Best Boston Grants for Nonprofits in Massachusetts

The Amgen Foundation, established in 1990, focuses on enhancing science education and strengthening communities. It supports nonprofit organizations that align with its mission, emphasizing teacher development and hands-on science experiences. Grants are awarded annually, with a commitment of $180 million to impactful programs. Eligible organizations include public schools and libraries, while ineligible requests involve individual support, religious organizations, and political activities. This approach aims to inspire the next generation of innovators through quality educational opportunities.

The Gratis Foundation Grant supports organizations focused on education, health care, humanitarian services, and at-risk youth. Applications are accepted in specific periods: October 1 to January 31 for health and medical research; February 1 to May 31 for education; and June 1 to September 30 for military and animal welfare. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) exempt and located in designated areas. The foundation emphasizes achievement and leadership in its funding decisions.

The PNC Foundation's Grow Up Great Grant is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for children from birth to age 5. With a commitment of $500 million, this program focuses on improving school readiness through support in vocabulary development, social-emotional learning, and the arts. By partnering with community-based nonprofits, PNC aims to foster stronger, smarter, and healthier communities, ensuring a brighter future for the next generation.

The Smith Family Foundation offers Small Capital Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to support tax-exempt nonprofits in Greater Boston and Gateway Cities. These grants aim to strengthen nonprofits' capacities for one-time capital expenses, addressing critical needs in economically disadvantaged communities. With a mission to promote positive change, the foundation prioritizes organizations with operating budgets under $3 million, focusing on human services and community development.

The Greater Boston Council on Alcoholism Grant Program supports innovative education, prevention, and research initiatives targeting alcohol and drug use disorders. This charitable foundation emphasizes equity and justice, providing funding between $2,500 and $7,500 to non-profits in Greater Boston. GBCoA seeks to empower organizations that address diverse community needs while measuring the impact of their programs, fostering a deeper public understanding of addiction and its treatment.

The Awesome Foundation offers Local Chapter Grants of $1000 to individuals and groups for innovative projects that enhance community engagement. Each chapter operates independently, focusing on unique interpretations of 'awesome' across various fields such as arts and technology. Grants are awarded monthly, emphasizing no-strings-attached support. This initiative encourages creativity and experimentation, aiming to inspire and delight communities worldwide. For more details, applicants can explore individual chapter preferences and restrictions through the foundation's website.

The John W. Alden Trust Grant supports organizations in Eastern Massachusetts that provide care and services to children and youth (ages 0-24) with disabilities or those at risk due to social factors. Grants can fund capacity building, program support, and more, but applicants must demonstrate a focus on high-risk youth and meet specific criteria. The Trust emphasizes sustainability and may require matching funds for grant approval.

The HRA: Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Research Fund Grant, established in 1947, offers up to $160,000 in two-year grants to enhance the lives of children and adolescents with disabilities. Sponsored by Health Resources in Action, the grant supports innovative research and evaluation projects focused on health equity and community engagement in the Greater Boston area. This initiative fosters collaborative efforts between nonprofits and academic institutions to address the unique challenges faced by this vulnerable population.

The Babson Foundation's Competitive Grants Program supports entrepreneurship, youth development, and urban environmental improvements in Greater Boston. Focusing on three key areas—entrepreneurship education, community building through urban gardens, and violence reduction—this initiative aims to enhance the quality of life in the region. Eligible organizations must be located within Greater Boston, while specific individuals and certain types of requests, such as summer camps and scholarships, are not funded.

The Yale Appliance Foundation Grant supports 501c3 nonprofits focused on aiding veterans, the elderly, minors, and the homeless in the Boston area. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for capital projects and program purchases that directly benefit these vulnerable groups. Organizations receiving $2,000 or more must submit a detailed report on fund usage. Applications are reviewed quarterly, emphasizing local charities making a significant impact.

The School on the Move Prize, awarded by EdVestors, recognizes exceptional school-wide improvement efforts within Boston Public Schools. With a mission to enhance equitable education, the prize offers $100,000 in funding, comprising $80,000 for the winning school and $20,000 for research and dissemination activities. This initiative aims to celebrate and share the success stories of schools that foster thriving learning environments, ultimately inspiring further progress across the district.

The State Street Foundation Grant supports nonprofits and NGOs that promote economic opportunity and reduce equity gaps in education and employability. Organizations seeking funding must operate in areas where State Street has a business presence and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The foundation prioritizes measurable outcomes and focuses on racial equity and social justice, ensuring that grants support initiatives that foster community engagement and sustainable impact.

