Search Through Arts Grants for Nonprofits in Massachusetts in the U.S.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

Mission

The Highland Street Foundation is committed to addressing the most pressing needs and concerns for children and families in Massachusetts and California. We provide access and opportunities in education, housing, mentorship, health care, environment, and the arts.

Grants

We award grants to organizations of many different sizes and types, but most often for education, youth programming and mentoring, housing and homelessness prevention, environment, healthcare and the arts. The grants we make tend to stem from the relationships our trustees have built with our nonprofit partners. Therefore, we don’t seek unsolicited grant proposals, and have no open proposal submission deadlines or pre-established funding limits.

Our Mission 

The mission of the Kelley Foundation is to enrich the quality of life on Cape Cod through the Kelley Foundation Scholars Program and grants to nonprofit organizations providing programs and services that support all areas of the community: health and human services; housing; youth development; food security and access; arts & culture; and the environment.

Grants 

The Kelley Foundation awards program and capacity building grants to nonprofit organizations that support all areas of the community: health and human services; housing; youth development; food security and access; arts & culture; and the environment.

Background

The Memorial Foundation for the Blind is a private charitable foundation that provides funding to those organizations in Worcester County that serve the needs of persons with visual impairments. The foundation also provides funding to individuals who are certified as legally blind with the Massachusetts Commission for the blind, to purchase adaptive equipment, assistive technology, and other equipment that enhances the quality of life for the individual. In addition, the MFB provides scholarships to higher education to those who apply and meet the requirements outlined in the scholarship section of this websight.

The mission of the Memorial Foundation for the Blind shall be to serve the needs of and to promote the general welfare of visually impaired residents of Worcester County, Massachusetts and to provide grants to further this purpose

Program Grants

MFB welcomes grant proposals from nonprofit charitable organizations to improve the quality of life and encourage the independence of people with visual impairments. Proposals may include programs to improve access to the arts and culture, employment training opportunities, recreation and leisure time activities, and more. Applicants are encouraged to call and leave a message and a member of our Grants Committee will return your call to discuss your request.Application Procedure Please send a brief letter of intent describing your proposal idea. If your letter of intent is accepted, we will forward an application summary sheet which must be completed along with a brief narrative and budget for the program or project.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Transformational Capital Grant

Transformational Capital Grants provide major funding for nonprofit organizations to permanently and vastly improve their mission delivery by supporting the development of physical spaces that make a meaningful difference in enabling them to provide high-quality, impactful programs and services to those they serve. Grant amounts are up to $5 million, payable over multiple years.

These grants are extremely competitive, and the most compelling Initial Proposals will demonstrate completion of analyses to validate the project need and viability; strong Board commitment as demonstrated with a board-approved plan and community support; progress toward key regulatory benchmarks; at least 50% of the project costs pledged or received; and culminate with a milestone (groundbreaking, dedication, or similar) within one year of the Initial Proposal submission. Additionally, Initial Proposals should reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s Giving Areas and geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

The approximate timeframe for reviewing Transformational Capital Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is 12-18 months, however the time period between Initial Proposal and application may vary depending upon the complexity of the project. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Areas of Funding

The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation primarily considers funding requests from nonprofit organizations based in or working in Hampden County, Massachusetts that address needs in the following areas:

• Early Education (Birth to 5)
• Early Literacy
• Innovation and Excellence in Education
• Economic Mobility
• Arts & Culture
• Health
• Safety Net (Support for social service organizations responding to the essential needs for marginalized communities and vulnerable residents in Hampden County)
• Youth Development
• Leadership Development & Training
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Community Support

Types of Funding

Funding requests are considered for:

General Operating Funding

General Operating funding is awarded to help support an organization’s general operating costs and overhead rather than a particular project or initiative.

Capital Funding

Capital funding is awarded to support the purchase, construction, or renovation of a property, land and/or capital assets associated with the organization and the communities it supports.

Program Funding

Program funding is awarded to support a specific program, project, or initiative to be implemented by the organization with the goal of achieving measurable and meaningful projected outcomes.

