Massachusetts Capacity Building Grants

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Essex County, Massachusetts, addressing urgent community needs such as food insecurity and homelessness, as well as helping them pursue organizational improvements for long-term sustainability.

This initiative provides funding and training to Boston-based community organizations that support marginalized youth, particularly youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth, to enhance their mental health support capabilities.

This initiative provides funding and training to Boston-based community organizations that support marginalized youth, particularly youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth, to enhance their mental health support capabilities.

This grant provides funding to Massachusetts-based community organizations that improve health access for low-income and marginalized populations by enhancing their capacity and infrastructure.

This program provides funding to businesses, municipalities, schools, and regional entities in Massachusetts for innovative projects that promote the reuse and repair of materials to reduce waste.

This program provides financial support and business planning assistance to commercial farms in Massachusetts to improve their operations and ensure long-term sustainability.

This program provides financial and technical support to commercial farms in Massachusetts that operate on land protected by the Agricultural Preservation Restriction, helping them improve infrastructure and sustain agricultural productivity.

This program provides financial support and technical assistance to beginning farmers in Massachusetts, helping them develop their agricultural businesses through matching grants for capital investments.

This funding opportunity supports organizations engaged in scientific research and education that align with the foundation's mission, requiring an initial Letter of Inquiry for consideration.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community organizations working to improve access to clean energy for low-income households, renters, and minority communities facing energy challenges.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that help individuals from underserved communities access training and career opportunities in Massachusetts' growing clean energy sector.

The Assets for Artists' 2025 Capacity-Building Cohort is a 6-month program offering a $2,000 unrestricted grant and professional development resources to emerging or mid-career artists from under-resourced communities in Northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, aiming to strengthen their creative practice and achieve long-term sustainability.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community organizations, individuals, and groups focused on developing innovative clean energy projects or enhancing their capacity to serve priority populations in Massachusetts.

The Capacity Building Program funds initiatives designed to strengthen and increase the impact of local non-profits by improving their organizational capacity. Donor Name: Middlesex Saving Bank State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Desired outcomes for non-profits selected to receive grants through this program include one or more of the following: Improved governance and leadership Improved staff skills Improved management systems and practices Completed strategic plans Improved, expanded, or additional services Expanded strategic assets, including financial and human resources Successful applicants will be able to describe how their enhanced capacity will ultimately benefit the communities that they serve. Funding Information Grant requests considered up to $20,000. Geographic Areas Acton, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Bellingham, Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dover, Dunstable, Foxborough, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Groton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Northborough, Norwood, Pepperell, Sharon, Sherborn, Shirley, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Upton, Walpole, Waltham, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough, Westford, Weston, Westwood, Worcester, and Wrentham. Eligibility Criteria To apply for the A. James Lavoie Scholarship or a grant from the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation or a contribution from Middlesex Savings Bank, applicants must be nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving one or more communities served by Middlesex Savings Bank. Ineligibility Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation will not fund political or sectarian activities. Additionally, it will not fund organizations which utilize a fiscal agent. For more information, visit Middlesex Savings Bank.

The RIZE Massachusetts Foundation is providing grant for people suffering from substance use disorder have access to care and experience better quality of life and overall health. Donor Name: RIZE Massachusetts Foundation State: Massachusetts County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The primary goal of this first round of grantmaking is to help organizations deepen their impact, scale their work, and build a strong and sustainable infrastructure. Grants will provide general operating support with a focus on capacity building. Nonprofits can use this unrestricted funding to address urgent and emerging issues, sustain operations, strengthen organizational infrastructure, or meet different operational needs.   Focus Areas The RIZE Massachusetts Foundation should be focused on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, trauma, and family support. Funding Information Depending on the organization’s size and budget. Organizations with budgets of $250,000 or less may request up to $50,000 per year or 30% of their annual operating budget, whichever is less, for three years. Organizations with budgets between $250,000 and $1 million may request up to $100,000 per year or 30% of their annual operating budget, whichever is less, for three years. Organizations with budgets ranging from $1 to $5 million may request up to $150,000 for three years. Eligibility Criteria RIZE seeks to fund nonprofit organizations that work on any aspect of the care continuum from prevention to recovery and that work with diverse communities and populations that are historically underserved and have experienced a higher rate of opioid-related overdose deaths. This includes nonprofit organizations that: Have a total annual operating budget of under $5 million. Deliver prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery programs and services in Massachusetts. Are in good standing and current on state and federal reporting requirements.  Ineligibility Fundraising pursuits Capital campaigns, endowments, or annual appeals Clinical or drug trials Support for individuals or the promulgation of religious beliefs Lobbying or legislative activity. For more information, visit RIZE.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, to develop innovative projects that enhance community engagement in the arts, particularly for underserved populations.

