Best Grants for Community Centers in Massachusetts

The Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship, established by Figg Engineering Group in 2002, honors the legacy of Gene Figg, who was renowned for his artistic bridge designs. This scholarship aims to support undergraduate civil engineering students with a passion for bridge design and construction, facilitating their education in an ABET-accredited program. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens and Student Members of the American Society of Civil Engineers in good standing.

The Sharing Language Diversity Fellowship supports Ph.D. students engaged in Indigenous language documentation and data archiving. Funded by the Endangered Language Fund, it encourages sustainable public sharing of linguistic materials, aiming for equitable access to research. With grants up to $30,000, recipients must publicly archive documentation materials within three years, ensuring compliance with community wishes and best practices. This initiative fosters a culture of Open Access in linguistics, benefiting both scholars and Indigenous communities.

The Lawrence W. & Francis W. Cox Scholarship, established by Mrs. Wahneta T. Hinrichs in 2008, honors the legacy of her husband and father-in-law. This scholarship is awarded annually to one undergraduate civil engineering student enrolled in an ABET-accredited program. It aims to support students with tuition expenses, furthering their education in civil engineering disciplines, thus contributing to the profession's growth and sustainability.

Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors. Applications are accepted from mid-November until mid-March. Scholarship award recipients will be announced at the high school awards ceremony. 

Beatrice Reynolds Memorial Scholarship

Established by the late Ira T. Reynolds in memory of his late wife to assist a Susquehanna Community School District graduate who will major in education or teacher training. Scholarship is provided in four equal installments as long as the recipient remains a student in good standing.

The Robert B. B. and Josephine N. Moorman Scholarship, established in 2008 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), provides financial support for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in civil engineering or related fields. This scholarship honors Robert B.B. Moorman, a dedicated civil engineering professor. Eligible applicants must be enrolled in an ABET-accredited program and maintain good standing with ASCE. This award aims to alleviate tuition costs for deserving students committed to the civil engineering profession.

The Robert P. Wadell Transportation Engineering Scholarship, established in 2022 by Robert P. Wadell, P.E., MSCE, F.ASCE, supports undergraduate students in civil engineering with a focus on transportation. Funded through the ASCE Foundation, the scholarship aims to aid up to two deserving students annually with tuition and fees. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled in an ABET-accredited program and members of the ASCE. Preference is given to those in their final two years of study.

The National Urban Indian Health Program aims to enhance behavioral health services for Urban Indian communities by fostering awareness, advocacy, and collaboration across the nation. By providing technical assistance and training to Urban Indian Organizations, the program seeks to improve access to culturally relevant behavioral health care for American Indian and Alaska Native populations residing in urban areas, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and community support.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers research training programs aimed at advancing education research through two key initiatives: the Early Career Development and Mentoring Program and the Methods Training Program. These programs support emerging researchers in developing their skills and enhancing their research capabilities to address vital education issues. The funding is designed for early career investigators and current education researchers, fostering rigorous and relevant research that informs education policy and practice.

The Bee a Rae of Sunshine Foundation – MaKenzi Rae Cash Memorial Animal Compassion Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of Carroll County, aims to support students dedicated to animal welfare. Eligible applicants must be graduating high school seniors from Carroll County, Maryland, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and at least 125 service hours. This scholarship reflects MaKenzi Rae Cash's love for animals and her commitment to kindness and anti-bullying advocacy.

The ACI Foundation's Tribute to the Founders Fellowship supports graduate students in construction, design, education, or materials. Awardees receive a $10,000 educational stipend, recognition in Concrete International magazine, and travel expenses to two ACI conventions. This fellowship aims to foster the next generation of concrete industry leaders through education and mentorship, while also encouraging personal development and career readiness through a structured internship program.

The Burton and Erma Lewis Structural Engineering Scholarship, established by the estate of Mr. Lewis in 2025, aims to support students pursuing degrees in structural engineering. Awarded annually, the scholarship is available to undergraduate students enrolled in ABET-accredited programs who demonstrate a commitment to the field. Recipients can use the funds for tuition and academic fees, facilitating their education and career development in civil engineering.

The Felicia Rose Grant Program supports animal welfare nonprofits in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, focusing on strengthening the human-animal bond and providing care for animals in need. With $120,000 awarded annually, eligible 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for grants up to $20,000 for operating expenses. This initiative honors Felicia Rose, a therapy dog who exemplifies the program's mission. Organizations must meet specific criteria, including location and experience, to qualify for funding.

About Borealis Philanthropy

Borealis Philanthropy is a philanthropic social justice intermediary that works to resource grassroots leaders and social justice movements for transformative change. We help funders expand their reach and strengthen their impact through donor collaboratives that support a variety of issues, communities, and movements. Borealis is home to nine donor collaboratives, including the Disability Inclusion Fund and Disability x Tech.