Capacity Building Funding

Capacity Building funding is awarded to support and/or improve an organization’s work and operations. These awards typically focus on the areas of strategic planning, fiscal systems review, board development, staff development, diversifying revenue streams, etc.

Emergency Funding

Emergency funding is awarded to assist an organization in a time of unexpected and sudden need. These requests are reviewed as quickly as possible, typically within two weeks, of receipt.

Background

Mabel Louise Riley, the Foundation’s donor, was born in 1883 in Boston. Miss Riley was an active patron of the arts and especially enjoyed the beautiful gardens at her homes in Newton and Cotuit on Cape Cod. Generous and concerned for the needs of others throughout her lifetime, she gave regularly to numerous charities in the Boston area.

In establishing a general purpose foundation, Miss Riley’s only suggestion to her trustees was that particular consideration be given to the needs of children and youth. The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation began operation as an active member of Boston’s philanthropic community in May 1972.

Program Interests

The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation is a general-purpose foundation with a special interest in supporting the needs of low-income children and youth and their families.  The foundation supports a broad range of programs, particularly in the areas of education and human services, and neighborhood revitalization.  

Current more specialized areas of interest include:

• Arts access programs for underserved communities
• Support for foster care children and those aging out of the system
• Vocational Education and job training
• Affordable housing and shelter for vulnerable families

Types of Support and Grant Size

Grants are made in support of new projects and organizations, program expansion, and for capital projects.  The trustees are interested in leveraging their grants by funding programs that can become self-sufficient or may serve as a model in other geographic areas.

One-year grants normally fall in the range of $50,000 to $100,000.

The Foundation supports projects in coastal areas of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island and selected international locations.

For the last two decades, the Foundation has focused a significant portion of its financial resources on Southeastern Massachusetts, where its office is located. Here the Board seeks to understand how communities grow sustainably and equitably, how to increase educational opportunities, how rural and urban economies are intertwined, and how to best protect working landscapes and the people who rely upon these areas for their livelihoods. In funding in a few specific areas, the Board believes it will have the most impact.   

New Bedford Grantmaking

The Foundation works with organizations that promote progressive social change and combat discrimination in all its forms in New Bedford. In this historic city, the Foundation supports youth programs, community development, arts and culture, and basic needs. The Foundation funds groups that have community-wide recognition and support and demonstrate a positive vision for the present and future of New Bedford.

Within the New Bedford program area, the Board currently seeks proposals addressing: 

• youth educational attainment, life skills, and career preparation, with an emphasis on workforce development for at-risk youth ages 16-24;
• strategies to address food insecurity;
• assistance for immigrants;
• activities that increase civic engagement, access, and inclusion;
• appreciation for for the history and cultures represented in this community; and
• professional development/capacity building for the nonprofit sector.

JMAC Access Grant Program

Providing resources to support artists and organizations in presenting their projects at the Jean McDonough Arts Center.

The Jean McDonough Arts Center, in partnership with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and thanks to the support of the Barr Foundation, is pleased to announce the continuation of the JMAC Access Grant Program.

The JMAC strives to ensure that every cultural organization, large and small, can have a home in downtown Worcester. The venue has proven especially critical for Worcester’s BIPOC and underserved artists – by helping artists create new work, generate income, and positively impact their community. Through the Access Grant Program, selected nonprofit cultural organizations and individual artists will receive the resources needed to create their stories and programs at the JMAC to share with Central Massachusetts audiences.

Through a three-phase application process, organizations and artists can apply for financial support to present their projects at the JMAC in the near future. The grant covers project development, implementation and marketing costs incurred by the organizations and artists, as well as the usage costs of the JMAC space desired for the project.

Funding

In both application rounds, the requested budget will reflect only the organization’s or artist’s discretionary expenses, and exclude expenses related to rental or usage of the JMAC. When grants are awarded, recipients will receive direct payment for their discretionary expenses. Concurrently, the JMAC will receive payment for their rental and usage expenses, at the following rates:

• Worcester PopUp, One Day: $2,500
• Worcester PopUp, One Week: $3,500
• BrickBox Theater, Half Day (6 Hours): $3,750
• BrickBox Theater, Full Day (Up to 12 Hours): $6,250
• BrickBox Theater, Two Days: $8,750
• BrickBox Theater, Four Days: $14,250

New England States Touring (NEST) funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations.

