Our Grantees

Phase Two Recovery Funding: Over $2.3M Granted

Phase One Response Funding: Over $6.3M Granted

Rapid response to support organizations working on the front lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

*Indicates organizations that are also receiving funding through the Massachusetts Covid-19 Response Fund. The  Fund supports those across the state most impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis, focusing on essential frontline workers and vulnerable populations including the homeless, immigrant populations, people with disabilities and those facing food insecurity. The Fund works in concert with regional community foundations and non-profit leaders who partner with local leaders to understand the response and relief landscape, strategically filling in where gaps are pronounced.

Action for Racial Equity Grants support nonprofits and others in our community who commit to anti-racism work. This grant program is designed to help organizations take next steps in the journey to becoming more equitable in practice, policy, leadership, and impact. 

It is one small concrete action, among many different actions the Foundation will consider as we work to build a race equity strategy. Our hope is that this work empowers change in our community and starts much-need critical conversations. These small grants, up to $2,000, are a starting point for dialogue, learning, collaborative action, and healing. 

Learn more about the program here.

Total Granted: $48,347

2020 grant awardees

This is the Foundation's largest and most flexible grant program, providing nearly $2 million in 2020 for the general betterment of the community.

Abby’s House: $25,000
Shelter, housing, and advocacy

Advocates: $10,000
Sustaining Sobriety in Greater Worcester: Opioid Recovery Aftercare program

African Community Education: $25,000
Family and youth outreach/education programming

Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts New Hampshire Chapter: $10,000
Maintaining care and support throughout COVID-19

Angels Net Foundation Inc.: $10,000
Educational and social programs for immigrant and refugee youth and their families

Ansaar of Worcester: $20,000
Capacity building and cultural programming development

Apple Tree Arts: $17,000
Head Start and YMCA Preschool Music Outreach program

Art in the Park Worcester: $15,000
Art in the Park, Worcester

ArtsWorcester: $15,000
Member exhibitions

Ascentria Community Services, Inc.: $20,000
Immigrant Legal Assistance Program

Auburn Youth & Family Services: $10,000
Youth and family support programs and services

Audio Journal, Inc.: $7,500
Radio reading for the blind and general operating costs

Bancroft School: $15,000
Worcester Partnership

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest, Inc.: $20,000
Worcester Area Mentoring Program

Blackstone Valley Boys and Girls Club: $5,000
2021 Summer program camperships

Boys & Girls Club of Webster-Dudley: $15,000
General operations

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester: $25,000
Operating support

Building Futures, Inc.: $15,000
Camp Lakeside

Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, Inc.: $10,000
Public education and advocacy

Children's Friend: $15,000
Gender Wellness Initiative

Clinton Adult Learning Center: $7,500
Core programs for adult learners

Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester: $20,000
Coalition's work in community engagement

Community Harvest Project: $12,000
Volunteer Farming Program

Community Healthlink: $15,000
Together for Kids program

Community Legal Aid, Inc.: $20,000
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project

Community Servings: $15,000
Nutrition program for Worcester county residents affected by critical and chronic illnesses

Creative Hub Worcester: $5,000
After-school programming

Crocodile River Music/African Arts in Education: $25,000
Voices of Worcester: African Arts Cross Digital Divides program

Cultural Exchange Through Soccer: $20,000
Operational support

Dismas House of Massachusetts, Inc.: $20,000
Prisoner reentry programming

Dress for Success Worcester Inc.: $10,000
More Than A Suit program

Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center: $25,000
Creating a Healthy Environment program

Edward Street Child Services
Early Childhood Matters program: $20,000
Master Teacher Consultation program: $55,000

Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc.: $15,000
Senior nutrition program

Entrepreneurship for All: $10,000
Entrepreneurship training for greater Worcester

Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc.
Baby Café: $15,000
Centering Pregnancy program: $10,000
Health and dental care for homeless families: $30,000
Positive Directions-Summer Jump Start program: $7,500

Friendly House, Inc.: $20,000
Frances Perkins Transitional Housing program

Friends of St Luke's, Inc.: $15,000
St. Luke's Guesthouse

Friends of the Shrewsbury Public Library: $5,000
English Conversation Circle and Memory Café

