Search Through Grants for Community Service Projects in Massachusetts in the U.S.

About the Trust

For over 81 years, The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust has been providing financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that help those in need. The Trust's focus areas of giving include Health and Welfare, Dental/Oral Health, Recreational/Camperships (camp scholarships), Education and Homeless Shelters, our newest initiative. Our geographic giving areas include the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Our Priorties

Health and Welfare

Impacting health and welfare organizations with grants that support capital projects for those with special needs, including the blind, deaf, learning disabled, elderly, youth and family service organizations, homeless shelters, and food banks to name a few.  

Dental Health

Expanding our reach to nonprofits that provide free dental clinics, and dental care to low income , needy populations to include children, families and the elderly through capital grants for dental equipment needs and program support.CampershipEnhancing children's lives through camp scholarships that provide a child with an opportunity for a summer camping experience/summer enrichment who would otherwise be unable to attend without this scholarship support.EducationAdvancing education through scholarship support to community colleges and preselected four-year colleges and universities to needy students from rural areas. Grants are awarded directly to the institutions who select recipients based on the Trust's criteria.  The Trust is not accepting any unsolicited requests from community colleges, 4-year colleges or universities at this time. Homeless SheltersResponding to the needs and demands placed on homeless shelters due to socioeconomic factors that impact individuals due to unemployment, addiction, behavioral disorders and other circumstances. We strive to work together to end homelessness. Capital and operating support grants are available.Food Banks/ Food PantryRecognizing the escalating need placed on food pantries and food banks due to inflation and the increased costs of food and basic necessities, we are committed to working with organizations to eliminate food insecurity and are dedicated to making a lasting impact by providing support through capital and operating grants.

The Foundation will support a broad spectrum of causes which support the environment, alternative health care and the arts.  The Foundation is particularly interested in funding educational projects which bring an awareness of the environment, alternative health care and the arts to those who are underserved, particularly to young people.  

Although the primary focus of the Foundation is as set forth above, the Foundation has the flexibility to contribute to such other causes as the Trustees determine.

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.

Since 1984, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation has been working to improve the quality of life for the residents of Stamford and Worcester, New York, and Winchendon, Massachusetts.

Mission and Areas of Interest

The Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation is a private foundation operating and granting funds at the complete discretion of the Directors, to fund charitable 501(c)(3) organizations in the following endeavors, but not limited to:

• Provide a better quality of life for all community members.
  • For example; Hospice, senior housing, health clinics.
• Provide support for historical preservation in the communities served.
• Enhance opportunities for a quality education for all ages.
• Support projects that would promote community spirit and cooperation.
• Support community volunteer organizations that qualify.
• Support youth programs that encourage responsibility, community interest, citizenship and healthy life styles.
• Support religious organizations in their service to the community.
• Support municipalities to improve and maintain infrastructures.
• Support efforts to improve public safety.

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.

The Schwartz Charitable Foundation is a private independent Foundation which supports only non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. The Foundation is interested in qualified organizations in Worcester County, Massachusetts, and surrounding communities. The goal of the Schwartz Charitable Foundation is to support as many worthy and deserving organizations as possible. In order to achieve this goal the average annual grant is between $2,500 – $5,000.

Program interests include but are not limited to:

• Culture: area museums and art institutions 
• Education
• Healthcare: hospital and support agencies
• Social Services: recreation and youth development
• Animal Shelters
• Religious institutions
• Scholarship Funds
• Church Renovation projects
• Continuing Support
• Disaster Relief
• Emergency Funds
• Research
• Local fundraising

Background

The Theodore Edson Parker Foundation was established in 1944 in Lowell, Massachusetts, under a will that reflected the founder’s interest in a wide range of community needs including children, disadvantaged young women, the elderly, refugees and immigrants. Since then, trustees have expanded our priorities to many other needs of the residents of Lowell.