Program Goals

• Expand direct access to high quality artists and aesthetic diversity for all New England communities by artists from New England, the nation, and across the globe.
• Stimulate opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among New England cultural organizations and between artists and organizations.
• Encourage projects that provide meaningful interaction between artists and communities, extending beyond the stage.

NEST Artists

NEST artists are professional artists from New England who meet the NEST artist requirements. They represent a wide range of disciplines, including dance, folk art, interdisciplinary work, media, music, musical theater, opera, poetry, storytelling, and theater. NEST artists must be available for public performances and must maintain a permanent residence in New England.

About the New England States Touring Grant Program

There are three distinct grant opportunities for New England nonprofit organizations: NEST 1, NEST 2, and NEST 3. Organizations serving rural communities and/or deeply engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities are encouraged to apply.

NEST 1

Funds the public presentation and engagement of a New England artist presented by a New England nonprofit organization based in a different New England state from the artist’s home state. 

NEST 2

Funds the public presentation and community engagement activities of a New England artist presented by two New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include one presenting organization based inside of the artist’s home state and one other organization from outside of the artist’s home state.

NEST 3

Funds tours, including public presentation and community engagement activities, of regional, national, or international artists presented by New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include a minimum of three New England organizations in different communities presenting the same artist. The organizations applying must be from at least two different New England states. 

• Each organization is responsible for reviewing the program goals and criteria, negotiating the terms of the engagement with the artist, and completing a NEST 3 application.
• Organizations may submit up to three NEST 3 applications.
• The annual deadline is the first business day of March.
• Grants provide up to 60% of the artist fee to a maximum of $10,000.
  • Applications with artist fees under $2,000 may request the full artist fee.
• New England artists must be listed as NEST-eligible on CreativeGround.
• For non-New England artists, an artist work sample must be submitted by one of the touring partners.
• Grant period: Touring projects must occur between June 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026.

Deadlines

NEST 1 & 2 grant deadlines occur three times a year, as follows:

• First business day of August, for projects beginning on or after November 1.
• First business day of December, for projects beginning on or after March 1.
• First business day of March, for projects beginning on or after June 1.

The annual NEST 3 grant deadline is the first business day of March.   

About the Fund

The Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) is a capital grant program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Fund offers grants to help nonprofit cultural organizations plan for, renovate, expand, and repair their facilities. CFF grants help increase contributions from private funding sources. The Fund is a landmark investment in the infrastructure of our state’s cultural resources.

Cultural Facilities Fund 2023 Grant Cycle

Over $9 million will be awarded to support repairs, renovations, new construction, and acquisition of facilities. Planning grants are also available for analysis, design, and feasibility studies that relate to a cultural facility.

This year, we are encouraging cultural organizations to consider ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their facilities, and to align with the Commonwealth’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050.  (Please note: applicants may apply for a Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grant in tandem with a Capital Grant, if it is for the purpose of planning for the reduction of carbon emissions.)

Grant Categories

• Capital Grants: For the acquisition, design, construction, repair, renovation, rehabilitation or other capital improvements or deferred maintenance of a cultural facility. Any of the following would qualify for consideration under this description:
• New construction.
• Additions to an existing structure.
• Renovations or repairs to an existing structure.
• Fixed/integrated equipment.
• Any combination of the above.
• Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grants (FTA): For costs and expenses related to overall planning and feasibility for a proposed eligible project.
• Systems Replacement Plan Grants (SRP): These are a specific type of Feasibility and Technical Assistance Grant specifically designed for organizations without full-time maintenance staff. The SRP is a 20-year capital needs assessment of the building and its mechanical systems.

Program Guidelines

The Gaming Mitigation Fund provides grants to Massachusetts nonprofit and municipal performing arts centers to spend on touring shows or touring artist fees. Established by the Legislature, these grants aim to target funding to those most directly impacted by the operation of resort-style casinos.

