Best Worcester Grants for Nonprofits in Massachusetts

The National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) for FY2026/27 offers competitive grants aimed at supporting non-Federal researchers. This initiative, governed by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, focuses on developing innovative fishing practices and gear technologies to minimize bycatch and reduce post-release mortality of non-target species. By addressing bycatch reduction, the program seeks to enhance the sustainability of U.S. fisheries and aquaculture, aligning with the National Marine Fisheries Service's conservation goals.

The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund supports habitat conservation through land acquisition grants. Established in 1997, this program aims to minimize conflicts between listed species conservation and land use. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides matching grants to state agencies for projects that ensure the long-term protection of habitats. By acquiring land or conservation easements, this initiative facilitates species recovery and helps prevent future listings under the Endangered Species Act, enhancing overall ecosystem health.

The National Institutes of Health is funding a groundbreaking project to enhance our understanding of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) through multimodal AI. This initiative aims to integrate diverse datasets to explore the interactions of biological processes in T1D development. By leveraging advanced AI models, the research will uncover critical insights, identify biomarkers, and pave the way for personalized medicine approaches, ultimately improving prevention and treatment strategies for this complex disease.

The SCORCH Program: Phase 2 aims to enhance the understanding of single cell biology in the context of HIV and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Building on previous research, this initiative will explore new single cell approaches to investigate the interactions between SUD and HIV progression at various biological levels. By leveraging advanced techniques, the program seeks to identify candidate mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, ultimately contributing to innovative solutions for SUDs and HIV-related challenges.

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is a crucial surveillance initiative by the CDC aimed at understanding violent deaths and suicides. This funding opportunity supports state and local entities in modernizing NVDRS, enhancing data collection and reporting processes. Key activities include timely data updates, modernization assessments, and pilot projects for improved data systems. The goal is to create a sustainable national surveillance system that provides reliable data to inform public health actions and enhance violence and suicide prevention efforts.

About USA Track & Field Foundation Inc

The USA Track & Field Foundation was established in 2002. Our Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs, with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth and elite athletes.

Mission: 

To support the development of emerging elite athletes, while fostering integration within the broader track & field community. To facilitate the physical, educational, social and character development of youth track & field athletes and to help prepare them to mature and succeed in adult life.Team and Club SupportThe USA Track & Field Foundation may be able to provide support to certain Elite Track & Field / Running clubs in the US.

About She+ Foundation The SHE+ Foundation, formerly known as The Patty Brisben Foundation for Women’s Sexual Health, was founded by Patty Brisben in 2005 after she recognized the profound need for a movement to address the too often ignored aspects of women’s sexual health. The SHE+ Foundation is committed to changing the narrative. We are here to advocate, educate, and fund research that advances the understanding and treatment for women’s sexual health, and improves quality of life for all women.Mission: Our mission is to advance women's sexual health and well-being through groundbreaking research, comprehensive education, and unwavering support. We strive to eradicate stigma, empower women with knowledge, and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or geography.About She+ Foundation GrantWe fund a wide range of projects that align with our mission to advance women's sexual health. This includes:

• Research Studies: Clinical and academic research aimed at understanding and improving women's sexual health.
• Educational Programs: Initiatives that provide education and awareness on topics related to women's sexual health.
• Community Outreach: Programs that engage and support local communities, offering resources and support for women's sexual health.
• Innovative Treatments: Development and implementation of new treatments and therapies for women's sexual health issues.

The NSF Geosciences Core Research program funds innovative projects across atmospheric, geospace, earth, and ocean sciences. It encourages proposals that push the boundaries of knowledge in fundamental research, promoting interdisciplinary approaches. This initiative seeks transformative ideas that may not have immediate commercial applications but are crucial for advancing scientific understanding and addressing complex environmental challenges. Researchers are invited to explore various domains or integrate multiple disciplines to enhance our comprehension of the Earth and its systems.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Overdose Response aims to enhance healthcare access in rural areas by addressing urgent needs related to substance use disorder services. This initiative focuses on reducing overdose risks through targeted interventions and support, ensuring that rural communities receive necessary assistance. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, this program is crucial for mitigating the opioid crisis in underserved regions, improving health outcomes, and promoting overall community well-being.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program focuses on enhancing behavioral health care services for children and adolescents in rural areas. By providing essential funding, this initiative aims to tackle mental health and substance use disorders, ensuring that young individuals receive the support they need. The program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, is crucial in addressing the unique challenges faced by rural communities, promoting healthier outcomes for future generations.

