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Search Through Small Grants for Nonprofits in Massachusetts

Rockland Trust is committed to strengthening local communities through charitable donations to 501(c)(3) organizations and community groups. Their mission focuses on providing essential services, enhancing quality of life, and fostering relationships with customers. They prioritize funding programs that align with their philanthropic goals, specifically in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Capital projects are not eligible for support, ensuring funds are directed towards impactful community services.

The Yawkey Foundation's Transformational Capital Grant provides significant funding, up to $5 million, for nonprofit organizations to enhance their mission delivery through the development of impactful physical spaces. The grants are highly competitive and require compelling proposals demonstrating project need, community support, and financial commitment. Organizations must align with the Foundation's priority Areas of Giving, primarily serving Eastern Massachusetts and Georgetown County, South Carolina. Review timeframe for proposals is approximately 12-18 months.

The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation's Small Grants Fund aims to support projects that enhance family life in the Greater Dudley area. Grants range from $500 to $5,000 and prioritize initiatives that foster community engagement, strengthen family connections, and improve neighborhood well-being. Eligible applicants include resident volunteers and local groups, while nonprofit status is not mandatory. The foundation emphasizes activities that promote social cohesion and personal development, ensuring that funds contribute to meaningful community benefits.

The Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, aims to strengthen local food systems by connecting farmers and food producers to improve access to locally sourced food. With funding of up to $1,000,000 available, eligible applicants include local producers, community organizations, and food banks. This initiative promotes food security by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food across the Commonwealth, thereby enhancing community resilience and sustainability.

The BCBSM Foundation's Catalyst Fund Grant offers non-renewable grants of up to $7,500 to Massachusetts-based community organizations focused on enhancing health access for low-income and marginalized residents. Applications will be accepted starting July 1, 2025, aiming to support capacity-building initiatives rather than ongoing operational costs. The fund prioritizes organizations with limited resources that directly impact vulnerable populations, facilitating innovative projects that address health care disparities.

The James W. Blake 'Catalyst' Award aims to accelerate the growth and impact of local organizations serving underrepresented communities. This award supports transformative projects focused on education, housing, and basic human services, enhancing the quality of life for low-income individuals and families in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. With a legacy of community commitment, the award reflects the values of its namesake, fostering development and opportunity for those in need.

The National Trust Preservation Funds provide grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to support local preservation projects and ongoing work. These funds aim to enhance community engagement in preservation, foster technical expertise, and stimulate financial participation from the private sector. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofit organizations focused on planning and education efforts related to preservation. The program is particularly interested in initiatives that reach new audiences and further the preservation movement.

The Robert J. Mullen Charitable Trust, established in 1998, supports nonprofits in Massachusetts that aid disabled children, older adults, and protect animals. With an application deadline of June 1, grants typically range from $20,000 to $50,000, focusing on operating support or program needs. Organizations are encouraged to apply, especially those dedicated solely to the Trust's mission, with grant decisions communicated by the end of September.

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, established in 1973, focuses on educational support for underserved populations in New England. It offers scholarships for employees of the Balfour Company and their families, as well as funding for organizations that provide educational services in Attleboro and surrounding areas. The Foundation prioritizes programs aimed at college readiness and success, particularly for first-generation and low-income students, and encourages multi-year funding requests to enhance nonprofit sustainability.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust offers grants to nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts focused on youth development. Prioritizing those serving underserved populations aged 6-21, the Trust supports programs that enhance educational, artistic, and economic opportunities. New grantees must submit a Letter of Intent if they haven't received funding in the last three years. The Trust aims to foster paths to independence through community-driven initiatives, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in its funding decisions.

The Yawkey Foundation offers Program and Small Capital Grants to nonprofit organizations making meaningful impacts in Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife. Grants can be up to $100,000 and support projects aligned with the nonprofit’s mission. Organizations are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals during designated periods, demonstrating strong leadership and community impact, particularly in underserved regions of Eastern Massachusetts.

The Yawkey Foundation's Strategic Investment Grant supports nonprofit organizations aiming for strategic growth through board-approved plans. Grants, ranging from $250,000 to $1 million, may fund regional expansions, collaborative efforts among nonprofits, and organizational mergers. Initial Proposals are highly competitive and must demonstrate strong leadership, proven impact, and alignment with the Foundation's Areas of Giving. Review periods for proposals can take 6-12 months, during which feedback is not provided.

The Wellington Management Foundation, established in 1992, focuses on providing annual grants to nonprofit organizations that enhance educational opportunities for youth in under-resourced communities across North America and Asia-Pacific. With a commitment to reducing achievement gaps, the foundation prioritizes organizations that support academic improvement, educational transitions, and career readiness. Grants are awarded to those demonstrating effective leadership and a measurable impact, fostering social and economic mobility for traditionally underserved youth.

The Community Power Fund Grant by Project Bread supports grassroots organizations in Massachusetts to combat hunger through community-led initiatives. This funding opportunity emphasizes systemic change over charity, targeting projects that empower those most affected by food insecurity. Grants of up to $40,000 over two years will foster collaboration, build local capacity, and promote advocacy efforts. Priority is given to organizations led by individuals from disproportionately impacted communities, ensuring a focus on equity and long-term solutions.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust focuses on the growth of underserved youth (ages 6-21) through neighborhood-based education and economic independence programs in Boston and New Bedford. Eligible nonprofits can apply for Program or General Operating Grants, emphasizing community representation and impactful youth development initiatives. Returning grantees from the past three years may submit a full proposal directly. The Trust does not fund capital expenditures or scholarships, ensuring resources are directed towards meaningful educational opportunities.