This is important because performing arts centers:

• Are economic engines for communities
• Ensure access to the arts across the Commonwealth
• Are centers of community gathering and place making
• Provide young people creative learning opportunities

Funding is meant to help organizations increase their buying power when directly competing with resort casinos to book touring artists.

Who We Are

The William and Bertha Schrafft Charitable Trust is committed to the intellectual, personal and artistic growth of underserved youth ages 6-21 primarily through supporting neighborhood-based education programming throughout the City of Boston. In addition, the Trust has a special interest in building effective pathways to economic independence for underserved populations of the City of New Bedford through education, entrepreneurship and economic development. We strive to support efforts that help young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in school and lay the foundation for satisfying and productive lives.

Schrafft Charitable Trust Grants

The Schrafft Trust provides Program Grants or General Operating Grants to nonprofit 501(C)3 organizations; incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which help young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in school and beyond.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust prioritizes small to medium-sized, community-based organizations, charter and district schools in Boston and New Bedford that provide effective youth development, academic enrichment and/or arts and culture programming for underserved populations ages 6-21. We look for organizations led by board members and staff who are representative of the community served and who are actively engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The Trust also funds a small number of organizations in New Bedford that leverage the strengths of the region (e.g. its people, culture, history, agriculture, fishing and seacoast resources) to provide pathways to economic independence for underserved youth or young adult populations.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Strategic Investment Grant

Strategic Investment Grants support nonprofit organizations catalyzing plans around strategic growth, which may entail a reimagining, rescoping, or re-energizing of mission delivery for long-term optimized impact. Grant amounts range from $250,000 to $1 million, most often payable over multiple years.

Strategic Investment Grants may fund a nonprofit’s regional expansion (within Yawkey Foundation geographic priority areas), synergistic collaborations between two or more nonprofits for improved program or service delivery, and mergers or consolidations of organizations in transition. These grants may advance a nonprofit’s efforts around the feasibility and progress of a strategic plan.

These grants are extremely competitive, Initial Proposals should reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts. Initial Proposals for Strategic Investment Grants should demonstrate that a nonprofit’s Board has made a commitment to and has approved the strategic initiative.

The timeframe for reviewing Strategic Investment Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is between 6-12 months. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period, and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and innovative nonprofit organizations in delivering on their core missions. Grant amounts are up to $100,000, most often paid over one year.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund programming, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment to the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

The timeframe for reviewing Program & Small Capital Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is between 90-120 days. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period, and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Background

Mabel Louise Riley, the Foundation’s donor, was born in 1883 in Boston. Miss Riley was an active patron of the arts and especially enjoyed the beautiful gardens at her homes in Newton and Cotuit on Cape Cod. Generous and concerned for the needs of others throughout her lifetime, she gave regularly to numerous charities in the Boston area.

In establishing a general purpose foundation, Miss Riley’s only suggestion to her trustees was that particular consideration be given to the needs of children and youth. The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation began operation as an active member of Boston’s philanthropic community in May 1972.

Purpose The purpose of the Family Strengthening Small Grants Fund is to support activities and projects in the greater Dudley area that build, strengthen, and support families. Funding PrioritiesThe Family Strengthening Small Grants Fund will give high priority to projects and activities which focus on: 

• mending the social fabric of the neighborhood; 
• building, strengthening, and supporting personal and family development;
• broadening the horizons of individuals and families;
• removing barriers to employment;
• increasing parental involvement;
• beautifying outdoor spaces; and
• community engagement.

Examples of Family Strengthening Activities

Strategies might include: 

• out-of-school activities for youth or intergenerational activities; 
• parenting seminars;
• life skills workshops (cooking, sewing, etc.);
• support groups and services for single parents;
• community support for reintegrating residents from situations such as recovery, incarceration, etc.; or
• neighborhood cleanups.

Funding

Anticipated funding will be in the range of $500 – $5,000 per grant. 

