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.

Priority: During this funding cycle, priority will be given to programs that equip residents for family-sustaining employment, including vocational training and pathways to college

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.  

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)

Projects should be discrete, achievable within the grant period, and aligned with CFNCM’s mission and service area.

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

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.

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