The Women Working Wonders Fund (WWWF), a permanently endowed fund of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, is currently accepting proposals to advance the contributions of women and girls in the community and empower them to effect positive change. Donor Name: Greater Lowell Community Foundation State: Massachusetts City: Lowell Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/20/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Women Working Wonders Fund supports programs that empower women and girls to effect positive change in the community. The Women Working Wonders Fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations whose programs/projects: assist women in transition provide leadership development for women and girls contribute to the beautification of the environment to benefit women and girls. Funding Information The Women Working Wonders Fund will award five (5) grants of up to $10,000 each to programs/projects that impact the lives of women and girls while advancing an organization’s mission. Criteria Non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for the Women Working Wonders Fund. For more information, visit GLCF.

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Health & Wellbeing and Youth & Families Grant Program. Donor Name: Greater Worcester Community Foundation State: Massachusetts County: Worcester County (MA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/28/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The program is designed to be responsive and flexible and utilizes many trust-based philanthropic principles. They strive for this approach to take less total time for applicants, be more interactive, and provide a different method for storytelling. Focus Areas Requests should be to support a project/program that is both highly aligned in at least one of the strategies listed in our focus areas and the project/program or organization should be able to meaningfully address work being done in the lenses listed. Health & Wellbeing – Strengthening the systems that ensure those from historically excluded populations have equitable access to healthcare. Youth & Families – Ensuring families have what they need to thrive and that young people have access to critical supports and meaningful experiences. Funding Information Grant range is $2,500 – $25,000. Eligibility Criteria Types of Organizations 501c3 nonprofits, or any entity operating under a fiscal sponsorship of a 501c3. Collaboratives and coalitions with a fiscal sponsor and identified project lead. Houses of worship running community-serving programs that are not faith based and do not proselytize. Large multiservice institutions applying for well-aligned discrete projects. Geographic Location & Service Area Based in Worcester County and serve primarily its residents. Not based in Worcester County but have a meaningful physical presence. Providing an unduplicated service in Worcester County and can demonstrate they have authentic partnerships and relationships with local stakeholders. For more information, visit Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

The Susan Bradbury Animal Welfare Fund supports nonprofit organizations that run programs and services that provide safe havens and care for domestic and/or wild animals in Essex County. Donor Name: Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) State: Massachusetts County: Essex County (MA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/03/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding Information Applicants are invited to apply for grants up to $5,000. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must represent qualified 501(c)3 nonprofits serving Essex County. ECCF is committed to non-discrimination. They support organizations that use all reasonable efforts to recruit, hire, train, promote and serve persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, except where such status is a bona fide qualification for the service being provided and is related to the organization’s mission. Grants will not be awarded: To individuals. For sectarian or religious purposes. For political purposes. For debt or deficit reduction. For capital campaigns for buildings, land acquisition or endowment. For more information, visit ECCF.

The FY25 Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program is a competitive grant program that will award funds to improve facilities and destinations visited by in state and out-of-state travelers, with the goals of increasing visitation, enticing repeat visitation, and increasing the direct and indirect economic impacts of the tourism industry in all regions of the commonwealth. Donor Name: Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) State: Massachusetts County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: The Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) is committed to helping communities contribute to the long-term strength and sustainability of the Commonwealth. Eligible projects will enhance tourism resources and infrastructure and will aid in destination resiliency. Applications will be accepted for projects that include plans to expand, construct, restore or renovate Massachusetts tourism destinations and attractions. Applicants must demonstrate how the tourism capital project will work to promote the tourism goals of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the corresponding Regional Tourism Council. The DDC grant is focused on capital improvements with a direct relationship to tourism, and other physical/structural items with a greater than five-year lifespan. In accordance with the ResilientMass Plan, projects that include elements intended to increase the climate resilience of a tourism destination or attraction will receive consideration in the review process. Projects with a presence in a Designated Cultural District, locations within rural communities, and nexus with commemorations of the 250th anniversary of American Independence may receive priority consideration. Funding Information The Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program anticipates awarding up to $6,000,000 in FY25, subject to funding availability. Grant Period Grant awards are anticipated to be announced in June 2024, subject to appropriation. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2025. Eligibility Criteria  A public agency, municipality, or nonprofit organization incorporated in Massachusetts with 501(c)3, 501(c)5, 501(c)6, status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that does one of the following: Produces, promotes, or presents tourism attractions and activities for the public. Provides public access to physical collections and exhibits. In operation for at least two consecutive years since January 2020. Agency must be in good standing with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and city/town: Must be current on all taxes due through December 31, 2022; and have active and valid state licenses/registrations, if applicable. Applicants must have spent at least $15,000 in a fiscal year on tourism related items. Applicant must indicate how they are addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organization. Applications must be complete, must include all required documentation and be submitted through the online portal, by the deadline, in order to be considered. Ineligible Organizations: For-profit organizations Any organization whose sole or primary purpose is to fundraise Public colleges and universities, and entities that receive state-level operating support or non-project support directly from the Massachusetts General Fund Organizations not located in Massachusetts. For more information, visit EOED.