John Estrella Foundation: Helping Hand GrantThe John Estrella Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in memory of John Estrella.

Our funding supports a clinical protocol to acquire tumor samples from kidney cancer patients who have a kidney removed. These important samples are being used to identify factors that help predict which patients are likely to require additional therapy for their disease. With our continued funding, this protocol has been expanded to other major hospitals in the area, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Beth-Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Purpose of the Grant: In addition to the ever-mounting cost of medicines and treatment, people with Kidney Cancer often need assistance with expenses like transportation, living expenses, home care, and childcare. The purpose of our grant is to provide support to individuals and their families experiencing financial burdens associated with a diagnosis of and treatment for Kidney Cancer.

Wallingford Education Foundation

Our Mission

The Wallingford Education Foundation is a non-profit, community-based partnership supporting educational innovation and excellence in our town.

Our Vision

The Wallingford Education Foundation empowers ideas and enhances educational experiences for students, educators and community members. It provides financial support outside the education budget that is aligned with the goals and focus areas of the school district’s strategic plan.

Professional Development Grant

Transformative impacts often result from staff members who choose to attend professional development programs. Typically, these opportunities are funded through the town’s annual school budget. However, the district may not be financially able to meet each request. Through the Professional Development Grant program, the Wallingford Education Foundation (WEF) provides additional funding for employees of Wallingford Public Schools to attend conferences hosted outside the district.

The Professional Grant program offers paired grants of $1,000 each for two Wallingford Public Schools staff members to attend the same professional development opportunity together OR single grants of up to $2,000 for an individual to attend a conference alone. Multiple grants are awarded yearly.

The Ludcke Foundation

Guidelines

To identify and support charitable endeavors that provide needed resources and services to children and families, with an emphasis on emotional and physical health, education, and social development.

The Foundation devotes its grants to the fields of education, health, and human services. The trustees have a special interest in programs that focus across two or three of the foundation’s areas of interest and in partnering with other donors with similar objectives to enable more ambitious projects.

Current Grantmaking Preferences

Job training for systems involved young people, job training for adults facing significant barriers, and limited support for innovative approaches to helping children in underserved New England communities overcome significant and often overlapping barriers to educational success.

Access to health programs for all ages, and behavioral health services for children and teens in underserved communities or otherwise facing significant barriers.

Homelessness prevention, housing assistance, food security, legal assistance, holistic family support, support for young people at risk, and support for victims of domestic violence.

About Spirit of Blue

Our Vision

To become the nation’s leading supplemental provider of law enforcement safety equipment and training across the county.

Our Mission

Spirit of Blue is dedicated to the enhancement of officer safety throughout the law enforcement community by fulfilling unfunded safety equipment and training needs.

Safety Grant Program

Spirit of Blue’s primary initiative is the granting of safety equipment and training to municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies in an effort to protect their sworn personnel. 

Most grants are 100% funded, meaning that no match is required. In the majority of cases, Spirit of Blue conducts the procurement of the goods or services being granted so that the recipient agency isn’t burdened with having to negotiate prices, place orders or track delivery. Rarely, if ever, does Spirit of Blue provide cash awards. Once selected, Spirit of Blue will provide the recipient agency with an official grant award letter outlining everything that is contained in the award. The recipient agency must gain acceptance of the grant, whether on the authority of their agency head or by working with their local governing authority as their policy may dictate. There are no reporting requirements after the award of the grant, but agencies are asked to submit a photo to be used in the announcement of their grant.

Grant Application

The Spirit of Blue Safety Grant Program is designed to award equipment, or in some cases training, that will protect officers serving on duty. You should only request items that you can articulate will have a positive impact on officer safety.

FY2027: Safe and Supportive Schools Continuation Grant

Purpose:

The goals of this state funded safe and supportive schools continuation grant program are to:

• help support implementation of school-wide action plans created by Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Fund Code (FC) 0335 Option 1 — Action Planning grantees in the prior year; and
• continue, expand, or extend the implementation and support efforts of FY26 FC 0335 Option 2 — Implementation and Support grantees.