The Bruce J. Anderson Foundation provides grants for programs, direct services and new initiatives in the fields of mental health (treatment, research and suicide prevention, with a particular interest in mental health services supporting LGBTQIA young people), environmental protection, historic and archival preservation, and the arts. Grants are made for organizations and activities focused on two geographical areas: Cape Ann and Nashoba Valley.

The Bruce J. Anderson Foundation focuses its grantmaking in two geographical areas of Massachusetts:

• Cape Ann (specifically, the communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester)
• Nashoba Valley (specifically, the communities of Harvard, Ayer, Groton, Pepperell, Shirley and Townsend.

Requests are sought in the $2,500 to $12,000 range. Grant funds are available to support activities that occur after July 1, 2024. Approved requests may be fully or partially funded. Please note that the Board of Directors favors:

• Programs that will serve a wide segment of the community and assist those who are not served adequately by existing resources.
• Demonstration projects that provide practical approaches for dealing with specific problems, and
• Programs where the Foundation’s contribution is likely to leverage additional support.

Mission

The Rogers Family Foundation funds nonprofit organizations that provide educational, medical, artistic, human services, and community development within Massachusetts’ Merrimack Valley and North Shore, and Southeastern New Hampshire.

Geographic Focus

• Southeastern New Hampshire
  • Auburn, Atkinson, Chester, Derry, Danville, Exeter, East Kingston, Epping, East Hampstead, Fremont, Hudson, Hampstead, Kingston, Litchfield, Londonderry, Newton, Plaistow, Pelham, Raymond, Stratham, Salem, Sandown, Windham.
• Massachusetts’s Merrimack Valley and North Shore
  • Andover, Amesbury, Beverly, Boxford, Byfield, Danvers, Dracut, Essex, Gloucester, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Lawrence, Marblehead, Manchester, Middleton, Methuen, Merrimack, North Reading, North Andover, Newbury, Newburyport, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Swampscott, Salem, South Hamilton, Salisbury, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury.

The communities listed above comprised the newspaper’s circulation area and therefore serve as a geographic starting point for the foundation’s funding focus. However, these guidelines are not set in stone. From time-to-time, grants of special interest to the trustees may be made outside of this geographic area.Funding Interests

The foundation’s priority interests are:

• education
• health
• human services
• community development
• the arts in Lawrence and other towns listed above. 

Thematic Areas

In all our areas of geographic focus, we support communities in the stewardship of their landscapes and seascapes and the biocultural diversity found in these places.

We welcome inquiries from nonprofit organizations working to:

• Conserve terrestrial and marine biological diversity.
• Sustain cultural diversity, linguistic diversity, and traditional knowledge systems and practices.
• Maintain ecosystem services (including, water, soil, and carbon sequestration).
• Support food sovereignty and economic vitality of local communities.
• Sustain healthy reefs and fisheries.

And, in coastal communities along the North Shore of Massachusetts, in addition to the thematic areas listed above, we support artistic expression projects that at their core:

• Raise awareness of an issue or catalyze action.
• Help promote the protection of the environment.
• Help foster community diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Approaches

We support community-based projects that seek to meet their objectives in a variety of ways. Among the kinds of approaches we support are those concerned with:

Among the kinds of approaches we support are those concerned with:

• Creating and/or ensuring effective management of terrestrial and marine protected areas, in particular where governance is led by communities (e.g., Indigenous Peoples’ and Community-Conserved Areas and Territories [ICCAs]).
• Ecological restoration involving native species, prioritizing efforts linked to existing conservation areas already valued by communities (e.g., a watershed, community forest, or sacred grove).
• Providing enhanced and alternative livelihoods to support local economies and community well-being (e.g., through agroecology and non-timber forest products).
• Environmental education that draws on Indigenous and local traditions and languages to address present-day problems.
• Use of the arts and other innovative methods to convey social and environmental messages.
• Fostering civic engagement of communities through creative facilitation and other methods (e.g., community-mapping exercises).

Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association Grant Program

Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association provides charitable support for Massachusetts organizations that either teach mechanical arts, or provide employment opportunities for the disabled, or use vocational training and workshops as a key part of their programs in developing the potential of physically or mentally challenged individuals or in dealing with troubled youth. Organizations seeking MCMA support must be 501 (c) (3) nonprofits.

