Competitive Grant Programs: Open Door Grants

The Cape Cod Foundation's 2025 Open Door Grants aim to enhance community impact by supporting organizations in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. These competitive grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, are designed for first-time applicants or those who haven't received specific grants in the past five years. By focusing on fewer, larger grants, the Foundation seeks to empower smaller organizations and respond to emerging community needs, ensuring that all applicants can contribute to the region's philanthropic landscape.

The Cape Cod Foundation
The Cape Cod Foundation was established in 1989 to improve community life on Cape Cod through philanthropy and grantmaking.
Since inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $113 million in grants and scholarships throughout the community. Our grantmaking process promotes the advancement and sustainability of our community’s resources and supports the organizations that make a true impact in our community.
We use these funds to create grant opportunities (sometimes called “discretionary grants”) to respond to the existing and emerging needs of the community. Each year’s grant offerings are based on these needs, and the availability of funds, which can vary in any given year.
The Cape Cod Foundation’s grant programs are highly competitive; our goal is to strengthen nonprofits and build organizational capacity. The Open Door Grants were created to ensure we remain accessible to organizations with smaller needs and to introduce us to newer or less-funded groups that enrich our community. These organizations may later become eligible for larger or multi-year grants.
Requests
Organizations must have an annual operating budget of at least $25,000. Grant awards will equal 20% of the organizations operating budget, up to a maximum award amount of $10,000.