Massachusetts Grants

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.

This funding initiative provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community groups in Brookline, Massachusetts, to enhance access to essential services and emergency assistance for individuals and families, particularly those from marginalized communities.

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 funding opportunity provides financial support to community organizations, individuals, and groups in Massachusetts that work to improve access to clean energy and reduce energy burdens for underserved populations.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit and government organizations in selected Massachusetts communities to improve health outcomes, address mental health issues for girls, reduce health disparities, enhance housing stability, and implement innovative health solutions.

The Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) is offering a Community Grant Program, providing funding between $10,000 to $100,000 for one year to programs that promote equity and address community needs such as health, wellness, climate sustainability, arts, culture, and more, with a preference for BIPOC-led organizations and those focusing on vulnerable populations.

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 funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that deliver high-quality early childhood education and family services to low-income children and families across multiple states in the U.S.

The Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust offers grants to organizations that develop programs centered around arts, music, crafts, conservation, wildlife, and history preservation. The trust's mission is aligned with supporting initiatives that enrich communities through cultural, environmental, and historical engagement. The grants are intended to confer a benefit upon the citizens, particularly children and adults, in the towns of Westport and Dartmouth, and the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The primary target beneficiaries are children and adults residing in Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford, MA, who will participate in educational or cultural experiences. The impact goals include fostering appreciation and understanding of the arts, music, crafts, conservation, wildlife, and local history within these communities, thereby enhancing the quality of life and cultural enrichment for residents. The trust's priorities and focuses are clearly defined: programs must relate to conservation, wildlife, history of the area, and/or the promotion of music, the arts, and crafts. While open to all counties, there is a strong preference for programs that directly benefit Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford. Furthermore, proposals of equal merit will be prioritized if submitted by organizations located within the Town of Westport, MA, highlighting a strategic focus on local community development. Expected outcomes include increased participation in cultural and educational programs, greater awareness of local history and environmental issues, and the promotion of artistic and musical expression among the target populations. Measurable results could include attendance numbers at events, participant feedback, and the successful execution of conservation or preservation projects. The foundation's strategic priority is to support programs that align with its core thematic areas and demonstrate a direct benefit to the specified Massachusetts communities.

The Community Enrichment program, offered by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts, is designed to support activities that bolster the vitality of communities within its 33-community region. This program directly aligns with the foundation's mission to address community goals and supports non-profit organizations whose initiatives align with their own mission. The foundation prioritizes programs that enhance local arts, culture, creativity, civic engagement, and community development, contributing to strong, active, and inclusive relationships among residents, the private sector, the public, and civil society organizations. The target beneficiaries for this program are the residents and various organizations within the 33-community region in North Central Massachusetts. The overarching impact goal is to create more vital communities through enhanced civic engagement, cultural enrichment, and sustainable development. The program focuses on fostering community cohesion and participation, celebrating community heritage, and promoting artistic expression in public and institutional settings. This approach is intended to create a thriving environment for all community members. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly delineated across three key areas: Arts and Culture, Community Development, and Civic Engagement. Within Arts and Culture, the program supports initiatives like public art, art programs in community centers and schools, and general artistic endeavors. Community Development focuses on projects that enhance the community and preserve historical elements. Civic Engagement aims to advance community cohesion and participation, fostering a sense of belonging and shared responsibility among residents. Expected outcomes include demonstrating capacity and potential for achieving and sustaining long-term impact, successful implementation of action plans, and measurable progress towards stated objectives. Grant proposals are required to include measurable objectives and outcomes, along with a plan to monitor this progress, ensuring accountability and effectiveness. The foundation seeks evidence that the proposed plan of action is likely to achieve its intended results, reflecting a strategic approach to grantmaking. The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts operates with a strategic priority on programs that demonstrate clear capacity for impact, have well-defined plans of action, and include robust methods for tracking progress. While a formal "theory of change" isn't explicitly detailed, the underlying principle is that by investing in arts, culture, civic engagement, and community development, communities will become more vital, resilient, and inclusive. This is achieved through supporting non-profit organizations that can effectively execute programs aligned with these goals and demonstrate a commitment to measurable results.