Genesis Club House, Inc.: $20,000
Client services

Girls Incorporated of Worcester: $25,000
Operating support and support for eureka program

Greater Worcester Land Trust: $10,000
Volunteer-based, community-led conservation

Growing Places Garden Project: $12,000
Building an equitable and healthy North Central MA Food System

GSA Link, Inc.: $5,000
Linked Mentoring program

Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester: $10,000
General program support

Hope Coalition: $15,000
Worcester Addresses Childhood Trauma program

Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Worcester: $25,000
Program support

Jeremiah's Inn: $12,000
Nutrition center

Joy of Music Program, Inc.: $10,000
Support for financial aid program

Kennedy-Donovan Center: $10,000
Southbridge Early Intervention – Supporting Families in Need

L.U.K. Crisis Center, Inc.: $15,000
Teaching, Reaching, and Experiencing with Kids (TREK) program

Latino Education Institute: $40,000
ENLACE and Early Connections programs

Legendary Legacies, Inc.: $14,000
#BeLegendary program

Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester: $25,000
English Language Literacy for economic security

Literacy Volunteers of South Central Massachusetts: $10,000
English Language Learning tutoring Program

Main South CDC: $20,000
General operating support

Marie's Mission: $8,000
Diaper Bank program

Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange, Inc.: $5,000
Finding adoptive homes for children and teens in foster care

Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc.: $10,000
Engaging and broadening community at Broad Meadow Brook

Massachusetts Education & Career Opportunities, Inc. (MassEdCO): $15,000
On Our Way program

Music Worcester, Inc.: $10,000
Programmatic diversity and inclusion initiatives

Nativity School of Worcester: $10,000
Graduate Support program

New Hope, Inc.: $20,000
MJ Ledenham Center Visitation services and RESPECT

NewVue Communities: $20,000
General operating support

North Brookfield Youth Center: $10,000
After-school and summer programs

North Quabbin Citizen Advocacy, Inc.: $12,000
Protection and advocacy for vulnerable persons with disabilities

North Star Family Services, Inc.: $15,000
Emergency family shelter

Notre Dame Health Care: $10,000
Adult basic education courses at Educational Bridge Center

Opacum Land Trust: $18,500
Tree planting for community health

Open Sky Community Services: $35,000
South County Homeless Assistance Program and Safe Homes

Our Father's House, Inc.: $15,000
Ensuring health and wellness in homeless children

Pathways for Change: $12,000
Sexual assault prevention and survivor services

Pernet Family Health Service: $20,000
Parent engagement programs

Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center: $10,000
Engaging our Community program

Preservation Worcester: $10,000
Operating support

Rachel's Table: $15,000
Food programs

Rainbow Child Development Center: $18,000
Early education programs

Reach Out and Read: $10,000
Worcester County Rx for Success program

Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC): $15,000
Comprehensive case management

Regional Environmental Council, Inc.: $20,000
General operating support

Render Creative Inc/Main IDEA: $8,500
Main IDEA

Rise Above Foundation: $10,000
Activities for youth in foster care

South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC): $10,000
237 Chandler St. emergency shelter operating funds

Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts: $25,000
Services for Asian- and Arabic-speaking communities

Spanish American Center, Inc.: $10,000
Nos Ayudamos Mutuamente program

Stone Soup Worcester: $15,000
Taking OurStory Edutainment to the next level

Straight Ahead Ministries, Inc.: $25,000
Worcester Youth Re-Entry program

The CASA Project: $25,000
Early childhood support services

The Shine Initiative: $15,000
Mindmatters Teams

Together for Kids Coalition: $25,000
Together for Kids Coalition

Tower Hill Botanic Garden: $10,000
Environmental education programs for Worcester refugee youth

Tri-Valley, Inc.: $15,000
Senior nutrition program

United Way of Central Massachusetts: $60,000
Summer Literacy Initiative 2021

United Way of Central Massachusetts: $18,000
YouthConnect

United Way of Tri-County: $10,000
WHEAT Community Connections: Meal Delivery program

