Greater Lowell Community Foundation announces more than $235K in grants to local nonprofits at Annual Meeting

Lowell, MA – On Tuesday, June 11, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation hosted its annual meeting at UMass Lowell’s Coburn Hall. A record $237,230 in grant funding was awarded to 23 nonprofits serving Greater Lowell in the funding focus areas of Children’s Services, Elder Services, and Racial Equity and Inclusion.

These grant awards are part of a competitive grant process in which nonprofit organizations apply for funds, and independent committees review the proposals and select awardees. The GLCF Discretionary Grants is one of several competitive grant programs offered through the foundation each year. 

“These grants were made possible by generous donations from our community and strategic investments,” said GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan. “The 2024 GLCF Discretionary Grant Cycle is the largest distribution to date – it’s indicative of so much of what we do at the Foundation. It is a key part of our being.” 

Children’s Services Grants

  • Aaron’s Presents: More Aaron’s Presents Youth in Lowell – $6,730
  • Adolescent Consultation Services: Direct Mental Health Services for Court-Involved Children in Greater Lowell – $10,000
  • The Bike Connector, Inc.: Keeping Kids Safe – Bike Helmets for Bike Rodeos, National Night Out, and Holiday Bike Giveaway – $2,000
  • Dignity Matters, Inc.: Dignity for Greater Lowell Teens -$10,000
  • Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust: Environmental Youth Task Force (EYTF) -$9,000
  • Lowell Youth Leadership Program Inc.: Lowell Youth Leadership Program 2024 Summer Camp – $10,000
  • Project Kompass, Inc.: Housing for Young Women and their Children – $10,000
  • Raising A Reader (RAR-MA Inc.): RAR-MA Lowell: Early Literacy Resources and Family Engagement – $7,500

Elder Services Grants

  • Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI): RSVP Bone Builders Increased Capacity and Expansion Project – $7,000
  • Good Pickin Farm: Senior Summer Camp Day and Pick Two Summer Friday Concerts – $7,000
  • Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts, Inc.: Affordable Home Repairs for Seniors Aging in Place – $7,000
  • Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell: Critical home repairs for seniors – $7,000
  • Open Pantry of Greater Lowell: Food Pantry – $7,000
  • Open Table, Inc.: Addressing Food Insecurity in Seniors Via Pantry, Mobile, And Meal Programs – $7,000

Racial Equity and Inclusion Grants

  • MRT: Amplifying Asian American Pacific Islander Theatre Artists: WHAT YOU ARE NOW by Sam Chanse – $15,000
  • Project Citizenship: Citizenship for an Equitable Future – $15,000
  • THRIVE Communities of Mass: Greater Lowell Circle Keeper Initiative – $15,000
  • Kids in Tech, Inc.: After-School Tech Clubs for Greater Lowell – $15,000
  • Merrimack Valley Housing: Expanding Affordable Homeownership Opportunities for Local Residents – $15,000
  • CMAA: Remembering The Killing Fields, Celebrating Our Survivors’ Resiliency – $15,000
  • NMCOG: At Home in Greater Lowell: Regional Housing Strategy Plan – $15,000
  • One Can Help Inc.: Providing missing and urgently needed resources to at-risk and foster children in Lowell – $15,000
  • YWCA of Lowell: Restorative Justice Art Project – $10,000

2024 Discretionary Grant Recommendations Total: $237,230

“Good work happens every day in our community through the efforts of dedicated and talented staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations, and we are happy to support that work,” said Jennifer Aradhya, GLCF’s VP of Marketing, Programs and Strategy. “These grants are another example of GLCF addressing important needs in our community with the support of our community partners and generous donors.”

Applications are currently being accepted until June 20 through the Women Working Wonders Fund for programs/projects that impact the lives of women and girls while advancing an organization’s mission. 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 450 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of nearly $65 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 $40 million to the Greater Lowell community.

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CAPTION: Grant recipients gathered at GLCF’s Annual Meeting on June 11. More than $235,000 in competitive grants were awarded to 23 local nonprofits.