The Sophia Romero Trust Grant, established in 1948, focuses on enhancing health care and human services for underserved elders in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The trust primarily supports one-year grants aimed at improving access to primary care and health education. Organizations that meet basic community needs, especially those serving older women, are encouraged to apply. While general operating support is discouraged for public agencies, requests for program-related funding are welcome.

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 Cummings $30 Million Grant Program will allocate $30 million to 150 local nonprofits in the Greater Boston area in 2026. This program primarily supports organizations focused on human services, social justice, education, healthcare, and environmental initiatives. Eligible applicants must be based in specific Massachusetts counties and provide services within those areas. The program does not fund requests related to the arts, culture, or animal welfare, ensuring resources are directed to pressing community needs.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, 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 with 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.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Arts & Culture Support

When he purchased the Red Sox in 1933, Tom Yawkey also bought one of Boston’s greatest attractions: Fenway Park. The Yawkeys worked hard to ensure its preservation and today it remains Major League Baseball’s oldest and most beloved ballpark, a testament to the couple’s appreciation of cultural institutions. Much of the Yawkeys’ early philanthropy in arts and culture revolved around the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, an organization to which Tom and Jean lent early support and where they both served on the Board of Directors. The spirit of baseball history and civic pride is also reflected in the Foundation’s support of the 1967 Impossible Dream exhibit, which commemorates the remarkable Red Sox season that re-energized Boston and united generations of fans.

Their legacy in arts and culture has come to life in recent decades through support to the Boston Children’s Museum, the Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium. The Yawkey Foundation continues to support cultural institutions and community organizations that enrich the lives of children and families by inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong sense of wonder and appreciation for the world around them.

The Live Arts Boston (LAB) Grants, supported by the Boston Foundation, empower performing artists in the Greater Boston area to innovate and create original work. With funding of up to $15,000, this program encourages artists and small organizations to explore new ideas and collaborations. LAB offers crucial resources such as project documentation, advising, and networking opportunities, fostering a vibrant arts community amidst ongoing social challenges. Artists are invited to apply and contribute to the cultural landscape.

The Greater Lawrence Community Fund Grant provides essential program support for nonprofit organizations in Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, and North Andover, focusing on hunger, clothing, shelter, and education. The grant favors collaborative projects and evaluates proposals based on documented needs, organizational capacity, and potential impacts. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations committed to non-discrimination. Grants are typically for specific programs that can be assessed within a year, supporting small organizations as needed.

The New England BioLabs Foundation Grant focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations that enhance biocultural diversity and ecosystem services in regions such as Central America and West Africa. Projects should aim to conserve biological diversity, sustain traditional knowledge, and promote local economic vitality. The foundation prioritizes community-led initiatives, especially in coastal communities along Massachusetts' North Shore. Those interested must first submit a letter of inquiry, adhering to specific guidelines before proceeding with full proposals.

The Organizational Development Grant by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts aims to enhance nonprofit effectiveness through funding small capital needs. This initiative supports vital resources such as furniture, equipment, and technology, ensuring nonprofits can sustain their impact. Eligible organizations can apply once per program, fostering collaboration and measurable outcomes. This grant aligns with the foundation's mission to improve community life across a diverse 33-community region, emphasizing capacity-building and efficiency.

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, established in 1973, provides grants primarily to educational organizations and charities serving the underserved populations of Attleboro, Massachusetts. The Foundation prioritizes applications that support education, healthcare, and human services. Eligible entities include 501(c)(3) public charities, municipalities, and religious organizations. The Foundation encourages multi-year funding requests and considers capital grants on a case-by-case basis, focusing on improving community well-being and educational outcomes in the region.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, 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 with 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.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Conservation & Wildlife

Tom and Jean Yawkey had a deep appreciation for nature and a passionate desire to protect our natural resources. The Yawkeys’ gift of more than 20,000 acres of shorefront land to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is their most enduring legacy in conservation.

In 1914, Tom Yawkey’s uncle purchased a small amount of land along the shoreline in Georgetown County, South Carolina. Tom inherited the land from his uncle and went on to purchase additional parcels until the area totaled over 20,000 acres. Upon his death in 1977, Tom bequeathed the land to the State of South Carolina.

Today, the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is considered one of the most outstanding grants to wildlife conservation efforts in North America; the world’s longest alligator study started there over 40 years ago and the area remains one of the premier nesting locations for endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtles and is home to hundreds of species of migratory birds. Over the years, the Yawkey Foundation has developed collaborative research partnerships with institutions such as Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Horry-Georgetown Technical College and many others using the Wildlife Center as a research laboratory for important wildlife conservation efforts. 

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, 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 with 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.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Education Support

The Trustees of the Yawkey Foundation are committed to providing educational opportunities for degree-aspiring individuals who are working to achieve their academic and career goals. The Foundation partners with nonprofits with missions dedicated to higher education access, persistence and success for young adults living in Greater Boston and Georgetown County, SC, with special focus on individuals from circumstances and communities that may lack resources and pathways to opportunities.

The Trust for the Meditation Process offers grants focused on mindfulness and contemplative Christianity, aiming to promote health, wholeness, and inner awareness through silent practices. These grants support non-profit organizations that enhance contemplative traditions, expand mindfulness education, and connect with underserved communities. With a rich history dating back to 1986, the program seeks to foster compassion and dialogue among various contemplative practices, making a significant impact on mental and emotional well-being.