Sailors' Snug Harbor of Boston: Special Three-Year Funding Initiative Grant

Sailors' Snug Harbor of Boston has launched a Special Three-Year Funding Initiative aimed at enhancing social services for fishermen, their families, and low-income elders in Massachusetts' coastal communities. Grants up to $50,000 per year will be awarded to 501(c)(3) organizations to support innovative program approaches. The initiative prioritizes programs addressing the direct impacts of changes in the fishing industry and aims to prevent homelessness, ensuring vulnerable populations receive the necessary support.

NOTE: Organizations serving low-income elders in the city of Boston may apply upon invitation only.
Background
Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston began its formal grantmaking program with a focus on assisting seamen and their families. In 1970, the trustees voted to extend eligibility for grants to agencies that serve low-income elderly men and women in the Greater Boston area. From 1994 to 2015, the foundation also addressed issues facing Massachusetts’ fishing communities, with a particular focus on those in New Bedford, Gloucester, and on Cape Cod, through a special funding initiative undertaken in collaboration with the Island Foundation.
In June 2016, the trustees voted to consolidate these two funding streams into a single grantmaking program that addresses the social service needs of fishermen, their families, and low-income elders residing in coastal communities of Massachusetts, maintaining its focus on Gloucester, New Bedford, and Cape Cod.
The trustees recognize that nonprofit organizations are rich in ideas, but often lack flexible resources to explore possible new program directions or reach new clientele. To that end, the foundation has launched a new three-year grant program to help nonprofit partners develop and implement new approaches in their provision of social services. Grants up to $50,000 a year for up to three years will be awarded through this special initiative. Applicants are welcome to apply for both annual funding and for the more competitive three-year program.
Overview and Goals
The foundation’s grantmaking will focus on the social service needs of fishermen, their families, and low-income elders in coastal communities of Massachusetts, with a particular preference to support programs for those residing in the traditional fishing communities of Gloucester, New Bedford, and Cape Cod.
The trustees are interested in making grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that are presently providing such services, as well as to agencies seeking to expand or develop new programs to serve the particular needs of these populations and communities.

Eligibility

Grants are made only to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston supports nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working to address the social service needs of fishermen, their families, and low-income older people living in coastal communities of Massachusetts, with a particular focus on Gloucester, New Bedford, and Cape Cod. Types of grants to nonprofits include support for general operating, program support, seed money/start-up, and special projects. Grants are very occasionally made for capital support, and challenge or matching grants are made on rare occasion.

Ineligibility

No grants are made directly to individuals.The foundation does not support conferences/seminars, debt reduction/cash reserves, endowment, or publications/ films/videos.