Fields of Interest and Types of Support

The Parker Foundation’s primary goal is to make effective grants that benefit the residents of the City of Lowell. Grants are made for a variety of purposes including social services, cultural programs, community development activities, education, community health needs, and urban environmental projects. The foundation funds specific needs including special programs and projects, capital improvements and equipment purchases, and technical assistance. The trustees do not usually award funds for the operating expenses of well-established organizations, for endowment, or to fund deficits. 

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.

Guidelines

Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector.

A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning: Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach: Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Our Mission

The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation supports community programming that results in children, adolescents, and young adults affected by substance use disorders, learning disabilities, mental illness, and intellectual disabilities achieving their full potential. The Foundation is dedicated to societal impact through healthy communities and capacity building. We work diligently to foster a sense of empowerment and an environment of collaboration.

Our Vision and Values

The Tower Foundation serves as a strategic partner and catalyst for positive community change. We believe in the power of sustainable, healthy communities and the effectiveness of coalitions and self-advocacy—success as measured by stakeholder partnership and growth as defined by constituent action and understanding. We hope to inspire others to honor strength in difference and identify opportunity in challenge.

We disburse assets strategically, to fund community programs and projects that boost societal and partner capabilities and lift young individuals to an enhanced quality of life. The Foundation prioritizes funding that leads to improved systemic and organizational capacities in screening/assessment, education/awareness, transition/service navigation, evidence-based practice, efficiency, and technology solutions.

Programs & Services Grants

The Foundation provides direct grants to fund programs and services in our four focus areas of intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health, and substance use disorders. Programs & Services grants support organizations working to improve the lives of children and young adults in our geographic footprint of Erie and Niagara Counties in Western New York and Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, and Nantucket Counties in Eastern Massachusetts.

Who We Are

The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation’s charitable giving primarily focuses on providing financial assistance in the form of grants to organizations in and around Malden, as well as scholarships to students that demonstrate a strong academic background. Grant recipients include local hospitals, social welfare concerns, libraries, youth-oriented programs, and cultural activities.

History

The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a non-profit corporation organized in Malden, Massachusetts on December 12, 1927. It was privately funded by Frank A. Bayrd in memory of his mother, Adelaide Breed Bayrd. The Foundation awards grants in accordance with the following policies: To support organizations, the activities of which are centered in Malden, Massachusetts and surrounding communities. To support organizations elsewhere, the activities of which give substantial benefits to Malden, Massachusetts and surrounding communities. Individual, endowment funds, performing arts scholarships (excepting educational projects and programs) and research grant requests are generally excluded from consideration and generally the Foundation favors grants toward capital improvements over operating deficits.

Grant Guidelines

The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation is dedicated to benefiting the citizens of Malden and surrounding communities. We would appreciate hearing from you in any future grant application on the specific methods in which your organization fulfills that purpose.

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.

Champions in Action

Citizens' Champions in Action program is designed to support nonprofit organizations that address social challenges facing our communities. Since 2002, the program has awarded over $12.3 million to more than 400 Champions. In partnership with media outlets, we also provide support through promotion, publicity and volunteerism to help our Champions in Action better serve our communities.

Champions receive:

• $50,000 in Funding
• Local Media Coverage
• Volunteer Support
• Promotional Opportunities

Current Focus: Uplifting Resilient NonprofitsNonprofits are adapting to a fast-changing environment marked by increased community needs, staffing challenges, and evolving funding sources. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, more than half have experienced a rise in service demands, and nearly 70 percent cite staff burnout as a major concern. In response, many are reimagining their operations to remain effective and accessible.

At Citizens, we are proud to champion organizations that lead through change and deliver lasting impact.

The 2026 Champions in Action award will recognize nonprofits advancing financial empowerment or workforce development through innovation. These organizations are demonstrating resilience and creativity by embracing new approaches to strengthen their teams, enhance results and expand their reach in the communities they serve.

Consumer Financial Education Fund

The Consumer Financial Education Fund supports projects that relate to consumer financial education, with an emphasis on issues related to just and equitable banking, basic banking, financial literacy, access to financial services, retail banking accounts, and underbanked and/or vulnerable populations. 