Priorities:

The main priorities for this grant are to help ensure that each participating school creates an equitable, safe, positive, healthy, culturally-competent, and inclusive whole-school learning environment for all students, and makes effective use of a system for integrating services and aligning initiatives that promote students’ behavioral health and wellness.

These efforts are supported through school-based implementation of action plans that were created after completing the Safe and Supportive Schools Self-Reflection Tool (SaSS Tool) .

An additional priority for Option 2 — Implementation and Support grantees is to provide support for Option 1 grantees, other new Safe and Supportive Schools Self-Reflection ToolSaSS Tool users, schools and districts that are new to implementation, the Department, Safe and Supportive Schools Commission, and others as needed and appropriate.

About

The Community Foundation of Central Georgia was founded in 1993 by a group of citizens interested in encouraging philanthropy and strengthening communities.

The Foundation provides donors a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. Through their funds, CFCG donors support the causes and organizations that they care about, which enhances the quality of life for the people of Central Georgia.

Our vision is a Central Georgia where philanthropy thrives, communities are strong, and citizens work toward common goals.

Al Lucas Memorial Scholarship Fund

Albert James “Big Luke” Lucas was born September 1, 1978, to David E. and Elaine H. Lucas. He passed away on April 10, 2005, from a spinal cord injury he suffered during a Los Angeles Avengers arena football game. He was married to De’Shonda, and had a daughter, Mariah.

Al was a native of Macon, Georgia, graduating from Northeast High School in 1996. Following graduation, he attended Troy State University on a full athletic scholarship, and shined as a defensive lineman for the Trojans. Throughout college Al studied hard and cherished his time on the field and in 2000 was awarded the distinguished Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in Division 1-AA. He was also an outstanding member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Al went on to join the National Football League, signing as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers and later playing for the Carolina Panthers. Later he joined the Arena Football League, playing for the Tampa Bay Storm, and finally the Los Angeles Avengers.

Al was a strong athlete with a heart of gold who believed in giving back to the community that supported him over the years. He especially loved working with children and served as a substitute teacher and coach at Northeast High School during the off-season. He was a member of Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church where he first learned the responsibility and power of tithing.

Al Lucas exemplified the characteristics of a scholar-athlete. He loved athletics, but knew his studies came first. He served his community and the Lord. He expected the best of himself and others. He excelled on the football field and in life. Recipients of the Al Lucas Memorial Scholarship will reflect Al’s ideals and carry on his legacy of excellence.

Purpose

• To honor the memory of Al Lucas by providing college scholarships to scholar athletes in Al’s hometown of Macon, Georgia.

Awards

• Amount of Award: $1,000, non-renewable.
• Number of Awards: 7 per year. Two awards will be given to scholar-athletes graduating from Northeast High School, Al’s alma mater. One winner shall be female and one male. The other five awards will be given to student-athletes from each of the other five Bibb County public high schools. One will be awarded at each school.

The Clifton-Whitehead Scholarship Fund, established by Edward S. Whitehead, Jr. in honor of his relatives, supports deserving students in Middle Georgia, particularly in Bibb County. This fund aims to assist students of good character facing financial challenges in obtaining a college education. Annually, approximately 12 awards of around $1,000 are granted. Eligible recipients must maintain a minimum GPA and can renew the scholarship for up to four years, provided they meet the established criteria.

The Christine Riggins Shepherd Scholarship Fund, established by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, aims to support students from Lamar, Pike, Monroe, Upson, or Spalding counties attending Georgia Southern University. With at least one award given annually, the scholarship amount varies. Recipients can renew their scholarships for up to four years if they maintain eligibility. Preference is given to applicants from Lamar County, promoting educational opportunities for local students.

The Career Women’s Network Scholarship Fund, established by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, empowers non-traditional female students aged 25 and older to pursue higher education. This scholarship promotes leadership and personal development for women in the community, offering varying amounts each year. Recipients may renew their awards for up to four years, contingent on meeting eligibility criteria. The fund honors Katherine Walters, who valued education and aimed to assist women in achieving their academic goals.

Fair Share Adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Services

The purpose of this competitive grant program is to expand the Public Adult Education (PAE) system's capacity to

• Increase the number of providers and classes to address the demand for adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services.
• Prepare English learners for entry and success in the Massachusetts workforce by incorporating digital skills and contextualized workplace preparation into instruction.