Sailors' Snug Harbor of Boston has launched a Special Three-Year Funding Initiative aimed at enhancing social services for fishermen, their families, and low-income elders in Massachusetts' coastal communities. Grants up to $50,000 per year will be awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations to support innovative program approaches. The initiative prioritizes programs addressing the direct impacts of changes in the fishing industry and aims to prevent homelessness, ensuring vulnerable populations receive the necessary support.

City of Boston Office of Workforce Development 

The Office of Workforce Development (OWD) works toward the full participation of all Boston residents in the city’s economic vitality and future. It connects low-income residents with job training and employment opportunities. It also promotes lifelong literacy and educational pathways.

OWD focuses on competitive workforce development initiatives and policies. These initiatives aim to put Boston’s youth and adults on career paths toward economic security. OWD stresses the importance of collaboration with the City’s workforce development and education initiatives. The emphasis is on empowering Bostonians to fulfill their educational and employment aspirations.

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Funding

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a U.S. Department of Labor program to serve youth who face education, training, and employment barriers.

Grant Description

WIOA Youth funding is a US Department of Labor formulary grant for youth facing education, training, and employment barriers. Information and resources on WIOA Youth are available on the Department of Labor’s website. The Office of Workforce Development (OWD) manages WIOA Youth funding in partnership with the Boston MassHire Workforce Board and its Youth Council, and under the supervision of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Under this Request for Grant Applications (RFGA), organizations will be eligible for up to three years of funding on this schedule: FY26, the open and competitive year during which applications may be submitted by all eligible entities, FY27, the first year of refunding open only to awardees from the previous year, and FY28, the second year of potential refunding. 

Overview

OWD envisions an integrated and coordinated system of services that stabilizes marginalized youth and transitions them towards career-oriented education, training, and employment. For FY27, consistent with WIOA federal guidelines, we will prioritize programs and services that place out-of-school youth ages 18-24 on a pathway toward post-secondary attainment or career-level employment.

Our systemwide goals are also as follows:

• Youth are on a pathway to and through post-secondary education or training;
• Youth have access to evidence-based services designed to eliminate barriers to employment and training;
• Youth have access to timely, high-quality, and specialized services representing the required 14 program elements stipulated by WIOA, particularly stabilization services;
• OWD and providers have meaningful and high-quality data to improve services and outcomes for youth;
• We invest time, money, and staff resources in building a coordinated system with connections both between organizations and linkages to broader networks of economic opportunity.

With our system-wide goals in mind, five key principles guided the selection of FY26-funded programs:

• Programs are framed around a multi-step intervention model;
• Programs have well-defined and robust transition processes to the post-program step;
• Program policies and protocols are evidence-based and appropriate for the population;
• Youth are on a pathway to the attainment of post-secondary credentials needed for employment in high-demand occupations;
• Programs leverage multiple internal and external partnerships to ensure the integration of high-quality, youth-focused services. 

Under WIOA regulations, "low-income " is defined to include youth living in a high-poverty area, homeless individuals, foster children, or recipients of SNAP, SSI, or income-based public assistance. A high-poverty area is defined as a Census tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, an Indian Reservation, tribal land, or a Native Alaskan Village or county that has a poverty rate of at least 25% as set every five years using the American Community Survey 5-Year data. Our definition of homelessness encompasses both youth who meet the standard established by the McKinney-Vento Act as well as youth experiencing housing instability, couch-surfing, or other forms of instability outside the Act’s definition. 

Priority Target Populations

Within the above eligibility requirements under WIOA, the Boston Private Industry Council and Office of Workforce Development have determined the following priority target populations under this RFGA:

• Out-of-school youth between the ages of 18-24 years old.
• Court-involved; homeless or runaway; in foster care or aged out of the foster care system; pregnant or parenting; youth living with a disability; young men of color; documented immigrant youth.
• Low-income youth who are: identified as having foundational skills needed or English Language Learners, residing in Boston Housing Authority (BHA) facilities or utilizing a housing voucher, in post-secondary schools with a GPA less than 2.0, living in a single-parent household, truant, residing in a high-poverty area, or failed the MCAS in the most recent round.
• Individuals with disabilities who need pre-employment transition services, including job exploration, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, self-advocacy instruction, counseling on enrollment opportunities in comprehensive transition or post-secondary education programs, and instruction in self-advocacy to maximize opportunities for competitive, integrated employment. 

