[Greater Worcester Community Foundation](https://greaterworcester.org)

Rolling (applications accepted anytime; decisions twice monthly)

Up to $10,000 per grant; funds must be expended within 18 months

Supports Worcester County nonprofits with capacity-building projects focused on internal effectiveness, leadership, and organizational resilience.

--- ## Description This program provides targeted capacity-building grants for nonprofit organizations serving Worcester County, Massachusetts. Funding is intended to strengthen internal organizational effectiveness through projects such as leadership development, navigating change, board training, succession planning, legal compliance, communications planning, and more. The goal is to help nonprofits become more effective, equitable, and resilient as they pursue their missions and deliver critical services. --- ## Due Dates - Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. - Grant decisions are made twice monthly. - There is no fixed deadline; applicants may apply at any time. --- ## Funding Amount - Grants are available for up to $10,000 per project. - Funds must be expended within 18 months of disbursement. - The foundation typically does not fund 100% of a project's budget and may award partial grants. - No overhead cap; all aspects of the work may be supported except for excluded categories (see below). --- ## Eligibility - Must be a 501(c)(3) organization or a fiscally sponsored program. - 100% of the organization’s work must serve Worcester County residents. - Organizations cannot have received a Nonprofit Effectiveness grant from the foundation within the past 18 months. - Proposed work must begin after grant payment is made (no reimbursement for prior expenses). - Not eligible: salaries for new/existing positions, operational costs, capital projects/purchases (except software/equipment as part of a larger project), capital campaigns, pilot projects of a programmatic nature, merger explorations, or work already completed. --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted online via the [grants portal](https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=greaterworcester). - First-time applicants must create an organizational account. - Applicants are encouraged (but not required) to contact program staff before applying for guidance or feedback. - Required materials include organizational background, project description, goals, alignment to strategy, budget, and supporting documents. - All applicants receive notification of funding decisions and can request feedback. - In lieu of a formal report, grantees will have a follow-up conversation with foundation staff at project completion. --- ## Additional Information - Projects are evaluated on alignment to organizational strategy, urgency, and clearly defined equitable outcomes. - The foundation encourages measurable (SMART) goals and both qualitative and quantitative indicators. - Partial funding may be awarded, and applicants should address the impact of such in their proposals. - For projects involving consultants or contractors, supporting RFPs or contracts are required. --- ## External Links - [Program Page & Guidelines](https://greaterworcester.org/for-non-profits/competitive-grant-opportunities/nonprofit-effectiveness-grant-program) - [Detailed Grant Guidelines (PDF)](https://stdidgreaterworcesteprod.blob.core.windows.net/greaterworcester/documents/Fund-One-Pagers/Nonprofit-Effectiveness-Guidelines-2025.pdf) - [Application Portal](https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=greaterworcester) - [Sample Application Questions (DOCX)](https://stdidgreaterworcesteprod.blob.core.windows.net/greaterworcester/documents/NP-Effectiveness-App-Questions-2025-NB.docx) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Title | Email | Phone | |--------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------| | Sarah Shugrue | Director of Grantmaking and Capacity Building | sshugrue@greaterworcester.org | 508-755-0980 | | Jonathan Cohen | Vice President of Community Impact | grants@greaterworcester.org | 508-755-0980 | For general inquiries, visit the [contact page](https://greaterworcester.org/about-us/contact-us). ---

Nonprofit Effectiveness Grant Program

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