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.

The Public Art Learning Fund, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), is designed to fortify the public art landscape across New England by offering professional development opportunities directly to artists. NEFA's overarching mission, as reflected in this grant, is to cultivate more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout the region. This initiative aligns with NEFA's strategic goal of fostering a sustainable and equitable public art ecosystem by investing in the skills, resources, and connections of artists working in the public realm. The primary beneficiaries of this fund are artists residing full-time in one of the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) who are actively engaged in public artmaking or are in the process of expanding their practice into this domain. The fund aims to empower these artists, contributing to more just and inclusive public art. Expected outcomes include artists developing enhanced skills and resources, leading to the creation of more vibrant public spaces and a stronger regional community of practice. The Public Art Learning Fund prioritizes opportunities that specifically expand an artist's public art practice and contribute equitably to more just and inclusive public artmaking. NEFA seeks clarity on desired learnings and their application to the artist's practice. The fund welcomes artists at various stages of their public artmaking careers from urban, suburban, and rural communities, recognizing that diverse cultural and artistic expressions are crucial for equitable and vibrant public spaces. A key focus of this grant is equity. NEFA acknowledges that various barriers, including race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography, can limit access to professional development. Therefore, the Public Art Learning Fund actively prioritizes equity in its funding decisions. This may include, but is not limited to, prioritizing artists who self-identify as Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and/or those who are rooted in rural communities, aligning with NEFA's theory of change that targeted support can address systemic inequities and build a more inclusive artistic landscape. Grants range from $500 to $3,000 and support opportunities taking place between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Eligible applicants must also have a Creative Ground profile, and the proposed professional development must directly relate to strengthening their public art practice and occur within the grant period. These measurable results, such as the number of artists served and the nature of their professional development, contribute to NEFA's broader strategic aim of fostering a more equitable and sustainable public art ecosystem in New England.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to choreographers in New England for projects that enhance their dance practice or advance their careers, with grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 for various artistic endeavors.

The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) is offering the Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr., Community Safety Initiative (Shannon CSI) Grant Program, aimed at supporting multi-disciplinary collaborations to combat gang and youth violence through prevention, intervention, and reintegration programs, with a focus on small cities, public school districts, and projects promoting non-fossil fuel systems and compliance with Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Transit Connectivity Grant Program provides up to $10 million in grants to Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs). This program, authorized by Section 1596-2406 of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Act, aims to foster connectivity between existing public transportation routes, encompassing both RTA and MBTA routes. The core mission of this grant program is to enhance the overall accessibility and efficiency of public transit throughout Massachusetts, aligning with broader goals of promoting sustainable transportation and community development. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) in Massachusetts. Through the creation or alteration of routes, the program ultimately seeks to benefit the general public, particularly low-income individuals, by providing increased access to public transportation. The impact goals are centered on improving the public transit experience by increasing ridership, extending the total mileage covered in single trips (thereby increasing coverage), and ensuring that these improvements reach underserved communities. The program prioritizes operating projects that directly address three key criteria: opportunities for increased ridership, opportunities for increased total mileage covered in a single trip (coverage), and opportunities to reach low-income individuals. Awards are made on a competitive basis, indicating a strategic focus on projects that demonstrate the most potential for achieving these objectives and providing a clear return on investment in terms of public benefit. The expected outcomes include a more interconnected and efficient public transportation system across the state. Measurable results will likely involve tracking increases in ridership numbers, the expansion of transit coverage as measured by total mileage, and the demonstrable impact on low-income communities. While not explicitly detailed as a "theory of change" in the provided text, the underlying strategy is that by investing in improved transit connectivity, MassDOT will create a more equitable and effective public transportation network, thereby enhancing the quality of life for residents and contributing to economic vitality.

This grant provides funding for innovative projects that improve dental care access for residents in Massachusetts, prioritizing community support and measurable outcomes.

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 funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and public entities that address community needs and improve the quality of life for underserved populations in areas served by TD Bank.

