This endowed fund focuses on preserving, enhancing and providing access to the natural beauty of North Central Massachusetts and on enhancing the welfare of domestic animals.

Objective

Preserve, restore and provide public access to the natural environment of the region and promote the humane treatment of animals through education, advocacy, and services. 
 

Funding priorities:

• Animal rescue, protection, and placement
• Land/water preservation
• Habitat restoration
• Improving public access to natural places
• Local action to address climate change mitigation and adaptation

Grant size: While there are no set grant amounts, grants have tended to fall between $2,000 and $10,000.

Requirements
The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts supports programs, projects, and initiatives within our 33-community region that address the Community Foundation's goals and program areas, which are executed by non-profit organizations, and align with the applicant's mission.

All proposals will be reviewed and considered for funding based on each proposal's ability to:

• Clearly and concisely articulate the expected impact of the grant on the community
• Meet well-defined and documented community needs
• Provide strategic and achievable goals (that can be measured and reported within and/or at the conclusion of the grant period)
• Provide a clear project budget (statement of revenue sources and uses of funds)
• Provide evidence of suitable measurement tools to adequately track outcomes, evaluations of change and/or return on investment.

Proposals for the following will not be considered:

• Projects that do not directly benefit the geographic service area of the Fund
• Loans, capital campaigns, attempts to influence legislation, and support where the Community Foundation may become the predominant long-term source of revenue
• Individuals or for-profit organizations

 Only one application per organization, please.
 

Schedule

• Application opens: February 23
• Info Sessions: February 26 at 10 a.m. and March 4 at 1 p.m. (Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9452255403?omn=82827562703&from=addon)
• Application deadline: March 13
• Award announcement: April 17