Massachusetts Capacity Building Grants

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 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.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF)(formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund) to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/11/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The program will advance this goal by investing in projects that: Restore the quality and connectivity of stream and riparian habitats with a focus on improving habitat for river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout and wood turtles; Improve management of forest blocks to enhance age and structural diversity, resulting in improved forest conditions for native wildlife, with a focus on improving habitat for golden-winged warbler and New England cottontail; and, Promote hayfield management that allows for successful grassland bird breeding, with a specific focus on habitat for bobolink. Approximately $2 million is available this year. Funding is provided by 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. Program Priorities  Proposals should strive to contribute to goals detailed in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), and specifically the strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. (Applicants interested in supporting the priorities for Coastal Habitats in the business plan are encouraged to apply to NFWF’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund and National Coastal Resilience Fund.) Priority implementation strategies for NEFRF funding in 2024 are detailed below. Approximately $625,000 in program funding will be set aside for projects that direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices benefitting select Working Lands for Wildlife target species, especially northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers. Projects should Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. In addition, projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes and should consider traditional knowledge where relevant. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award. Grant Period Projects should plan to start no later than six months after the award date and be completed within three years. Geographical Areas  Projects are eligible from throughout the program boundary, which includes all of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, as well as parts of New York. However, within the Long Island Sound and Connecticut River watershed, NEFRF will only consider projects to sustain and restore healthy forests, grasslands and fish passage projects. All other projects should apply to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF). Eligibility Criteria  Eligible and Ineligible Entities: Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include U.S. Federal government agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

Focuses on funding new initiatives or expanding existing workforce training programs and studies in the offshore wind sector, with an emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEIJ) principles.

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.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in the Berkshire Taconic region to support capacity-building projects that enhance governance, diversity, and overall effectiveness in serving their communities.

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.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in the Berkshire Taconic region for innovative projects that improve environmental quality and promote community health, with a focus on engaging at-risk and low-income youth.

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 grant provides funding to established nonprofit organizations in Eastern Massachusetts that are seeking to implement significant strategic changes to improve their mission delivery and ensure long-term sustainability.

This grant provides funding to community-based organizations in Boston that support immigrant populations by fostering resilience and collaboration through various community-centered programs.

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

This funding opportunity provides financial support for the construction or renovation of affordable housing and services aimed at helping older adults live with dignity and independence, particularly in the Greater Boston area.

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 grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that serve the Martha’s Vineyard community, focusing on projects that enhance the island's social, cultural, and environmental well-being.

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 funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on improving their services for low- to moderate-income and historically underserved communities through strategic investments in planning, staff development, and technology.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on improving education and employment opportunities for underserved youth in specific regions of California, Washington, DC, and Western Massachusetts.

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 technical assistance to beginning farmers in Massachusetts, helping them develop their agricultural businesses through matching grants for capital investments.