Massachusetts grants for Nonprofits

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and municipalities for summer programs that enhance academic achievement and mental health services for school-aged youth in Central and North Central Massachusetts.

The Connection, Health, & Equity through Food (CHEF) Grant Program is a collaborative initiative across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern Massachusetts, and Upstate New York, administered by the Maine Council on Aging. The program's core mission is to increase older adults’ equitable access to healthy food and social connection, aligning with a broader goal of addressing systemic issues like food insecurity and social isolation. This grant program seeks to support older adults by fostering programmatic infrastructure, expanding existing programs, and launching innovative new initiatives that cater to their food and social connection needs. The target beneficiaries of the CHEF Grant Program are primarily older adults, with a specific focus on underserved and marginalized populations. These include BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQ+, women, veterans, people living with disabilities, and individuals residing in rural communities. The program's impact goals are centered on enhancing the quality of life for these older adults by improving their access to nutritious food and opportunities for social engagement. Projects that serve diverse older people, veterans, and older people living with disabilities are given priority. The CHEF program prioritizes finding solutions to the root causes of food insecurity and social isolation. These root causes include poverty, transportation barriers, rurality, and language barriers. While the grant does not explicitly detail the foundation's strategic priorities or a formal theory of change, the emphasis on equitable access, addressing systemic issues, and supporting vulnerable populations suggests a strategy focused on community-based interventions and empowerment. The program's design indicates a theory that by investing in local organizations and initiatives, significant improvements can be made in the well-being of older adults. Expected outcomes include increased access to healthy food for older adults, enhanced social connections within communities, and a reduction in the prevalence of food insecurity and social isolation among the target populations. While specific measurable results are not explicitly outlined, the program's focus on data for older people served (50.1% of the overall population served) suggests an intent to track the reach and impact on the primary beneficiary group. The grant duration is not mentioned, but the anticipated grant size of $2,000 – $10,000 for most grants indicates support for projects with tangible, localized impacts.

This grant provides funding for public readings and discussions of Frederick Douglass's iconic speech in Massachusetts, aimed at nonprofit educational institutions, government organizations, and federally recognized tribes serving local residents.

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is inviting applications for the Hardman Fund, aimed at enriching the lives of residents in North Adams, Florida, Clarksburg, MA, and Stamford, VT, by supporting nonprofit organizations that focus on arts, culture, historic preservation, health, human and social services, education, and the environment, with a special interest in initiatives that assist people in difficult economic circumstances and enrich the cultural and natural environment.

This program provides financial support to projects that enhance economic resilience, diversity, and sustainability in the Cape Cod region, targeting local organizations and initiatives focused on housing, entrepreneurship, workforce education, infrastructure, and climate resilience.

This funding opportunity is designed for consulting firms to help the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center create and implement a comprehensive strategy for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within its organization and programs.

Community Engagement Planning Grants in Massachusetts aim to provide support to community-based organizations, municipalities, and other entities to facilitate meaningful community input in the development and deployment of solar energy projects owned by electric and gas distribution companies. The program goals include enabling informed community engagement, providing flexible funding for stakeholder meetings and public participation incentives, building capacity for future collaboration in clean energy projects, creating a framework for robust future community engagement, and facilitating discussions with diverse stakeholders.

This grant provides funding to local nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Bedford Area that demonstrate a significant impact on community needs and aim to drive meaningful change.

This grant provides funding for Massachusetts-based artists and community organizations to create public art projects that promote spatial justice and engage the public in meaningful ways.

Targeting projects led by members from historically excluded communities, this track offers specialized support including workshops and direct consultations. Focusing on equity and inclusion within Massachusetts narratives, the grant promotes projects that reinterpret recognized histories or highlight new stories. The funding, up to $20,000, supports up to 15 selected projects through a non-competitive review process, fostering equitable representation in the state’s cultural narrative. LOI April 5th

Open Door Grants are designed to support small to medium-size organizations by providing one-time $5,000 grants. These grants are available to organizations operating in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, which have operating budgets of $1 million or less as of 2023, and have been operational for at least one year. The grants can be used for either general operating support or specific project support. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) public charities, those with a fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3), faith-based organizations providing secular services, and civic organizations engaged in charitable projects. Public, private schools, and government organizations are not eligible. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from March 20, 2024, to July 12, 2024, with decisions announced no later than August 2, 2024.

