This grant program focuses on preparing local residents for family-supporting jobs through career-related training, post-secondary education and other educational initiatives.

Objective: Advance the economic wellness of residents of North Central Massachusetts by increasing their access to education and effective career development initiatives.

New Strategic Direction 

The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts is launching a transformative partnership that will help thousands of students and families navigate the complex financial aid process and make higher education more affordable and accessible.  

As part of a new strategic approach to grantmaking, the Foundation has committed $100,000 per year over five years, totaling $500,000, to College Affordable, a nonprofit that provides free, high-touch financial aid advising to students and families. The investment marks the first major initiative under the Foundation's evolved strategic vision, which emphasizes deeper partnerships, longer-term investments, and measurable community impact.  

To support immediate needs of local nonprofit organizations in the career readiness space we have established the Community Momentum Micro Grant Program.

Community Momentum Micro Grant Program  

Purpose
The Community Momentum Micro Grant Program provides flexible, responsive funding for timely, short-term projects that help organizations address emerging needs, seize unexpected opportunities, and remove barriers to program success.

Grant Amount

• Awards range from $500 to $3,000.
• Organizations may receive up to $3,000 in total Community Momentum Micro Grant funding per fiscal year (July 1–June 30).

Focus & Priorities Areas
Priority areas for CREA: 

• Career-related training
• Post-secondary education
• Other educational initiatives

What We Fund
Community Momentum Micro Grants are intended to support:

• Emerging or time-sensitive needs, including unforeseen or unexpected funding gaps requiring a prompt response
• Unforeseen opportunities, including programs or opportunities not anticipated during traditional grant cycles and unanticipated matching grants.
• Unexpected Small-scale projects that address expected gaps or obstacles to program success (e.g., capacity-building for active programs, removing barriers for program participants)

Application Process

• Online Application: Please complete the application on our grant portal (https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cfncm).
• Review Process: Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis by CFNCM staff, with funding decisions typically made within 15 days of submission.
• Notification: Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email.
• Agreement & Payment: Approved applicants must execute a grant agreement before the release of funds.

Eligibility
Applicants must:

• Be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, an organization with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor, or a municipality serving North Central Massachusetts
• Deliver programs or services that directly benefit communities within CFNCM’s service area
• Demonstrate the capacity to complete the proposed project within the grant timeline

Funding Exclusions
The Community Momentum Micro Grant Program does not support:

• Annual or ongoing operating programs
• Projects that do not directly benefit CFNCM’s geographic service area
• Multi-year initiatives
• Loans, capital campaigns, or efforts to influence legislation
• Requests in which CFNCM would become the predominant long-term source of revenue
• Individuals or for-profit organizations
• Retroactive expenses incurred prior to grant approval

Grant Timeline

• Funded projects should be completed within 6–9 months of the award date.
• Requests for grant period extensions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Reporting Requirements
To support learning and continuous improvement, grantees are required to submit a brief final report through CFNCM’s grant portal within 30 days of project completion or the end of the grant period. Reports should include:

• A summary of activities completed
• Key outcomes, insights, or lessons learned
• A brief accounting of how grant funds were used
• Any unanticipated successes or challenges
• Impact stories and/or photographs that CFNCM may use for communications and marketing purposes

Link to apply: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cfncm