EBCF: CITC Grants

EBCF: CITC Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Eastern Bank Foundation
Amount: Up to US $15,000
Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Summary

The Eastern Bank Foundation's CITC Grants support community development organizations with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation, focusing on addressing local needs in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Committed to philanthropy, the foundation listens to community members to ensure donations are impactful. Eligible organizations must be registered and have received CITC credits, while private foundations are excluded from consideration. This initiative exemplifies the foundation's dedication to investing in the well-being of the communities it serves.

Overview

Investing in Our Communities A hallmark of our philanthropy is the hundreds of community donations we make each year supporting local needs and events important to our neighbors across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Our commitment as a good corporate citizen starts with listening to community members. CITC Grants Support for registered Community Development organizations, which hold a 501(c)(3) IRS designation and seek to participate in the CITC program.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible for consideration in this program, your organization must be a community development corporation, be registered to participate, and have received an allocation for CITC credits

Ineligibility

Private Foundations and 501(c)(3) organizations with IRS sub-designation of 509(a)(3) are not eligible for donations or grants from the Eastern Bank Foundation.

Application Details

HOW TO APPLY GUIDE
G
UIDELINES TO APPLY FOR A GRANT or DONATION
FROM EASTERN BANK FOUNDATION
Eastern Bank Foundation (EBF) is committed to helping our neighbors and communities
prosper. Each year, we invest over $13 million to more than 1,200 local organizations
providing vital services across Eastern Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and
Rhode Island. The following pages provide extensive details on how to apply for a grant
or donation from us. We offer this document to help in answering the frequently asked
questions encountered while completing an application.
If you have additional questions or suggestions, please reach out to us at
foundation@easternbank.com. We would be happy to assist you.
EBF provides four types of donation/grant opportunities:
Community Donation: Supports not-for-profit organizations (with IRS 501(c)(3)
designation - Private Foundations and 501(c)(3) organizations with IRS sub-
designation of 509(a)(3) are not eligible for donations or grants from the Eastern
Bank Foundation.) across a wide variety of community needs and includes program
support and/or event sponsorship. If you are making application for an event
sponsorship, you must apply at least 60 days prior to your first deadline. If you apply,
after your event has happened, your request will be denied. Donation sizes generally
range from $100 to $10,000. The average donation size is approximately $3,000 to
$4,000.
Neighborhood Donation: Supports an organization for its charitable purpose even if the
organization is not a 501(c)(3) public charity, as recognized by the IRS. This support can
include program support and/or event sponsorship. Donation sizes generally range from
$100 to $1,000.
Impact Grant: Supports 501(c)(3) (Private Foundations and 501(c)(3) organizations
with IRS sub-designation of 509(a)(3) are not eligible for donations or grants from
the Eastern Bank Foundation.) not-for-profit organizations that support individuals and
families with Low to Moderate Income (LMI) and have a direct and substantial connection
to driving positive change in one of EBF’s five Impact Areas:
o Advancing equity in the small business ecosystem
o Enriching early childhood development
o Providing safe and affordable housing
o Promoting workforce development that equips adults (26+) with skills they
need to obtain family-sustaining wages
▪ This area is not focused on initiatives aimed at people in grades K-16.
o Innovating (i.e., testing new methods, approaches or tools) to advance economic
mobility and inclusion
Impact Grant sizes generally range from $50,000 to $100,000, and sometimes more.
Unlike the other grant types, Impact Grants have a two-step process.
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Step 1: All requests for Impact Grants begin with submission of a Letter of Inquiry
through our online portal.
Step 2: If determined to be in line with our funding priorities, your organization
may be invited to complete an Impact Grant Application for further consideration.
CITC Grant: To be eligible for consideration in this program, your organization must be a
501(c)(3) community development corporation, be registered to participate, and have
received an allocation for CITC credits. You will need to include your Community
Investment Plan (CIP) Executive Summary as required by the MACDC with your
application. We will consider applications up to $15,000 for the CITC program, but the
vast majority of the awards are $10,000 or less.
With the exception of the Neighborhood Donations grant category, Private
Foundations and 501(c)(3) organizations with IRS sub-designation of 509(a)(3) are
not eligible for donations or grants from the Eastern Bank Foundation.
We invite applicants to submit a request at any time. All requests will be reviewed
on a rolling basis throughout the year. You can expect a decision from us within 60
days of your submitted application for Community Donations, Neighborhood
Donations, and CITC Grants. For Impact Grants, you can generally expect a
decision from us within 90 days of your final application. If a print ad is requested
as part of your application, please be sure to submit your application at least 60
days ahead of your earliest print deadline.
Should you have questions on the application process or the appropriate category for your
request, please do not hesitate to contact us at foundation@easternbank.com.
Required Application Details:
Basic Information
Provide your Federal Tax ID, key contact information, and nondiscrimination certification.
• Federal Tax ID: Provide the organization’s Federal Tax Identification Number, or, if the
organization is using a fiscal agent, the fiscal agent’s Federal Tax Identification Number.
• Key Contact Information: Provide the organization’s key contact information, including a
Primary and Secondary Contact.
• Organization or Contact Information Changes: Please review the organization's address
and contacts listed on the account. If the organization’s or contacts’ information has changed,
use the space provided to update us.
• Non-discrimination Policy: In accepting a donation from EBF, this non-discrimination policy