Funding

It is expected that most proposals will be for 12-month grant periods; however, multi-year proposals are encouraged where appropriate. The maximum grant amount is $100,000, even for multi-year proposals.

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).

Mission

The Corporation’s purpose (and hence its Mission) is to honor the work of Hannah B. Chickering, who in the 19th Century dedicated her life to female prisoners and their children. Accordingly, the Corporation shall provide financial support to programs and organizations that address the needs of women and children in crisis, thereby furthering the Corporation’s goal of helping women and children gain health, safety, independence and self-sufficiency.

Criteria

The Chickering Foundation seeks to promote and support agencies whose work reflects and promotes the mission of Hannah B. Chickering. Furthermore, the Chickering Foundation seeks to provide financial support that will make a meaningful difference to the women and children being served.

The programs and special projects we support: 

• Are dependent on private funding reflecting in their size and scope the size of our foundation.
• Provide community-based resoures for women and children in Eastern Massachusetts.
• Build relationships with individuals in order to bridge gaps left by government services, enabling women and children to have a higher quality of life.
• Develop relationships within the community in order to foster a long-term web of support for women and children for, but not limited to, jobs, housing, and life skills.
• Raise awareness and educate the public concerning the underserved needs of women and children.

Agencies that are approved for funding will be assigned a Chickering Foundation Manager and will undergo an annual review. Some one-time grants may be provided.

Couch Family Foundation

The mission of the Couch Family Foundation is to be a catalyst for change in the lives of children and their families by creating quality and equitable opportunities to help them learn, thrive, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

The Couch Family Foundation partners with organizations serving the Upper Valley Region of New Hampshire and Vermont. We support people and programs working to improve children’s health and well-being, early learning and development, family resiliency, and community vibrancy.

Cherished Communities: Upper Valley and Martha’s Vineyard

Given the Couch Family has deep ties to the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire (Grafton and Sullivan Counties) and Vermont (Orange and Windsor Counties) and the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, the Foundation prioritizes nonprofits serving these localities that are focused on ensuring child and family well-being and promoting healthy communities. 

Furthermore, the Foundation provides grants in these cherished communities to organizations that align with its mission, have demonstrated impact and strong leadership, implement a collaborative approach to community change, and a focus on racial equity and justice.

Within this priority, the strategy is to strengthen organizational capacity and services to:

• Enhance early childhood (Prenatal-5 years) through early learning and development, health and mental health, and family support services to promote the well-being of young children and their families.
• Nurture vibrant communities to fulfill a significant community need, address an emerging issue and/or promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Eligibility Parameters

The Foundation prioritizes grants to organizations that have strong leadership, deep community relationships, a collaborative approach to community building and that have demonstrated focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

The Foundation provides the following types of grant support:  

• Unrestricted (i.e., General Operating)
• Project
• Capital
• Event Sponsorships

Please note for Capital Support and Event Sponsorship, contact a member of the Foundation staff prior to applying for support. The Foundation only considers such applications that are closely aligned with the Foundation’s mission and priorities. Event Sponsorships are only supported for organizations that have an established relationship with the Foundation.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Since 1986, The Trust for the Meditation Process has encouraged the practice of inner, silent awareness, whether it's called meditation, mindfulness or contemplative prayer. Our financial grants to non-profit organizations renew contemplative Christianity, promote health and wholeness, and bring silence and stillness to a hectic world.  

Contemplative Christianity Grants

Many people think of meditation as an exclusively Eastern religious practice. But Western religion, too, has a long tradition of silent, non-discursive prayer, often called contemplation, which is rooted in a rich mystical literature. Contemporary thinkers are unearthing this tradition. Their fresh encounter with the Gospels and mystics emphasizes that God is a living presence in us – to be known in silence and love and manifested in our acts of compassion.