WCUW, Inc.: $10,000
Community Radio for A New Normal

Whitin Community Center: $20,000
Youth programming operating support

WICN Public Radio, Inc.: $10,000
The Voice of Arts and Culture in Central Massachusetts

Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team: $12,500
Homeowner organizing support

Worcester Chamber Music Society: $10,000
Neighborhood Strings program

Worcester Common Ground, Inc.: $20,000
General operating support

Worcester Community Housing Resources, Inc.: $20,000
General operating support

Worcester Cultural Coalition: $15,000
Coalition's work in community engagement

Worcester Earn a Bike, Inc.: $3,000
Transportation Equity program

Worcester Education Collaborative: $12,500
WEC's work in community engagement

Worcester Historical Museum: $10,000
Major Taylor Museum

Worcester Interfaith
Parent Education Equity Initiative: $25,000
Undocumented Families Outreach and Engagement Project: $25,000

Worcester Refugee Assistance Project (WRAP): $20,000
Virtual education program

Worcester Regional Research Bureau, Inc.: $15,000
General operating support

Worcester Roots Project: $10,000
Cooperative Economics Academy for Racial Equity program

Worcester Youth Center: $15,000
Support for core programs

Worcester Youth Orchestras: $8,000
Financial aid and scholarship program

YMCA of Central Massachusetts: $10,000
Minority Achievers program

YMCA of Central Massachusetts: $10,000
Summer PLAY program

Youth Opportunities Upheld (YOU), Inc.: $10,000
Dynamy Youth Academy

YWCA of Central Massachusetts: $30,000
Domestic violence services and Girls CHOICE program

YWCA of Central Massachusetts: $10,000
Racial equity program

 

In its pilot year, the Creative Engagement Grant Program is intended to is intended to direct both financial and knowledge resources to select Worcester non-profit cultural organizations.   

2019 Grant Awardees

 

2018 Grant Awardees

ArtsWorcester, $70,000

Crocodile River Music, $60,000

Main Idea/Render Creative, $30,000

Music Worcester, $70,000

Worcester Chamber Music Society, $70,000

Creative Spark Mini-Grants support organizations and individuals engaged in the creative sector with an innovative ideas that advances the City of Worcester's Cultural Plan. In 2019, applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.

 

2019 Grant Awardees

Creative Hub Worcester, $4,000
Gallery at the Aurora

Music Worcester, $2,500
Passage from the Stage to the Street

Seven Bridge Writer's Collaborative, $1,860
Program to Support Worcester Writers

Squares Squared, Inc, $5,000
POW! WOW! Worcester School Week

WCUW, $5,000
First Annual Hawthorne Street Festival

Worcester Chamber Music Society, $2,500
Expanded Cultural Concert Programming

In its pilot year, the Creative Spark Grant Program is intended to support organizations and individual artists who use arts and creativity to activate underserved populations and amplify under heard voices in Worcester.  

2018 Grant Awardees

Ansaar of Worcester, $3,180
Social and Cultural Integration Outings for Non-English Speakers

Crocodile River Music/African Arts in Education, $7,500
African Music Series

Future Focus Media Cooperative, $7,500
Telling Our Stories

Girls Inc., of Worcester, $7,500
Indoor Mural Project

Mass Leap, Inc., $5,000
Youth Spoken Word Leaders Program

Eli Mateo, $6,925
KidsSTOMP

Music Worcester, $7,500
We Speak the Same Language

Saori Worcester, $7,500
Weaving Bridges 2020

Steven Schwartz, $7,500
Learning Life Skills Thru Magic

Seven Hills Foundation, $7,500
Creative Movement Dance Program

Worcester Earn a Bike, $1,500
Mural for Main South

Fairlawn Foundation grants promote excellence and innovation in healthcare delivery, education and research in the Worcester area.

 

2020 Grant Awardees

 

2019 Grant Awardees

This fund improves the health status of vulnerable populations living in Central Massachusetts.