extends to each applicant in the admission, participation in, or receipt of services and/or
benefits under any of its programs and activities, whether carried out by the applicant directly
or through a third party, contracted or otherwise, through which the organization performs its
services.
• Is the organization an Eastern Bank customer? Being a customer will not affect the
committee’s decision, but it does help us in getting supporting information from an Eastern
colleague who may know about your organization.
• Eastern Bank Contact: Provide the name(s) of colleague(s) currently at Eastern Bank
(employee, member of our governance, or customer), who is very familiar with your
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organization. This person can help provide the grant committee with additional information
about your work.
• Eastern Bank Involvement: Provide us with additional information if an Eastern Bank
employee is involved on your board or volunteers with your organization.
Fiscal & Financial Information
Share the most current financial information available, including any fiscal arrangements, your
organization’s IRS determination letter, and information about budget, expenses & assets.
• Letter of Determination: All 501(c)(3) organizations have a Determination Letter from the IRS
confirming their authorization as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity. You will be asked to upload a
copy of your Determination Letter. If your organization has a Fiscal Agent, upload the letter
that names the Fiscal Agent.
• Group Exemption: A ruling or determination issued under section 501(c)(3) to a central
organization recognizing a group of closely coordinated subordinate chapters, locals, posts, or
units. If your organization participates in a Group Exemption, you will be asked to upload a
Group Exemption letter.
• Fiscal Agent: A nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that acts as a sponsor for a project or
group that is performing charitable activities but does not have its own tax-exempt status. If
you have a fiscal agent, you will be asked to upload the fiscal agent’s Federal Tax ID Number
and a letter of agreement between both parties. This agreement must be signed and dated by
both the fiscal agent and the beneficiary organization. This agreement should be current and
either be specific to this donation or provide general support for all donations. O Donations or
contributions are made to the fiscal agent, which is responsible for managing the funds.
• Organization Budget: If requested, provide the annual overall organization budget amount for
the current year. You may be asked to upload a line-item Revenue and Expenses budget.
• Organization Assets: If requested, provide a sheet listing the organization’s assets. An
example would be a copy of your organization’s balance sheet.
Organization Description
Provide a brief history of your organization, your mission statement, and your primary focus.
• History: Provide a brief description of the history of your organization.
• Mission Statement: Provide a brief description of the mission of your organization. This field
can be prefilled by data provided through Candid. If it is prefilled, please review that the
information is current and accurate.
• Organization Primary Focus: You are provided a list of categories to choose from to specify
your organization’s primary area of focus. The options provided are intentionally broad. We
ask that you do your best to select from one of the choices provided. Only pick “Other” if
your organization absolutely does not fit within the areas provided.
• Organization Primary Focus, Other: A blank space is provided on the application for this
selection. This space should only be used if you have reviewed the list provided and selected
“Other.” Do not use this space to make additional comments.
• Significant Work: If requested, what would you say is (potentially) most powerful, effective, or
innovative about your work and the efforts that you have proposed to the Foundation?
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• Long-Term Success: If requested, when you are most successful, how will the economic
well-being of members of your community be improved?
• Board List: Upload a list of all current Board Members and indicate the Chair.
Diversity and Inclusion
To enhance our understanding of how EBF donations support our varied communities within Eastern’s
region, we are asking for information on the demographics of the populations you are serving, your
board, as well as the composition of your board and leadership.
• Organization Primary Audience: You are provided a list of categories to choose the option
that best describes your organization’s primary audience other than the one selected in the
Primary Focus. “None of the Above” should only be used in rare circumstances where none of
the categories apply at all.
• Organization Primary Population by Race/Ethnicity: Choose the option that BEST
describes your organization’s primary population served by race and ethnicity. This describes
the population of the greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year.
• Organization Secondary Population by Race/Ethnicity: Choose the NEXT HIGHEST
VOLUME for secondary population by race and ethnicity that BEST describes who your
organization is primarily serving. This describes the population of the greatest number served
in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
• Organization Primary Population by Age Group: Choose the option that BEST describes
your organization’s primary population served by age group. This describes the population of
the greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
• Organization Primary Population by Gender: Choose the option that BEST describes your
organization’s primary population served by gender. This describes the population of the
greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
Definitions:
• Cisgender women (ie women who are not transgender)
• Cisgender men (ie men who are not transgender)
• Transgender and gender diverse people (this includes transgender men,
transgender women, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people)
• None of the above (such as environmental or wildlife)
“N/A” should only be used in rare circumstances where none of the categories apply at all.
For example, use N/A if the primary population you serve is animals/wildlife or the
environment. Choosing N/A may result in your application being returned. If you have a
question, please contact us at foundation@easternbank.com.
Diversity of the Organization’s Board and Leadership
• Board Gender: Provide the # of Female, Male, and Other
• Board LGBTQ: Provide the # of Board and Staff that openly identify as LGBTQ.