DIF x Tech Fund

For the Disability Inclusion Fund at Borealis, part of our efforts for disability rights and justice includes the ways disability and technology are working towards shared goals in our movements. The DIF x Tech initiative, supported by the Ford Foundation’s Technology & Society Program and the MacArthur Foundation’s Technology in the Public Interest, invites proposals that are working to bring about transformational change at the intersections of disability, justice, and technology

About the Disability Inclusion Fund and DIF x Tech

The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) supports U.S.-based groups run by and for people with disabilities to lead transformational change. The Fund is supported by donors including the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy, which is comprised of foundation presidents who are committed to disability inclusion as part of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within philanthropy.

Part of the efforts of disability rights and justice includes the ways disability and technology are working towards shared goals in our movements. This newly launched initiative is housed at the Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) and supported by Ford Foundation’s Technology & Society Program and the MacArthur Foundation’s Technology in the Public Interest. 

DIF x Tech Fund Values

All Disability x Tech award decisions will align with the DIF guiding values. The DIF guiding values are:

• Participation: Movement funding accountable to the disability rights movement. Those impacted by injustice/exclusion should be involved in strategies to advance justice/inclusion.
• Intersectionality: Acknowledging that disabled people have multiple and intersecting social and political identities that can influence their ability to have access and inclusion including race, gender identity, class, sexual orientation.
• Radical inclusion: Deeply committed to removing barriers and ensuring access so that those most affected by intersecting identities can participate, valuing lived experience.
• Leadership of those most impacted by ableism: Emphasis is given to organizations led by people subject to systemic bias and impacted by underrepresentation, particularly disabled people of color, queer, gender nonconforming and women with disabilities.
• Cross-movement solidarity: Intentional focus on collaboration and bridge- building amongst disability justice activists and across movements.
• Sustainability: Resources and tools that support the growth of grassroots disabled-led organizations, and expand operational capacities for ongoing movement building. 

What we fund

We invite proposals that are at the nexus of technology, disability rights and justice. This opportunity may be a good fit for your organization, if you are doing work in any of these areas below:

• Disabled people sharing technical skills and knowledge with others in the community.
• Disabled people leading policy, rights, and disability justice activism work related to tech. 
• Disabled people participate in all stages of the design and development of new tech that will enrich lives of people with disabilities.
• Enabling collective and equitable access to digital infrastructure. 
• Expanding the participation, leadership, and thought partnership of overlooked and under-resourced people with disabilities in all areas of the technology sector.
• Partnerships between disability-focused engineering design labs and maker spaces within schools, centers for independent living, or local nonprofit organizations.
• Permissible Policy Work:
  • We may support nonpartisan policy education and advocacy related to disability and technology. Any lobbying must remain within applicable 501(c)(3) limits and Borealis grant restrictions.

The Greenwall Foundation invites proposals for its Bridging Bioethics Research & Policymaking Grants, aimed at integrating bioethics into policy without funding academic research. This initiative addresses ethical dilemmas arising from healthcare advancements, encouraging innovative project ideas at all governmental levels. Grants up to $50,000 will prioritize projects with smaller budgets and shorter timelines. Collaborations with diverse expertise beyond academia, including policymakers, are encouraged to effectively bridge research and policy.

The Greenwall Foundation invites nominations for the 2025 Bernard Lo, MD Award in Bioethics, a prestigious $25,000 prize recognizing outstanding contributions to bioethics. This award highlights exceptional mentorship in bioethics, celebrating individuals who support rising professionals across diverse sectors, including academia, government, and public health. Nominations can be made by mentees and colleagues, fostering an inclusive recognition of mentorship excellence. Renominations are encouraged, but self-nominations are not allowed.

The Ilpo Martikainen Audio Visionary Scholarship, provided by the Audio Engineering Society Educational Foundation, supports U.S. graduate students dedicated to advancing audio technology. This scholarship honors the legacy of Dr. Martikainen, founder of Genelec, who significantly contributed to loudspeaker innovation. Eligible students must have completed an undergraduate degree and demonstrate a commitment to audio engineering. Grants typically range from $2,000 to $5,000, paid directly to the student's graduate school.

Age Strong Commission

For us, strength comes in many forms. Strength of community. Of cultures. Of experiences. Strength to embrace new chapters and opportunities. We believe that Bostonians who are 55+ make our City strong and vibrant. Our mission is to enhance your life with meaningful programs, resources, and connections so we can live and age strong in Boston together.

Older Americans Act Support and Health Services Grant

Through the Older Americans Act Support and Health Services Grant, the City of Boston’s Age Strong Commission seeks to fund programs that are providing a comprehensive and supportive social service system while promoting longevity and an optimal quality of life for older adults. The goal of this grant program is to leverage existing community trust and foster a sense of community within each neighborhood. Grants will be made to ensure high-quality social programs are accessible to older adults.

Grant Priorities

• Support older adult programming in the community at non-profits through cost reimbursement funding
• Help older adults maintain independent living in their communities as long as desired through supportive and/or evidence-based programming

The Older Americans Act Support and Health Services Grant is based on Title III-B and Title III-D funding.

