restricted. Applications must focus on or be situated within Westport, Dartmouth, or New Bedford, MA. Moreover, when proposals are of equal quality, preference is given to organizations located specifically in Westport. This geographical prioritization underscores the Trust’s commitment to targeted local impact. Eligible applicants are typically nonprofit organizations, particularly those with missions aligned with the grant’s focus areas. The Trust does not fund individuals or other private foundations. The grant operates on a fixed annual deadline. Applications are due by September 15, and award notifications are sent out by December 31 of the same year. There are no indications of rolling applications or multiple submission windows. The application materials and procedures are accessible online through Bank of America’s philanthropic portal, with application support documentation available in both PDF and Microsoft Word formats. Applicants with questions about the grant or submission process can reach out via email to the Massachusetts grantmaking team at ma.grantmaking@bofa.com. Email correspondence should include the foundation’s name in the subject line to ensure appropriate routing. Detailed contact information can also be found in the downloadable procedures documents. All funding decisions are made by the Trustee in accordance with the intent of the Trust. Proposals are evaluated based on their ability to meet the objectives outlined in the Trust’s mission and guidelines. Strong alignment with the arts, conservation, and cultural education within the eligible Massachusetts communities is essential for competitive consideration.