2020 Grant Awardees

2019 Grant Awardees

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester,  $10,000
YouthReach: Targeted Outreach to Vulnerable Youth

Catholic Charities Worcester County,  $10,000
Diaper Pantry Program

Children's Friend, An Affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation,  $10,000
Gender Wellness Initiative

Dismas House of Massachusetts,  $5,000
Clinical Services

Family Health Center of Worcester,  $20,000
Healthcare for Homeless Families

Girls Inc., of Worcester,  $5,239
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

HOPE Coalition,  $15,000
Mental Health Model

Living in Freedom Together (LIFT),  $10,000
LIFT Drop-In Center

Net of Compassion,  $10,000
Outreach, Shelter and Support for Worcester's Homeless

Pathways for Change,  $7,000
Medical Accompaniment

Pernet Family Health Service,  $20,000
Home Visiting

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts,  $12,500
Sexual Health Education Programs

St. Anne's Free Medical Program,  $10,000
Radiology Pilot Program

The CASA Project,  $15,000
Mental Health Services

Worcester Youth Center Inc,  $20,000
Health and Wellness

YWCA of Central Massachusetts,  $7,581
SPLASH Learn-to-Swim Program

This fund was created by the Class of 1966 to promote innovative school-based educational projects in Killingly, CT.

 

2020 Grant Awardees

Established in 1977, the Jeppson Memorial Fund supports civic and community projects that make life better for the citizens of Brookfield.

2020 Grant Awardees 

 

The Leicester Savings Bank Fund supports projects and programs benefiting residents of Leicester.

2020 Grant Awardees

The Mary B. Grogan Fund for Youth is a permanent charitable resource to benefit young residents of Millbury, Massachusetts.

2019 Grant Awardees

2018 Grant Awardees

Millbury Memorial Jr./Sr. High School, $1,000
Earth Links Project

Millbury Public Library, $800
Support for Public Programming

Greater Worcester Community Foundation sets aside $50,000 to award Mini Grants in amounts up to $3,000 for low cost projects or initiatives that help organizations improve their ability to do their work.

2020 Grant Awardees

The Fund to End Hunger awards grants to the Hunger-Free Network of the Worcester County Food Bank and other nonprofit organizations. The Fund seeks creative solutions that share the vision of creating hunger-free communities of tomorrow and work towards that goal.

2019 Grant Awardees

 

2018 Grant Awardees

AIDS Project Worcester, $3,000
Nutrition Program

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, $3,000
Kids Cafe Program

Building Futures, Inc., $1,500
A Better Life Program

Catholic Charities Worcester County, $1,000
Emergency Stabilization and Homelessness Prevention Program

Centro, Inc., $2,000
Food Pantry

Community Harvest Project, Inc., $3,000
CRAVE Program

Dismas House of Central Massachusetts, $3,000
Recovery Grows Worcester

Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, $3,000
Nutrition Program

Friendly House, $3,000
Food Pantry

Gardner Community Action Committee, Inc., $1,500
Tasting Tuesday

Gardner Public Schools, $2,500
Food Services Program- Equipment Purchase|

Growing Places Garden Project, Inc., $3,000
North Central Healthy Food System Coordinator

Jeremiah's Inn, $2,500
Garden-to-Table Initiative

Milford Youth Center, $3,000
Milford Youth Center Food Services Program

Montachusett Opportunity Council, $1,900
CARE AIDS Services Program

Muslim Community Link, $2,400
Equipment Purchase

Pernet Family Health Service, $2,000
Food Pantry

Rachel's Table, $1,500
Program Support

Rainbow Child Development Center, $2,820
Seeds to Health Program

Regional Environmental Council, $3,000
UGROW Pilot Program

Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, $1,500
Cultural Food Programming

Spanish American Center, $1,500
Feeding Programs

Tasks for Transit, Inc., $1,000
One Day Bus Pass Program

Tri-Parish Community Church Food Pantry, $2,500
Hardwick Food Pantry -Summer Farmers' Market

United Way of Tri-County, $3,600
Wheat Community Connections

Veterans, Inc., $4,000
Food Services Program

Worcester Community Action Council, $1,120
Head Start Garden

Webster Public Schools, $6,850
Equipment purchase

Youth for Community Improvement (YCI), an advisory committee of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation comprised of area high school students, requests proposals from Worcester County nonprofit organizations.

2020 Grant Awardees