Out-of-School Youth Eligibility

• Resident of Boston
• U.S. Right to Work Documentation
• Selective Service registration for males
• Not attending any school (as defined under State law)
• Not younger than 18 or older than age 24 at time of enrollment. Because age eligibility is based on age at enrollment, participants may continue to receive services beyond the age of 24 once they are enrolled in the program; and One or more of the following: A school dropout; a recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner; an offender; a homeless individual, a homeless child or youth, or a runaway; in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under sec. 477 of the Social Security Act; pregnant or parenting; an individual with a disability; and a low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

The Hesed Foundation Grant supports charitable initiatives that promote social justice through Tzedakah and gemilut hasadim, which emphasize justice and loving kindness. This private foundation focuses on enhancing the welfare of underrepresented communities, particularly in the Boston area, NYC, and Northern California. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, and the foundation prioritizes projects related to youth, education, health, and community building.

City of Boston Office of Historic Preservation

The Office of Historic Preservation promotes and protects the City of Boston's cultural heritage. Part of the Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet, the department houses the Boston Landmarks Commission, the City Archaeology Program, and the Commemoration Commission.

Historic Marker Community Grants

Browne Fund grants supporting community research and proposals for permanent historic markers by Boston's Office of Historic Preservation.

In honor of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026 and the city's 400th in 2030, the Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund is opening a special grant round.

The Browne Fund requests proposals from nonprofit organizations with experience in community engagement and historic documentation to research and propose potential historic markers in Boston.

These small grants ($7,500 per organization) will support the following scope of services:

• Community engagement;
• Research and documentation of a minimum of ten (10) possible historic markers; and
• Preparing and submitting at least one application to the Boston Historic Markers Program for consideration for a permanent marker.

Please note, all proposals will need to address the full scope of services.

The Corning Nonprofit Grants program supports community-based initiatives in education, human services, and culture. Eligible nonprofits that align with our criteria may apply for funding on a rolling basis. The application window for invited organizations runs from February 10 to September 15. We emphasize local impact within a 20-mile radius of Corning, NY, ensuring that our contributions foster collective growth and engagement in the community.

JetBlue For Good is JetBlue's commitment to social impact, focusing on youth education, environmental sustainability, and community support. By partnering with various nonprofits, JetBlue inspires the next generation, promotes environmental awareness, and contributes to local communities through volunteerism and donations. The JetBlue Foundation specifically supports STEM and aviation education, enhancing opportunities for underrepresented communities. With over $2.5 million allocated in grants, JetBlue For Good reflects the airline's core mission of inspiring humanity and fostering positive change.

Charles Hayden Foundation

The Charles Hayden Foundation is committed to expanding opportunities for young people and helping them build the knowledge, skills, experiences, and relationships they need to thrive in school, work, and life.

We support youth-serving nonprofit organizations and public district, charter, Catholic, and independent schools, as well as organizations that strengthen the capacity of those serving young people. Our grantmaking spans academic success, social and emotional development, post-secondary pathways, and career-connected learning, with an emphasis on programs and organizations that create meaningful opportunities and demonstrate positive outcomes for young people.

The Foundation primarily supports young people from low-income communities in New York City and Boston, with some grantmaking in Newark, New Jersey.

Our Grantmaking

The Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the following areas:

• Academic Readiness: Programs and initiatives that strengthen young people’s academic skills and provide access to educational, enrichment, and other learning opportunities that prepare them for future educational and career pathways.
• Social, Emotional, and Practical Skills: Programs and services that help young people develop the social, emotional, and practical skills they need to thrive in school, work, and life.
• Post-Secondary Success: College access and persistence efforts that prepare young people to pursue post-secondary opportunities, matriculate, persist, and successfully graduate.
• Career-Connected Learning: Opportunities that enable young people to explore their interests, gain exposure to careers, build real-world skills and experiences, and pursue meaningful career pathways.
• Organizational Capacity Building: Support for organizations that strengthen youth-serving nonprofits and schools through technical assistance, training, and other capacity-building services. This may include support in areas such as program quality and improvement, leadership and staff development, organizational strategy, data and evaluation, infrastructure, and other areas that strengthen organizational effectiveness and improve outcomes for young people.

Multi-Year Grant Opportunity: Supporting Strategic Plan Implementation

The Charles Hayden Foundation is launching a Multi-Year Grant Opportunity to help strengthen organizations and improve outcomes for young people in New York City and Boston. Through this opportunity, the Foundation anticipates inviting up to 10 organizations to receive multi-year project grants over a two- to three-year period to support strategic initiatives identified as priorities in their current strategic plans.