• Grants made in the Contemplative Christianity Program have these objectives:  
• Introduce or expand the teaching and practice of Christian contemplative practices, such as Christian Meditation or Centering Prayer.
• Focus on silent, non discursive meditation rather than another aspect or method of prayer or spiritual formation.
• Connect with a Christian audience or have a Christian context.
• Identify and support emerging scholars and leaders in Contemplative Christianity and Christian mysticism.
• Raise the profile of Contemplative Christianity, with language and programs that speak to all Christian denominations and that reconnect people to Christian contemplative traditions.
• Reach underserved populations, such as children, teens, and young adults, people of color, people who are LGBTQ, people with low incomes and people facing addictions, illness, trauma or loss.
• Encourage dialogue among contemplative traditions in all religions.

Mindfulness Grants

Thirty years ago, Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts medical school adapted classic forms of meditation found in most religions for a modern, secular audience. A simple practice of paying silent attention to the present moment formed the core of their efforts to help people improve physical and emotional health. 

Since then, a large and rigorous body of research has shown that a regular practice of mindfulness meditation can change us in many significant ways: improving immune function, reducing stress, reducing pain and symptoms of chronic disease, improving sleep, improving attention, fostering self- care and compassion, and the list continues to grow. Today, an ever widening interest in the benefits of mindfulness practice has led to its introduction in many fields and professions.  

Grants made in the Mindfulness Program have both of these objectives:

Introduce or expand mindfulness meditation through educational or human service nonprofits or government entities, such as K-12 public schools, colleges and universities, correctional facilities, rehabilitation programs, healthcare, counseling and case management services.

Reach underserved populations, such as children, teens, and young adults, BIPOC and LGBTQ communities, people in the criminal justice system, people with low incomes, and people facing addictions, illness, trauma or loss.

Mindfulness Program grants are highly competitive and we generally receive more applications than we can award. 

Grant Guidelines

Our focus is short-term projects where a small grant can make a credible impact and result in clearly identifiable outcomes. We make 20 to 40 grants annually. Initial awards are typically small – $3,000 to $5,000.

The type of projects we fund includes:

• Meditation courses, workshops, lectures or retreats.
• Trainings, sabbaticals, retreats and other development for meditation teachers.
• Meditation curriculum development.
• Books, supplies and equipment for meditation programs.
• Efforts to expand and build the capacity of meditation programs and address barriers to practice. 
• Meditation research, especially the development of simple, effective, accessible evaluation tools.
• Publications that effectively spread critical perspectives on meditation and meet an important gap in the current literature.
• East/West meditation dialogue.

About the Foundation

Harold Brooks, of Braintree, Massachusetts, was a successful business executive and entrepreneur who manufactured and sold prefabricated structures and underground bomb shelters during the Cold War. Mr. Brooks died in 1963 and the Foundation that bears his name was established in 1984.

The Harold Brooks Foundation provides assistance to causes and organizations that help the largest possible number of residents of Massachusetts' South Shore communities, especially those that support the basic human needs of South Shore residents. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that have the greatest impact on improving the human condition and/or that provide the neediest South Shore residents with "tools" to help them restore their lives. The Foundation focuses on 5 key areas: education; food, agriculture & nutrition; health; housing & shelter; and mental health.

The Foundation focuses on five key areas: Education; Food, Agriculture, & Nutrition; Health; Housing & Shelter; and Mental Health.

Program Areas

The Brooks Foundation seeks to leverage its funding by supporting programs and projects that impact large numbers of residents or that positively affect the lives of the traditionally underserved within South Shore communities. As discussed in its Mission Statement, the Brooks Foundation funds in 5 primary areas:

Education. The Foundation supports educational programs for all ages, including but not limited to academic access; educational enrichment; and remedial programming for children, youth, adults, and senior citizens that focus on preparing individuals to achieve while in school and beyond.

Health/Mental Health. The foundation supports programming that:

• makes possible care or expands care in response to priority community health needs of residents of the South Shore;
• improves access to care—especially basic services—for traditionally underserved individuals; or
• prepares individuals to be independent and to assist themselves.

