Eversource Energy Community Grant Program

The Eversource Energy Foundation provides financial support to nonprofit organizations through its Charitable Giving program, offering grants and sponsorships aimed at creating sustainable, community-driven impact across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. As the philanthropic arm of Eversource, a regional energy provider, the Foundation contributed $7 million in 2024 to local charitable initiatives. These contributions are targeted toward enhancing the quality of life for residents within the company’s service territories. The foundation demonstrates a commitment to public benefit by supporting causes that address fundamental human needs, environmental concerns, education, and community development. The primary objective of the grant program is to support nonprofit programs and events that align with at least one of the Foundation’s key focus areas. These areas include Community Wellness and Basic Needs, Education, Clean Energy and Environmental Stewardship, Community Awareness and Engagement, and Community, Economic, and Workforce Development. Funding is intended for direct programmatic support rather than administrative or personal expenses, ensuring that grants directly benefit the community. Prohibited uses include utility bill assistance, advertising, debt repayment, personnel funding, and capital projects, as well as funding for political and fraternal organizations. To qualify, applicants must be based in Eversource's service territory and be designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by the IRS. Furthermore, organizations must demonstrate that their funding request fits within the aforementioned focus areas. Certain types of organizations, such as private foundations or those requesting utility or energy efficiency upgrades, are ineligible. Each nonprofit may receive only one donation per calendar year from the Foundation. Applicants must also comply with Eversource’s anti-discrimination policy to be considered. The application process begins with an eligibility quiz available on Eversource’s website. If eligible, applicants are directed to Cybergrants, the online portal used for application submission. Users must either log in or create a Cybergrants profile. All funding requests must be submitted at least 90 days in advance of the supported program or event. While grant requests are reviewed on a rolling basis, the Foundation closes the application process in mid-October for the current calendar year. Review periods typically range from eight to twelve weeks. Typical award amounts range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are not automatically renewed. Organizations must reapply each year for continued support. There is no indication that matching funds are required, and the number of awards distributed annually is not specified. Although the grant is rolling in nature, it is not recurring in the sense of scheduled annual renewals. As such, the Foundation encourages organizations to apply early in the year to accommodate the review timeline and funding availability. Additional programs offered by Eversource include employee-directed giving initiatives, such as Matching Grants, Dollars for Doers, and Pledge Partners. These efforts contributed over $749,000 to charities in 2024, and together with Eversource employee and retiree efforts, raised $2.7 million for the United Way. For inquiries, general questions should be sent to Giving@eversource.com. State-specific Community Relations contacts are available for Connecticut (CTCommunityRelations@eversource.com), Massachusetts (MACommunityRelations@eversource.com), and New Hampshire (NHCommunityRelations@eversource.com).