Priorities:

Competitive priority will be given to applications that

• Have formal agreements with current DESE providers to enroll eligible students who are currently waiting for English for Speakers of Other Languages ESOL classes.
• Include a partnership with a workforce training provider or employer.
• Demonstrate the capacity to provide adult English for Speakers of Other Languages ESOL students with the necessary job readiness and digital skills to meet the needs of local employers.

Funding:

• Up to $2,000,000 is available.

The Periodic Paralysis Grant, offered by the Patient Advocate Foundation, assists individuals diagnosed with periodic paralysis in managing out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Eligible applicants must be in treatment or planning to begin treatment for this rare muscle disease. The fund covers various expenses, including medication copays and insurance premiums, ensuring that patients can afford essential care. With a mission to empower and support patients, this grant plays a crucial role in navigating healthcare challenges.

The Philadelphia Chromosome Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) Grant, offered by the Patient Advocate Foundation, provides crucial financial assistance to patients facing this cancer type. It covers out-of-pocket healthcare costs, including medication copays and insurance premiums, ensuring those affected can access necessary treatments. With a focus on personalized case management, the foundation has supported millions in navigating their healthcare needs, emphasizing the importance of timely and affordable care for patients diagnosed with MPN.

The Richard L and Freda K Flerlage Foundation

Our Mission

Working to empower underserved populations through small grants in support of literacy, healthcare, reduction of poverty, and the promotion of social and environmental justice.

We are a small family foundation, when possible we aim to support organizations with relatively small operating funds where our small grants will have their greatest possible impact.

Our average grant is $3,800.

Our Mission

UNCF envisions a nation where all Americans have equal access to a college education that prepares them for rich intellectual lives, competitive and fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship and service to our nation.

UNCF’s mission is to build a robust and nationally-recognized pipeline of under-represented students who, because of UNCF support, become highly-qualified college graduates and to ensure that our network of member institutions is a respected model of best practice in moving students to and through college.

UNCF’s North Star is to increase the total annual number of African American college graduates by focusing on activities that ensure more students are college-ready, enroll in college and persist to graduation. This is done through a three-pillar strategy. Positioning member institutions as a viable college option for students and investing in institutional capacity to improve student outcomes; creating transformational support programs to ensure students are enrolling and persisting through college completion; building awareness of educational attainment and cultivating college-going behaviors within the African American community.

About the UNCF Lighted Pathways Program

Increasing the number of Black investment management professionals one opportunity at a time

According to The American College and the CFP Board, African Americans only make up 5% of financial advisors and 2% of certified financial planners (CFP), even though African Americans represent 13.4% of the U.S. population.

The UNCF Lighted Pathways programs meets the disparity and lack of Black talent in asset management through the UNCF Lighted Pathways initiative which provides scholarships and internships to African American undergraduate students interested in the investment management industry. Through this initiative, UNCF Lighted Pathways aims to create a career pathway to attract, develop, and retain Black talent for the asset management industry.

The UNCF Lighted Pathways Program excites, educates, and empowers young people by supporting personal and professional development, driving company performance, and providing the asset management industry the talent they need to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. This program offers students a glimpse inside the dynamic, global asset management industries and the career opportunities, potential and rewards within them.

Students are afforded the opportunity to receive $5,000 in scholarships and/or participate in internships in the financial industry provided by the program’s partners.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking to enhance the Strategies to Innovate EmeRgENcy Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN) through the establishment of a Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) and Data Coordinating Center (DCC). This initiative aims to improve emergency care outcomes by supporting trials that focus on effective treatments for non-stroke neurological and cardiovascular emergencies. Although applications are not currently being solicited, this notice allows potential applicants to prepare collaborative proposals.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is inviting applications for the Alzheimer's Drug-Development Program (U01 Clinical Trial Optional). This initiative seeks to support pre-clinical and early-stage clinical development of innovative drug candidates aimed at preventing Alzheimer's disease or treating its symptoms. The program encourages collaboration among researchers and aims to enhance the therapeutic pipeline for AD through targeted approaches. This notice allows potential applicants time to prepare robust projects.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is dedicated to advancing emergency care through the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN). This initiative seeks to establish clinical enrollment hubs that will enhance the network's ability to conduct trials aimed at improving outcomes for patients experiencing neurological and cardiovascular emergencies. Although applications are not currently being accepted, this notice encourages potential applicants to prepare collaborative and impactful proposals.