Food, Agriculture, & Nutrition/Housing & Shelter. We are committed to serving the South Shore community by supporting organizations that meet the basic needs of all individuals. Our efforts are focused on, but not limited to, shelters, food programs, and employment programs.

Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award

The Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming recognizes excellence in humanities programming in libraries that serve children in grades K-8.

The $5,000 award, presented annually by the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, is sponsored by the American Library Association’s Cultural Communities Fund in cooperation with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

What counts as a humanities program?

The humanities program can be focused in many subject areas, including, but not limited to, social studies, poetry, drama, art, music, language arts, foreign language, and culture. Programs should focus on broadening perspectives and helping students understand the wider world and their place in it. The humanities program should be initiated and coordinated by the school librarian and exemplify the role of the library program in advancing the overall educational goals of the school.

What types of libraries and programs are eligible?

U.S. school libraries, public or private, that serve children in any combination of grades K-8 are eligible, provided the library is staffed by a state-certified librarian. Libraries are encouraged to self-nominate.

Nominated programs must have taken place during the current school year. Programs that are still in progress as of the award deadline are eligible.

Who was Sara Jaffarian?

Sara Jaffarian was a dedicated school librarian and longtime ALA member. She began her career as a librarian in the public school system of Quincy, Massachusetts. She later served as the director of libraries for the Greensboro Public Schools in North Carolina and the Supervisor of Libraries for the Seattle Public Schools in Washington. Read more about Mrs. Jaffarian.

What is the award?

The Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award is an annual award to a school library that has conducted an exemplary program or program series in the humanities during the current school year. It consists of 

• a $5,000 cash award;
• a crystal award; and 
• the promotion of the winner as a model program for other school libraries.

Recent Jaffarian Award-winners have included:

• Empathizing with Teens in Trauma: An Exploration of the Terezin Ghetto/Camp, a program where students researched the artwork, poetry and music created by teenagers in the Theresienstadt/Terezín Nazi concentration camp during World War II.
• Teaching the Tulsa Race Massacre with Guided Inquiry Design, a program that taught students about how assumptions create conflict in society using the Tulsa Race Massacre as an example. Students then completed research projects on assumptions causing conflict in the world today or in their own experience. Students chose a topic to research further.
• Junior Ambassadors, a program that brings a global perspective to students through a book club focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
• Poverty and Philanthropy, a program where students researched famous philanthropists including how much money they donate, which nonprofit they support, and why.

Named after the late Sara Jaffarian, a school librarian and longtime ALA member, ALA’s Jaffarian Award was established in 2006 to recognize and promote excellence in humanities programming in elementary and middle-school libraries. It is presented annually by the ALA Public Programs Office in cooperation with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). The award is selected by a committee comprising members of the ALA Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee (PCPAC), AASL and the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC). 

The John Hazen White Jr. family and their family business – Taco Comfort Solutions Inc. – believe in empowering the individual. They actualize their values through the White Family Foundation’s partnerships with local non-profit organizations. Through its grant-making, The White Family Foundation chooses to work with organizations whose focus utilizes all forms of Art or Artistic elements to support programs that serve a diverse population and that enable the growth of the individual.

The purpose for establishing our family foundation is to foster connections among family members and encourage collaboration on causes that are meaningful to us. We aim to inspire active involvement in the community through philanthropy, allowing our family members to work together to make a positive impact.Building Stronger Communities Together 

Taco Comfort Solutions has a strong social responsibility to the communities in which it has business concerns. The Taco/White Family Foundation Board is made up of White family members, community leaders and Taco Corporation employees who engage in the community and organizations that are served by the Foundation. Through its grant-making, the Taco/White Family Foundation seeks to work with organizations whose programs build a foundation for growth for the individuals it serves.

Areas of Focus

The Foundation supports non-profit organizations whose programs/projects or services use art or artistic elements to enrich and strengthen their constituents or community.

Access to the Arts in all forms is an important tool of a rich and vibrant community. The White Family Foundation supports non-profit organizations whose programs/projects or services expose under-served populations to the Arts in order to:

• Empower a community.
• Develop cultural awareness.
• Provide economic benefit.
• Educate youth.
• Develop leadership skills.
• Improve individual well-being.