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts's Flexible Funding 2024 program offers general operating support to nonprofits benefiting the region. This initiative aligns directly with the foundation's mission to foster equity and opportunity in Western Massachusetts by providing unrestricted financial support. The program's core aim is to sustain the day-to-day operations of organizations, allowing them to focus directly on their missions without the burden of highly restricted funding. This approach reflects the foundation's strategic priority to strengthen the nonprofit sector by providing flexible, trust-based philanthropy. The program primarily targets smaller, newer, non-traditional, or fiscally sponsored organizations that have historically lacked substantial institutional philanthropy. It also prioritizes organizations deeply rooted in their communities, recognizing their essential role in local impact. While not explicitly stating "expected outcomes" or "measurable results" in a quantitative sense, the program's design implies an outcome of increased organizational stability, capacity, and effectiveness for these beneficiaries. The theory of change suggests that by providing flexible funding to these specific organizations, the foundation can catalyze greater community well-being and progress towards its equity goals. The foundation's strategic vision forms the cornerstone for establishing the priority support areas for Flexible Funding. These areas are designed to increase equity and opportunity and include: racial justice; accessible and more affordable post-secondary education and training; a strong start for all children; a vibrant local arts and creativity ecosystem; financial resiliency (Springfield only); and family economic resiliency (Franklin County only). These focus areas clearly articulate the foundation's strategic priorities and direct funding towards issues that are central to its broader theory of change for regional development and social justice. Flexible Funding provides grants of up to $30,000 for a grant period of January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Eligibility requires IRS-designated 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor, and organizations must be located in and serve residents of Franklin, Hampden, and/or Hampshire counties. There is a strong preference for organizations with operating budgets less than $5 million, and organizations with budgets over $10 million are ineligible, reinforcing the focus on smaller, community-based entities. This emphasis on local and less-resourced organizations highlights the foundation's commitment to equitable resource distribution and supporting the foundational elements of a thriving community.

The Newton Community Pride Community Micro Grant program is designed to support local organizations, artists, service projects, and non-profits in Newton, Massachusetts. This initiative directly aligns with the Newton Community Pride's mission: "To build community through free arts and culture programming, public art, beautification and service projects." By offering financial support to diverse community-driven initiatives, the program aims to enhance local engagement and foster a vibrant community spirit. The grant's focus on projects occurring between November 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, ensures timely impact and responsiveness to immediate community needs. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are community members in Newton, with a particular emphasis on historically marginalized groups and those who benefit from free community programming. The impact goals include fostering community building, promoting arts and culture, and supporting beautification and service projects within Newton. The program's strategic priorities include encouraging diversity, representing varied voices and experiences, and supporting first-time grant applications or organizations that haven't received an NCP grant in the previous cycle. This approach aligns with a theory of change that posits that by investing in accessible and inclusive community projects, Newton Community Pride can strengthen social cohesion and enrich the lives of its residents. The program prioritizes projects located in Newton that offer free community programming. Preference is given to first-time grant applicants and those that haven't been awarded an NCP grant in the previous cycle, encouraging broader participation and supporting emerging initiatives. Applicants are required to include event or program budget information and their most recent 990, if available, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and accountability. Additionally, project locations must be vetted and approved before application submission, ensuring feasibility and appropriate use of public spaces. Expected outcomes include an increase in free arts and culture programming, more public art installations, enhanced beautification efforts, and a greater number of service projects benefiting the Newton community. Measurable results can be tracked through the number of funded projects, the reach and attendance of free community programs, and the demonstrable impact on historically marginalized groups. The maximum grant request is $1,500, with past grants averaging between $300 and $1,100, indicating a focus on numerous smaller-scale, impactful projects rather than a few large ones. Funding dispersal 15-30 days prior to the event or program ensures that resources are available when most needed. Exclusions from the grant include public school programs, requests for food/beverages, personal scholarships, capital improvement funding, and event/program support that would benefit any political or religious cause, individual, or group. These exclusions ensure that the grants remain focused on broader community benefit and align strictly with the non-political and non-religious mission of Newton Community Pride. The clear guidelines help maintain the integrity of the program and ensure that funds are directed towards initiatives that truly serve the entire Newton community in an inclusive manner.