Proposed initiatives may build upon or enhance an existing Charles Hayden Foundation-supported program, such as hiring additional program staff to expand or strengthen services, or focus on an organizational capacity-building effort, such as implementing a new data and evaluation system.

Organizations selected for a Multi-Year Grant will receive a two- to three-year award that will replace their annual Charles Hayden Foundation grant for the duration of the grant period. Current annual grant funding will continue as part of the multi-year award, along with additional funding awarded to support the proposed strategic initiative. Organizations that are not selected will remain eligible to apply through the Foundation’s annual grantmaking process.

Project Criteria

Proposed projects should represent strategic investments that strengthen an organization’s ability to serve young people over the long term. Examples of eligible projects include:

• Hiring key leadership or program staff
• Expanding or enhancing existing programs
• Strengthening organizational capacity
• Building evaluation, learning, or data systems
• Technology or infrastructure improvements
• Other strategic initiatives identified in the organization’s strategic plan

The Foundation anticipates providing partial support for proposed initiatives and generally will not fund the full cost of a project. Award amounts will be determined based on the scope of the proposed initiative and the resources required for successful implementation. Because these grants support strategic initiatives over a two-to-three-year period, the Foundation anticipates that most requests will exceed an organization’s current annual Charles Hayden Foundation grant.

Ignite Philanthropy

Through intentional listening and co-creation, Ignite Philanthropy supports the philanthropic and non-profit sectors. Our mission is simple: Maximize the power of giving. Ignite Philanthropy connects people, ideas, and capital to fuel community solutions. 

Our four core values have been developed by our team with intentionality around equity and community and how these connect to each value and the work we do each day. We believe in the merit of diverse teams and perspectives, striving to empower every voice in the creation of solutions.

Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation Grant

The Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation was created in 1997 by Cincinnati native and Boston resident, Nellie Leaman Taft, who died on December 17, 2012. Ms. Taft was an accomplished artist and committed patron of fine arts who is remembered as an independent, progressive-minded woman of great spirit and mirth, an avid gardener, and a worldwide traveler. She also was the descendant of two United States presidents, a loving friend and family member.

The Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation supports Arts Education and Environmental Education programs serving geographic areas important to Ms. Taft and to her family:

• Greater Cincinnati, OH
• Los Angeles County, CA
• Boston, MA (inside the Route 495 beltway)
• Mid-Coast Maine (defined as the towns of Bath, Belfast, Boothbay Harbor, Brunswick, Camden, Cushing, Damariscotta, Lincolnville, Owls Head, Rockland, Rockport, Searsport, Thomaston, Topsham, and Union)

Better Beaches Grant Program

Since 2008, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to award small grants to local organizations and artists to activate the region’s public beaches through free events and programs on DCR beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull. 

The goal of the Better Beaches Grant Program is to give decision-making power directly to community members over community spaces. We do this by allocating state funds to organizations and individuals to host free events and programs on public beaches. It creates opportunities for people who may not already be visiting the beach, or who face barriers to accessing the beach, to enjoy these shared waterfront spaces. 

Whether you are part of an organization, collective, or are a creative individual with a vision for a more diverse and activated waterfront, the Better Beaches Grant Program may be for you! Grant applicants can come from any community, so long as their proposed event takes place on one of our region’s public DCR beaches from Nahant down to Hull. 

For the 2026 beach season, we will be allocating over $300,000 in small grants ranging from $2,500 – $8,500 per grantee.

What we fund?

The Better Beaches Grant Program supports a diverse range of public events and programs that celebrate and engage communities on Boston Harbor beaches. 

Grant funds must go toward events and programs that: 

• Are FREE to the public
• Take place on DCR public beaches and beachfront parks. For a full list of which beaches and beach-front parks, see below. 
• Happen between June 1 – September 30, 2026

Better Beaches grant funds can support a wide variety of events, including: youth and family fun days, cultural festivals, science and learning programs, music and dance events, kayaking, swimming, fishing, book groups and literacy programs, community resources, art classes and markets, self-care and wellness events, fitness and sports classes, and more. Get creative! Projects may be one-time events, a series, or recurring gatherings.

City Hall Plaza Engagement Grant 

As the epicenter of the City of Boston, City Hall Plaza is a place where residents, visitors, and newcomers can participate in arts and cultural events. In response to the ongoing impacts of space inequity and the loss of cultural venues across Boston, the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture (MOAC) will provide grants to support programs and events at City Hall Plaza. Through the City Hall Plaza Engagement Grant, MOAC aims to highlight culturally responsive programming that uplifts Boston's diverse communities while repositioning City Hall Plaza as a site for creative growth, capacity-building, and civic belonging.    