MCMA rarely makes cash grants; our practice is to provide equipment or tools designated for a specific purpose or program. While MCMA does provide support to many well known and well-established organizations, our attention is particularly devoted to smaller organizations for whom our assistance is potentially more sorely needed.

Our History

Since 1995, the SouthCoast Community Foundation has given rise to philanthropic giving across the SouthCoast region.

In its first year of operation, the SouthCoast Community Foundation received its first charitable gift of $100,000. In 1997, we invested $1 million to establish Youth Entitled to Success (Project YES), spearheading drug abuse prevention and education efforts in our community.

For 25 years, we have supported personal and corporate philanthropy by offering a range of innovative giving options. We offer a variety of funds to help every donor meet their philanthropic goals.

The SouthCoast Community Foundation currently manages $50 million in charitable assets in support of more than 200 funds established by nonprofits, families, and businesses across Southeastern Massachusetts.

Easton Legacy Fund Grant

The SouthCoast Community Foundation offers several competitive grant programs that invest in communities throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, intending to support nonprofit organizations’ causes in our area.

The Easton Legacy Fund was established to support the projects of not-for-profit organizations whose initiatives add to the quality of life within Easton or enhance the town. 

New Creative Experiences Grants to Support Wide Variety of Cultural Activities

Mass Cultural Council believes that cultural experiences celebrate creative expression, provide a vital space for connection, and are an essential resource for the health and well-being of the Commonwealth.

We are thrilled to launch Creative Experiences, a new grant program for organizations that supports activities in the arts, humanities, and sciences that invite public participation, spark engagement, and contribute to the vitality of our communities.

These one-year grants of $2,500 or $5,000 will fund a variety of cultural programs taking place between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.

Funded activities may include festivals, performances, artist residencies, educational programs, conservation initiatives, and other creative projects designed to make cultural experiences more accessible.

Eligible projects must be open and accessible to the public. They may also serve portions of the general public that require specific accommodations, such as K-12 students in schools, older adults in care settings, incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, and/or individuals in recovery programs.

Creative Experiences merges the former Festivals & Projects and Creative Projects for Schools grant programs into a single, streamlined opportunity.

The number of grants awarded will depend on Mass Cultural Council’s FY26 state budget appropriation and FY26 spending plan, which is expected to be approved by the governing Council in August 2025.

What We Do

The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts is a non-profit public charity that manages charitable funds established by individuals, families, businesses and other non-profit organizations.

Mission

Our mission is to improve the quality of life in North Central Massachusetts by:

• providing donors with a convenient, effective, and informed platform from which to engage in impactful philanthropy;
• conducting impactful grant-making informed by measurable results; and
• convening stakeholders around issues of importance to the residents of the region.

We are a trusted steward of the charitable assets, vision, and intent of our donors to do good works now and forever.

Community Enrichment Grant

The Community Enrichment program supports activities that enhance the vitality of our communities. They include activities that promote local arts, culture, creativity, civic engagement, and community development.

Vital communities are characterized by strong, active, and inclusive relationships between residents, private sector, public sector, and civil society organizations.

Examples include:

• Arts and Culture: including but not limited to art in public places, programs that encourage art in community institutions (community centers and schools), and “art for art’s sake.”
• Community Development: including but not limited to community-enhancing projects, and the preservation of community heritage and history.
• Civic engagement: Advancing community cohesion and participation

Grant amounts

While there are no set grant amounts, grants tend to fall between $2,000 and $15,000.

SouthCoast Community Foundation

The SouthCoast Community Foundation offers several competitive grant programs that invest in communities throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, intending to support nonprofit organizations’ causes in our area.

We strive to ensure that our grant-making effectively meets donors’ charitable interests and addresses the community’s changing needs. We view our grants as investments in the community which should be awarded wisely and fairly.

