Greater Lowell Community Foundation awards record $300K in community grants to local nonprofits 

From l – r: 1. Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell girls. Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell received a recent grant to fund a social emotional learning (SEL) program. SEL elements are woven into program content, facilitation, practices and nurtured through positive relationships with peers and mentors. 2. A newly seeded tray of cucumbers (“cucumbers” are written on the markers in Khmer) in Mill City’s greenhouse (the UMASS Lowell Rist Urban Agriculture Greenhouse). The crops are being grown by a local Cambodian American farmer, as part of our Merrimack Valley Growers’ Aid program. A GLCF grant will fund a Lowell Food Policy Council, a community-led group that will help to shape and advocate for equitable food access for all. 3. Mission of Deeds, a 2022 Discretionary Grant recipient, to support their Greater Lowell Beds for Kids program. Mission of Deeds executive director Bruce Murison and Sharon Petersen, director of grants; David Berube, logistics coordinator; and Brian Quinn, client service manager, get twin beds ready for children.

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $300,000 in grants to 34 local nonprofits within a framework of Children’s Services, Elder Services, Racial Equity and Inclusion, as well as Nashoba Valley Healthcare initiatives. The focus areas collectively work toward creating a better quality of life for Greater Lowell residents and supporting local nonprofits.

These grant awards are part of a competitive grant process in which nonprofit organizations apply for funds, and an independent committee reviews the proposals and selects awardees. The GLCF Discretionary Grants and Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund are two of several competitive grant programs offered through GLCF each year. 

“As we honor our 25 years of improving the quality of life in the Greater Lowell region, GLCF awarded a record amount of grants to support the important work of our local nonprofits,” said GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan. “These grants were made possible by the generous contributions from our community. Through these donations and strategic investments, GLCF can provide the critical support for our community.”

Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell received a Children’s Services Grant to support their Strong, Smart, Bold Girls program.“Developing girls’ social and emotional skills is an integral part of the Girls Inc. experience,” shared Ashley Filipp, Executive Director, Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell. “The ‘Strong, Smart, Bold Girls’ is helping prepare girls to navigate challenges and opportunities they are facing through adverse societal influences.”

Mission of Deeds received a grant to purchase beds for kids in need. “When Mission of Deeds was founded in 1993, one of the major objectives of our founder, Tony Triglione, was to give beds, without charge, for children in need,” said Bruce Murison, executive director, Mission of Deeds. “Many of our first client families were in Lowell. It is heartwarming that this generous GLCF grant allows us to continue the same work in our thirtieth year as we did in our first. Mission of Deeds, and our clients, are grateful to the Foundation and its supporters.”

“With the help of the GLCF’s Discretionary Grant, Mill City Grows is thrilled to spearhead Lowell’s first Food Policy Council, a community-led group that will help shape and advocate for equitable food access for all,” said Jessica Wilson, Executive Director, Mill City Grows. “These funds will help us provide stipends for participants, support for childcare, transportation, and technology – items that are integral to ensuring equitable access to participation in the Council.” 

2022 Discretionary and Nashoba Valley Healthcare Grants


Children’s Services Grants

  • $7,500 for Adolescent Consultation Services’ Direct Mental Health Services for Court-Involved Children in Greater Lowell
  • $7,500 for Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc.: Comfort Kits For Foster Kids
  • $7,500 for Dignity Matters’ Dignity in Lowell Schools
  • $7,500 for Discovery Museum’s Especially for Me
  • $7,500 for Girls Incorporated of Greater Lowell, Inc.: Strong, Smart, Bold Girls
  • $6,250 for Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless: A Bed for Every Child
  • $7,500 for Mission of Deeds, Inc.: Beds for Kids
  • $7,500 for Seven Hills Extended Care at Groton: Seven Hills Pediatric Center Assistive Technologies Strengthening Supports for Children with Significant Challenges
  • $7,500 for Wish Project’s Basic Needs for Children

Leclair Elder Services: 

  • $7,000 for Challenge Unlimited’s Touch Therapy
  • $7,000 for Clear Path for Veterans New England’s Neuro Fit Brain Retrain Supporting Older Veterans in Greater Lowell
  • $7,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell’s Seniors aging successfully at home
  • $7,000 for Open Pantry of Greater Lowell’s Food Pantry
  • $6,000 for Power of Flowers’ Project Special Delivery
  • $7,000 for Virginia Thurston Healing Garden’s Addressing Transportation Barriers to Cancer Care for Elderly Greater Lowell Patients

Racial Equity and Inclusion Grants: 

  • $15,000 for Free Soil Arts Collective’s Cookie Referendum by Raysam Donkoh-Halm
  • $15,000 for Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership’s Expanding Down Payment Assistance to improve equity in homeownership opportunities in Greater Lowell
  • $10,000 for Project LEARN’s Students Making Change
  • $15,000 for Coalition for a Better Acre’s Youth-led DEI Training
  • $15,000 for Mill City Grows’ Lowell Food Policy Council
  • $15,000 for The Center for Hope and Healing’s Supporting Wellness of Young Black Women
  • $15,000 for Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell’s Advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy
  • $5,000 for Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s Amplifying Voices of Khmer Theatre Artists and Serving Lowell’s Khmer Community

Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund Grants:

  • $5,000 for Gaining Ground’s Farm Fresh Food for Nashoba Valley Residents
  • $10,000 for Clear Path for Veterans New England’s Neuro Fit/Brain Retrain Neural Mapping, an Integrated Health, and Wellness Program for Veterans
  • $5,500 for Alternative House, Inc.’s Police Partnership Expansion
  • $16,000 for Our Father’s House – Ensuring Health Wellness in Homeless Children
  • $7,500 for Doctor Franklin Perkins School’s RFK Community Alliance Behavioral Health Services in Nashoba Valley
  • $10,000 for Virginia Thurston Healing Garden’s Expanded Psychosocial Cancer Support Services for Nashoba Valley Residents
  • $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell’s Critical home repairs for seniors
  • $9,750 for Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging’s Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Mental Health, and Culturally Competent Meals Initiative 
  • $10,000 for Habitat for Humanity North Central Mass’ Critical Home Repair Program Supporting Economically Distressed Families from Nashoba Valley
  • $7,000 for Kids in Disability Sports’ Membership drive
  • $2,000 for Able To Serve-New England’s Hope for Women with Young Children    

For more information on the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, visit www.glcfoundation.org. 

About Greater Lowell Community Foundation
Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 390 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of more than $55 million, GLCF annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from Foundation staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $25 million to the Greater Lowell community. 

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