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• Board Race/Ethnicity: Provide the # appropriate for each category provided
o The totals for Gender and Race should equal.
• Most Senior Leader Gender, LGBTQ, and Race/Ethnicity: The Most Senior Leader should
be the person with the highest role within your organization.
Volunteer and Board Opportunities: Let us know by answering Yes or No if your organization
offers any volunteer opportunities or has current board opportunities that may be filled by an
Eastern employee.
These answers are required to complete the application; however, we understand that not all the
information we are requesting is collected or disclosed. Please do not make assumptions but
provide what #’s and answers are available.
Request Information
In this section, please provide us with specific information about your REQUEST and the
population you will serve.
• Describe Request: Provide a brief summary of the request in one sentence or phrase.
Example: Homelessness Prevention Program, After-school Mentoring Program, Walk-a-thon,
14th Annual Golf Tournament, 2nd Annual Awards Luncheon
• Request: Provide a more detailed and clear description of your request in a few short
paragraphs.
• Amount Requested: Donation sizes generally range from $100 to $10,000 for the vast
majority of our grants. The average donation size ranges between $3,000 and $4,000. Impact
Grants are usually between $50,000-$100,000 and can be larger.
• Geographic Area: Select from the list provided the region that is most relevant to this
donation. If you serve in regions or regionally, please provide the area that will be most
supported by this donation.
• Geographic Impact: Provide a list of communities that would be impacted by this donation.
Example: Brockton, Lynn, Salem, Peabody, Southern NH
• Gateway City: Complete this section if this donation would serve a Gateway City and indicate
what city(ies). Gateway Cities include: Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee,
Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden,
Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton,
Westfield, and Worcester; as well as Providence, RI, Nashua, and Portsmouth, NH.
• Impact: Provide the # of people that would be directly impacted by this donation.
• Request Primary Focus: Choose from the list of categories provided to specify your request’s
primary area of focus. The options provided are intentionally broad. We ask that you try your
best to select from one of the choices provided. Only pick “Other” if your organization
absolutely does not fit within the areas provided.
• Strategy Area: If requested, please provide the strategy(ies) related to your area of focus.
• Request Type: If requested, indicate what type of support you are requesting:
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o Capital/Construction/Facilities Support
o General Operating Support
o Program Support
o Other
• Request Primary Focus, Other: A blank space is provided on the application. This space
should only be used if you have reviewed the list provided and selected “Other.” Do not use
this space to make additional comments.
• Additional Support: If requested, in addition to the grant funding you are requesting, are
there other ways that the Foundation can help your organization meet its mission?
• Request Primary Audience: You are provided a list of categories to choose the option that
best describes your organization’s primary audience other than the one selected in the Primary
Focus. “None of the Above” should only be used in rare circumstances where none of the
categories apply at all.
• Request Primary Population by Race/Ethnicity: Choose the option that BEST describes
your organization’s primary population served by race and ethnicity. This describes the
population of the greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
• Request Secondary Population by Race/Ethnicity: Choose the NEXT HIGHEST VOLUME
for secondary population by race and ethnicity that BEST describes who will be primarily
served by this request. This describes the population of the greatest number served in a
‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
• Request Population by Age Group: Choose the primary population by age group that BEST
describes who will be primarily served by this request. This describes the population of the
greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
• Request Population by Gender: Choose the primary population served by gender that BEST
describes who will be primarily served by this request. This describes the population of the
greatest number served in a ‘typical’ year with greatest frequency.
“N/A” should only be used in rare circumstances where none of the categories apply at all.
For example, use N/A if the primary population you serve is animals/wildlife or the
environment. Choosing N/A may result in your application being returned. If you have a
question, please contact us at foundation@easternbank.com.
• Low to Moderate Income (LMI) Population: The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was
created to encourage activities in all parts of a community where a bank operates, including
supporting LMI neighborhoods. Low- and Moderate-Income describes the income level of the
residents of a specific area in relation to the Area Median Income. If the income earned by an
individual or family is less than 80% of the Area Median Income, Eastern Bank Foundation
considers them to be Low to Moderate Income.
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Event Sponsorship Particulars
If this request is for an event (e.g., Gala, Dinner, Luncheon, Breakfast, etc.), please be sure to
apply at least 60 days ahead of the event. Failure to do so may result in your request being
denied.
You will be asked to provide the following information as it relates to your event:
Name of Event
Date of Event
Time
Location
Honoree(s)
Are any of the honorees related to Eastern?
Number of Eastern Bank Attendees
Sponsorship Information (listing of all sponsorship opportunities available and associated
benefits with each level)
Ad Information
Is an ad part of the sponsorship request?
Due Date for Ad
W-9 Form
For payment processing, we need a completed W-9 Form from your organization. The form must
be signed and dated within the last two years. We cannot process a payment without accurate
and complete information. If your organization is using a fiscal agent, please provide the W-9
Form of the fiscal agent.
Should you have questions on the application process or the appropriate category for your request,
please do not hesitate to contact us at foundation@easternbank.com.
Click here to apply
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2024 HOW TO APPLY Guide to Eastern Bank Foundation Applications