Press Release

December 28, 2011, Springfield, MA - The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts is awarding $717,800 in competitive grants to local nonprofit organizations.  Eighty-six Pioneer Valley projects will receive funding with awards ranging from $500 to $40,000.   The Community Foundation awards competitive grants twice each year, with funds targeting projects addressing community needs from arts and culture to education, from the environment to health, housing, and human services for residents of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. 

As an example, a grant of $8,000 was made to Homework House, Inc. based in Holyoke.  The nonprofit provides free tutoring and mentoring for more than 150 elementary school children at three sites in Holyoke and Springfield.  This grant will enhance the program by adding an Arts Friday and summer programs incorporating puppetry, reading science, creative activity, theater, arts, sports, and field trips to museums, libraries and zoos to broaden the world of children from Holyoke.

A $40,000 grant to Baystate Health Foundation will contribute toward the multi-million dollar Hospital of the Future project at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, which is currently building a new 600,000 square foot facility featuring a state of the art Heart and Vascular Center and a new Emergency Department.

Another organization that will be helped by this recent round of grants is the Center for New Americans, which is a community-based adult education center serving the immigrant, refugee and migrant communities with programs in Hampshire and Franklin counties.  A $10,000 grant will increase capacity in citizen outreach and education and engage alumni in reaching new students.

“We are fortunate to live in a region with a strong nonprofit community as well as many individuals, families and businesses who have generously provided support that allows us to make grants to those nonprofits,” said Ron Ancrum, Community Foundation President. “We are proud to have a role in making the Pioneer Valley a better place to live and work through the competitive grants program.”

Funding for the competitive grant program comes from distributions from over 35 funds established by diverse individuals and groups committed to supporting local nonprofits.   These donors rely on the Community Foundation’s volunteers and staff to focus their funds for effective use by nonprofit agencies in our community.  Thirteen volunteer members of the Foundation’s Distribution Committee and 17 project reviewers carefully evaluated all 103 applications for funding requests totaling over $1.6 million dollars. They recommended the funds be distributed by county as follows:

The next deadline for submission of grant applications is January 12, 2012.

Media contact: Caroline Deltoro