The Mass Cultural Council is offering grants of less than $1000 under its Local Cultural Council Program to support public programs that enhance the creative and cultural sector in Massachusetts, with applications open to individuals, non-profit organizations, unincorporated associations, for-profit organizations, and government entities, provided they demonstrate a public benefit from their project.

This grant provides financial support to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for activities that prepare sites for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use development, promoting economic growth and geographic equity.

This program provides funding to municipalities, nonprofits, and private entities for the rehabilitation and redevelopment of blighted or underutilized properties to boost housing, economic development, and accessibility.

This grant provides funding for community-driven projects in New Bedford, Massachusetts, that enhance public spaces and promote cultural preservation, inclusivity, and engagement among residents and visitors.

This grant provides financial support to established livestock farmers in select New England counties to implement regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil health, water quality, and pollinator habitats.

This grant provides funding to Massachusetts-based non-profits and organizations to expand and enhance previously funded projects that collect and share underrepresented narratives and experiences from the Commonwealth.

The Island Foundation is accepting applications for a grant program, with a deadline of 10/23/2024, aimed at supporting 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island that focus on environmental conservation, social change in New Bedford, alternative education, and addressing inequality for womxn and girls.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots community groups with limited resources to launch new environmental projects or significantly shift existing ones, focusing on those that amplify diverse voices and address environmental justice issues.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF), a program dedicated to restoring and sustaining healthy rivers, forests, and grasslands to provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. This initiative aligns with NFWF's broader mission to protect and restore native wildlife species and their habitats, leveraging public and private funding to achieve significant conservation outcomes. The NEFRF, formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund, represents a strategic investment in the ecological health of the Northeast region, fostering biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. The program's target beneficiaries include various fish and wildlife populations such as river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout, wood turtles, golden-winged warblers, New England cottontails, and bobolinks. Beyond wildlife, the program also aims to benefit agricultural producers, particularly those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by helping them design and implement conservation practices. The impact goals are centered on improving habitat quality and connectivity, enhancing forest conditions, and promoting hayfield management conducive to successful grassland bird breeding. NEFRF's priorities and focuses are outlined in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), specifically targeting strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. Key implementation strategies for 2024 include restoring stream and riparian habitats, improving forest management for age and structural diversity, and promoting hayfield management. A significant portion of funding, approximately $625,000, is set aside for projects that assist agricultural producers in adopting conservation practices beneficial to target species like northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers, while also increasing Farm Bill program participation. Additionally, the program encourages projects that involve community outreach, engagement, collaborative management, and the incorporation of traditional knowledge and community input. Expected outcomes and measurable results include improved habitat for specific fish and wildlife species, enhanced age and structural diversity in forest blocks, successful grassland bird breeding, and increased participation of agricultural producers in conservation programs. Projects are expected to contribute to measurable conservation benefits through community input, co-design processes, and engagement with community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to ensure project design, implementation, maintenance, and long-term sustainability post-grant award. The grant duration is three years, with projects expected to start no later than six months after the award date. The NFWF's strategic priorities for the NEFRF reflect a theory of change that posits by investing in targeted habitat restoration, improved land management, and community engagement, ecological health will be restored and sustained, benefiting both wildlife and human communities. Funding is provided by a consortium of partners including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoetis Foundation, and Sylvamo, underscoring a collaborative approach to conservation. The program encourages a holistic view of conservation, integrating scientific best practices with local community needs and traditional knowledge to achieve robust and lasting environmental improvements across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and parts of New York.