Programmatic Areas of Interest

The White Family Foundation seeks to create possibilities by providing meaningful and thoughtful support for the arts and art education programs in non-profit organizations serving our community. * Guided by a strong set of values the White Family Foundation believes that the arts:

• Foster enrichment
• Provide opportunities for individuals to grow
• Build a strong community, and
• Make a positive impact on the lives of others

Organizations should submit a request for programs that focus on the power of the arts to impact lives, bring cultural awareness, provide economic benefit, educate youth and/or teach leadership skills.

Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation Grant

The AV Roy Foundation has historically supported a broad range of organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, churches, education, environmental education, food access, health, land trusts, museums, and social services. The Trustees prioritize grants serving greater Boston and underserved rural and urban communities in Massachusetts, with some additional grantmaking in other areas of Northern New England.

In an effort to ensure that applications to the Foundation closely match current giving priorities, the Trustees will give priority to Massachusetts and Northern New England applicants focused on the following:

• Environment: requests focused on land conservation, in particular projects close to completion and projects resulting in easements held by accredited land trusts; environmental education; and climate change
• Health and Welfare: basic human needs (with priority given to food security and housing); hospice and home health care
• Arts and Culture: in particular, arts access and education for disadvantaged, elderly, or youth populations, and historic preservation
• Education: schools serving youth from low income backgrounds, including independent schools
• Churches providing basic needs support and other social services programming, as well as capital needs for facilities or historic preservation

Funding

Grants typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. In 2023, the average grant was $3,800. The Trustees anticipate a slightly higher average grant size this year, and fewer grants in total.

Washington Trust Charitable Foundation

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations within our market area, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts and southeastern Connecticut.

Charitable grants range widely in size. Multi-year grants are often considered for capital funding (to build or repair facilities), capital campaigns, or specific projects, with consideration given to:

• Affordable Housing and Revitalization Programs
• Business and Economic Development
• Youth and Family Services
• Hospitals, Health and Human Service Organizations
• Museums, Arts and Cultural Organizations
• Colleges, Universities, Libraries
• Conservation and Environmental Groups

Autism Community Impact Grant

The Flutie Foundation recognizes not-for-profit organizations who share our mission to help individuals and families with autism live life to the fullest. For our 2023 Autism Community Impact Grant, we will continue granting these organizations with a particular emphasis on supporting traditionally under-served, under-funded, culturally diverse communities.

Our Autism Community Impact Grant cycle will consider requests that will help fund programs and projects showing potential to make an IMMEDIATE impact in the community and align with the Flutie Foundation priorities as stated in our Seven Key Dimensions described below. We especially encourage organizations with programs serving those most profoundly affected by autism to apply and share their stories.

Grant Funding Priorities

Work/School

Providing a path for educational opportunities, vocational skills programs, employment, housing, transportation and healthcare delivery for individuals on the autism spectrum.   

Active/Social

Support for recreational and sports programs, aquatic programs, social skills training, family events and summer camps for all individuals on the autism spectrum.

Safe/Supported/Informed

Funding for community organizations and schools who are providing vital resources and actively assisting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families through advocacy programs, diagnostic and clinical services, direct family support, safety equipment, emergency care, respite services and other opportunities that will enhance the quality of life for those affected.

Community Grants

Reliant Foundation awards community grants for charitable projects, programs and initiatives of 501(c)3 non profit organizations in our service area that improve the health and well-being of individuals of all ages in the Central and MetroWest regions of Massachusetts.

Programs that focus on substance use disorder (primarily the opioid epidemic), mental health/behavioral health services for children and youth, and programs and initiatives which reduce stigma around these issues will be given top priority.

Additionally, we may consider collaborations and programs aligned with the following CHIPs (Community Health Improvement Plans): Worcester, MetroWest, North Central and Greater Milford and/or the priorities of the Community Health Network Areas (CHNAs) win our service area, found here.