Dee & King Webster Fund for Greater Lawrence Grant

The Dee & King Webster Fund for Greater Lawrence, managed by the Essex County Community Foundation, supports educational opportunities for youth aged 0-8th grade in Greater Lawrence, Massachusetts. It aims to address achievement gaps by funding innovative programs that enhance skill development and social-emotional health. Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and focus on collaborative efforts with local schools. Grants of up to $40,000 are available, promoting access and equity in education for underserved communities.

NOTE: For the 2026 grant cycle the Fund will accept proposals to serve youth in grades PK–8. Grants of up to $40,000 may be split into two payments over a two-year grant period.
About ECCF
Essex County Community Foundation inspires philanthropy that strengthens the communities of Essex County by managing charitable assets, strengthening and supporting nonprofits, and engaging in strategic community leadership initiatives.
The Dee & King Webster Memorial Fund for Greater Lawrence works to address the opportunity and achievement gaps faced by thousands of youth across Greater Lawrence. The fund was created in honor of R. Kingman “King” Webster, a Lawrence businessman and philanthropist who passed away in 2015 and who believed in the power of access, opportunity, and education for all youth, especially those living in poverty, and how it can provide them with new paths to success and opportunities to reach their full potential.
The Dee & King Webster Fund for Greater Lawrence will support educational and out-of-school time opportunities for youth (ages 0-8th grade) in the Greater Lawrence communities of Lawrence, Methuen, and Andover. The Fund seeks to support organizations that:

• Respond to community needs with high quality programs for infants and youth in Greater Lawrence.
• Offer innovative, effective, and measurable solutions to impact youth in positive, sustainable, and empowering ways.

Provide young people with engaging and enriching opportunities inside and outside of school that promote skill development, social-emotional health, personal growth, and exposure to new experiences.
In addition, the Fund seeks to support collaborative programming with public and private schools that focus on closing the opportunity and achievement gaps faced by Greater Lawrence youth. Though not a requirement to apply, the Fund welcomes applications from organizations and programs that partner with one or more of the school systems of Lawrence, Methuen, and Andover to provide collaborative educational opportunities for youth. Partnerships may be with either one or multiple schools within the three systems.
Funding
Applicants may apply for a grant of up to $40,000, which may be split into two payments over a two-year grant period.

Eligibility

Applicants must have 501(c)(3) tax status under the IRS tax code and serve residents of the communities of Lawrence, Methuen, and Andover.Agencies located outside of this geographic area are eligible to apply for funding but must include in their proposals detail on the number of Greater Lawrence youth participating. It should also be noted that agencies that receive funds from the Dee & King Webster Memorial Fund for Greater Lawrence should reserve these funds for youth from the designated communities.Stand-alone programs applying through a fiscal agent may be eligible if they meet the following criteria:The fiscal agent provides the 501(c)3 status but not much more
The program has a separate budget and raises its own funds to cover this budget.If the program has only a small amount of administrative costs covered by the umbrella organization, they are still eligible to apply.
There is a letter of agreement/understanding between the program and the umbrella organizationECCF is committed to non-discrimination. We support organizations that use all reasonable efforts to recruit, hire, train, promote, and serve persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, except where such status is a bona fide qualification for the service being provided and is related to the organization’s mission.In addition to the funding priorities listed above, grant reviewers also look for the following:Clearly defined need
Potential impact of the proposed work on the population served
Quality of programming
Management staff with considerable administrative experience
Proposals that demonstrate the importance of equity and inclusion in organizational leadership, infrastructure, program design, and/or implementation

Ineligibility

Grants will not be awarded:To individuals
For sectarian or religious purposes.The Dee & King Webster Memorial Fund is limited to non-sectarian programming for youth of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. Programs sponsored by religious organizations are eligible, provided that enrollment is open to all youth and the program is free of mandatory religious instruction, worship, or other sectarian activities.
For debt or deficit reduction
For capital campaigns for buildings, land acquisition, or endowmentTo support academic research