Title III-B

With Title III-B grants, we aim to fund multiple agencies throughout Boston to provide supportive services to older adults. The programming may include services, such as: legal assistance, friendly visit, home repair, recreation, computer training, and translation/interpretation services. For a complete listing of allowable services, please visit OAAPS Service Categories. Title III-B allowable services will have a corresponding “B” in column F.

• As mandated by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), twenty-two percent (22%) of the total Title III-B Support Services must be allocated to legal services programming in the City of Boston.

The Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) program, established by NIGMS, aims to enhance research funding efficiency by providing stable financial support to investigators. This allows for greater scientific flexibility and encourages innovative studies. MIRA is pivotal for distributing funding among promising researchers, fostering groundbreaking research. The program invites applications from eligible NIGMS-funded and NIH-defined New Investigators, as well as current MIRA grantees seeking renewal, ensuring a broad and inclusive approach to advancing science.

Stanislaus Community Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for students in order to help them achieve their educational and career goals. We believe that by investing in our students, we are investing in a brighter future for Stanislaus. 

Bob Boggeri Farms Fund

Open to students planning to pursue a degree in Ag or Horticulture. Must be a FFA member and demonstrate financial need. Preference given to students from Hughson.

Award Amount:

• $1,000

The AWG Mid-Career Excellence Award honors outstanding mid-career women scientists contributing significantly to geosciences. It recognizes achievements across academia, industry, and government, with nominees evaluated on their scientific impact and community service. This prestigious award encourages nominations from the AWG membership and the broader geoscience community, fostering recognition of women's vital contributions in the field. With a commitment to diversity, the award aims to inspire future generations of women in geoscience careers.

Mission: A non-profit, charitable, Private Foundation established in 1959 by the Long family to support local charities, schools, education events and general community needs.

Grants

Our approach to grant requests focuses on fostering local neighborhood vitality and excellence. The John F. Long Foundation supports local non-profit organizations that promote this objective. The Foundation looks for groups who are working to help themselves, help their own communities, and help others like themselves through self-empowering, community organizing efforts. To be eligible for consideration, the grant request must meet the following criteria:

• Funds’ use must have measurable benefits
• Your organization must have good management, a solid financial background, well-established administration policies and Board of Directors
• The grant request must be precise and complete, providing necessary detail
• The Foundation Questionnaire is to be completed in its entirety
• The grant request amount and time frame must be clearly communicated, i.e. one-time grant, ongoing support, or special project
• If your request is for a particular event or program, providing a budget is always helpful
• Requests for grants of $1,000.00 or more, as well as groups we have not funded within the past two years, must: (i) Provide financial reports/statements for past and current fiscal year; (ii) Provide a list of past donors going back no more than two years.

The Tommy Wilson Memorial Grant, established by Dr. George T. Wilson and his wife Irene, honors their son Tommy, who had cerebral palsy. This grant supports recreational programs for individuals with disabilities and aims to positively impact their lives. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations with a successful history of programming for individuals with disabilities. The grant prioritizes programs serving economically disadvantaged individuals and may only fund applicants once every five years.

The MPS Physics Research Programs, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), support transformative research in various fields of physics. This includes experimental and theoretical work in atomic and molecular physics, particle physics, gravitational physics, and more. The NSF aims to promote ambitious projects without the need for immediate commercialization, focusing instead on foundational advancements that push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.

Stanislaus Community Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for students in order to help them achieve their educational and career goals. We believe that by investing in our students, we are investing in a brighter future for Stanislaus. 

Jessica Joelle Holt and Emmy Macfarlane Memorial Scholarship

Open to graduating seniors from Pitman, Turlock, and Denair High Schools pursuing a career in teaching.

Award Amount:

• $1,000

The ASTRO-AAPM Physics Resident/Post-Doctoral Fellow Seed Grant supports early-career scientists in radiation oncology physics research. Jointly funded by AAPM and ASTRO, this grant aims to foster innovation in the field, with up to two awards of $50,000 each available. Eligible applicants include medical physics residents and post-doctoral fellows who are active members of ASTRO and AAPM. This initiative strives to enhance the next generation of researchers, ensuring a commitment to advancing radiation oncology.

The George Family Foundation offers Spirituality & Inner Life Grants to empower organizations that foster mindfulness and personal healing. They seek to support programs that promote respect, empathy, and compassion, aiming to bridge divides and enhance individual well-being. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that align with their mission, particularly those addressing meaningful community needs. They focus on 501(c)(3) organizations primarily in Minnesota and select areas, emphasizing innovative spiritual and inner life endeavors.

The Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program aims to support organizations in their efforts to screen and educate individuals who have been exposed to radiation from uranium mining and U.S. nuclear weapons testing. This initiative emphasizes the importance of awareness and education in mitigating health risks associated with radiation exposure, ensuring affected communities receive the necessary resources and support for health management.