Leadership Equity Fund Grant

The mission of the SouthCoast Community Foundation is to mobilize philanthropy by matching donors and resources with community needs for the benefit of our region. The Community Foundation’s areas of focus include education, arts and culture, and economic opportunity. Woven throughout these areas and all of its work, is the Community Foundation’s is committed to being anti-racist.

The Community Foundation believes that for significant and sustainable racial equity to occur in our community, we must ensure that people of color are given the opportunity and support to lead and influence our community from positions of power and authority. In fulfillment of this intention and through its mission to elevate local philanthropy and strengthen local nonprofits, the SouthCoast Community Foundation has established the Leadership Equity Fund.

The Leadership Equity Fund will seek to address racial disparities and work towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society.

Grants from the Fund will support and serve three purposes:

• To support non-profit organizations working to end racism imbed anti-racist policies, trainings, and professional development in their organizations OR
• To support non-profit organizations working to end racism which are run by leaders who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), OR
• Support the professional development of employees of nonprofit organizations who identify as BIPOC to provide the opportunity to lead and influence our community from positions of power and authority

Arts and music are the translators of meaning. For the past two years, our country and city have experienced health, racial, and economic pandemics that will forever change our lives, our thinking and our connections to each other. In this context, we believe that art is a critical force for advancing needed conversations, building belonging, imagining a better future and inspiring us to move towards it. We are proud to once again support visionary performing artists creating new work through Live Arts Boston. 

Now in its sixth year, Live Arts Boston (LAB), created with the support and partnership of the Barr Foundation, supports Greater Boston area artists to test ideas, explore collaborations and build skills in the process of generating new, original work. We invite performing artists, small performing arts organizations, bands, groups of artists, producers and presenters in the Greater Boston area to apply today.  

LAB provides up to $15,000 in project-specific funds to create, produce or present new performing arts work for Greater Boston audiences. In addition to funding, grantees will receive project documentation, one-on-one advising, peer networking opportunities and support for other professional development. 

Funding will support work in dance, theater, music, opera, musical theater, spoken word, performance art, circus arts, traditional and folk performing arts and any multi-disciplinary combination of the above. 

The William J. & Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams. Cheshire & Savoy

The William J. & Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy was initially created by Margery Barrett in 1995. Mrs. Barrett was born in North Adams on July 11, 1910 and moved to Adams as a child. She graduated from the former Adams High School in 1927 and from the former North Adams Normal School (now the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts) in 1929. She was a teacher in the Conway School System and the former Howland Avenue School in Adams. She married William Barrett, with whom she shared her life in Adams until he died in 1969.

In 1995, Mrs. Barrett, with the help of her attorney, used Pfizer stock (inherited from her father and husband, both of whom had worked at Specialty Minerals) to establish the fund through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and to increase her income through a charitable remainder trust. The Fund awarded grants anonymously for several years, giving her the joy of seeing her generosity support organizations around her. Upon Mrs. Barrett’s death in 2000, the remainder of the trust was added to the Fund and, at her instruction, her name was publicly announced for the first time. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is proud to serve as steward for the William J. & Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire & Savoy, seeking to improve the quality of life for the residents of those communities, today and in years to come.

The fund is an ongoing resource that works across town borders to support innovative projects and services for the maximum benefit of the residents of these towns, with particular emphasis on low income and/or underserved adults and children.

Since 1986, the Vermont Community Foundation has been committed to building philanthropic resources that sustain healthy and vital Vermont communities. One part of that work involves making grants. The Foundation awards more than $12 million annually to nonprofit organizations in Vermont and beyond. These grants support a breadth of issues such as hunger, housing, arts, cultural heritage, social justice, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Deerfield River Enhancement

The Deerfield River Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 by USGen New England, Inc., now known as Great River Hydro, LLC , for the environmental preservation of the Deerfield River Watershed. Grants are awarded for new initiatives, one-time special projects, or continuing funding for outstanding, existing programs. Examples include, but are not limited to, volunteer monitoring projects, events, trail work projects, field trips, educational workshops, media campaigns, and improving public access sites.

The Vermont Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts are jointly managing grantmaking for the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund.

The Fund will make a grant or grants totaling approximately $14,000.