City Hall Plaza, formerly known as Scollay Square was once a thriving community intersection filled with artists, activists, sports legends, and cultural venues. Following a redevelopment in the 1950s, many people were left without spaces to gather, work, or create. Today, many organizations and artists continue to experience similar impacts contributing to artist displacement and the downsizing of programs that once served communities across the city.

Through the City Hall Plaza Engagement Grant, MOAC aims to highlight culturally responsive programming that uplifts Boston's diverse communities while repositioning City Hall Plaza as a site for creative growth, capacity-building, and civic belonging.

Funding Structure

Tier One:

• $15,000 or less
• Budgets under $15,000 will fund programmatic costs, such as performing artists fees, photographers/videographers, graphic designers and social media campaigns

Tier Two:

• $15,000-$30,000
• Budgets over $15,000 will fund programmatic costs listed in tier one as well as additional partnerships, contractors or production companies during the planning and development stages.

Tier Three:

• $30,000-60,000
• Budgets above $30,000 will fund general programming costs listed in tier one as well as production costs of small to medium size festivals, a recurring series of programs, or cultural markets. At this tier we encourage at least one community partnership during the planning, development, or production stages.

Tier Four

• $60,000-$100,000
• Budgets above $60,000 will fund programmatic costs of tier three as well as programs that require larger scale production or a standing residency on the plaza with events offered throughout the year. This tier must also include a partnership with a production company as well as individual artists to collaborate during the planning, development, or production stages. No more than two applicants will be awarded grants in Tier Four.  

About Grow Boston

GrowBoston is the City of Boston's Office of Urban Agriculture, and part of the Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH). MOH has been supporting the development of community gardens, urban farms, food forests, and other open spaces for more than 25 years through the Grassroots Program, which is now part of GrowBoston. GrowBoston works to increase community gardens, urban farms, and other food-growing spaces throughout Boston; support innovative food production strategies; provide technical assistance to prospective and existing gardens and farms; develop resources for gardeners, farmers, and other residents; and coordinate with other City departments associated with food production in Boston.

GrowBoston Garden Supplies Grant

GrowBoston is offering a total of $50,000.00 for community gardens, nonprofit gardens that are communally operated, and food forests to purchase tools, equipment, seeds, seedlings, compost, equipment, and other garden supplies for communal use. These supplies must be stored and maintained by the garden organization and made available to all gardeners. The public purpose of this grant program is to invest in Boston’s community gardens and food forests and assist residents to grow their own food. 

Total Amount Available for Grant Program:

• $50,000.00

Award Amount per Grant per Organization:

• Organizations may apply for a maximum of $2,000 per garden site or food forest. If an organization wishes to purchase supplies for multiple sites, they may. 

The TD Charitable Foundation has been dedicated to improving community quality of life since 2002, contributing over $254 million to non-profit organizations. They fund initiatives aligned with their corporate citizenship goals, focusing on Better Health, Connected Communities, Financial Security, and Vibrant Planet. Special consideration is given to programs that support inclusivity for diverse and historically underserved communities. Their commitment to enhancing lives through targeted grants reflects their core values and social responsibility.

The TD Bank Community Sponsorships Program, supported by the TD Charitable Foundation, provides funding for events and activities that positively impact communities from Maine to Florida. This initiative aims to enhance community awareness and foster partnerships among diverse groups, promoting economic development, cultural enrichment, and social responsibility. Organizations can apply for funding to support community-oriented programs, with applications reviewed quarterly. It's essential to submit applications at least 90 days before the event deadlines.

The Salem Five Community Donations Program Grant, offered by the Salem Five Charitable Foundation, supports organizations that positively impact local communities, focusing on Economic Self-Sufficiency, Workforce Development, and Financial Literacy. Grants are available for registered 501(c)(3) organizations serving low to moderate-income individuals, with requests considered up to $10,000. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. The Foundation prioritizes impactful initiatives aligned with its mission, ensuring thoughtful consideration of all applications.

The Charles Hayden Foundation Grant supports institutions serving youth and young adults in Boston and metropolitan New York, prioritizing high school to post-secondary success. It emphasizes programs that demonstrate significant impact and measurable progress toward defined goals. The Foundation seeks to ensure that young people gain quality education and career opportunities, and it provides funding for initiatives that foster confidence, informed decision-making, and academic achievement among youth.