Workforce Development Grant Program

Geographic Scope: Metro Boston communities within Route 128

Annual Grant Volume: Foundation expects to make 20-30 grants per year

Eligibility Requirements

• Organizations must be designated as tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code
• Must be classified as "not a private foundation" under Section 509(a) of the Code
• One application per organization per calendar year
• Organizations denied in previous year must wait one full year before reapplication

What the Foundation Looks For

• Effective and inspired leadership
• Clearly presented organization mission, goals, plans and financials
• Evidence of strong record of accomplishments related to the request
• Committed board of directors with 100% making a financial contribution (emphasis on participation, not dollar amount)
• Strong volunteer participation
• Community buy-in through donations, volunteer engagement, partnerships and collaborative efforts
• Solid effort to engage community/participants in program development
• On-going evaluation efforts of organizational and program effectiveness
• Growing understanding of chosen field with awareness of organizational peers and future potential impacts

Types of Support

• Primary focus: Programs providing direct services
• General operating support considered only when aligned with foundation's mission
• Occasional multi-year grants at foundation's discretion (not solicited)

Organizational and Program Size Considerations

Foundation prioritizes organizations where a small grant makes meaningful contribution. Example: $10,000 toward $150,000 program budget or from organizations with $1 million annual budget ranked higher priority than requests from large organizations with strong fundraising capacity.

What the Foundation Does NOT Support

• Individuals
• National organizations
• Capital campaigns, endowments or fundraising activities
• Conferences
• Websites
• Research
• Municipal, state or federal agencies
• Religious instruction or worship services
• Health programs
• Community organizing/public policy advocacy
• Grants to replace government funding
• Private schools, parochial schools, public schools (including pilot and charter schools)
• School-based programs, tutoring programs or college access programs
• Treatment and recovery programs
• Summer camps or short-term/seasonal programs for children and youth
• Criminal justice or re-entry programs
• Family stabilization or crisis intervention programs
• Mentoring, case management, social services

Reporting Requirements

• All organizations must include detailed, written progress reports with each subsequent application
• Reapplicants must submit interim progress report with funding requests

How to Apply

1. Submit application online - All applicants must submit applications on-line
   • Click on the Online Application link on the foundation website
2. Refer to the Online Application System Guide when submitting your proposal
3. If reapplying: Submit an interim progress report with all requests for funding

Proposal Tips for Competitive Applications

• Cut to the chase - Use short statements about targeted objectives rather than long narratives
• Focus on results - Highlight measures of success (outcomes, accomplishments, achievements) for the coming year
• Identify key indicators - Ideally, measures of success should be measurable (process/output metrics like number of clients served, outcome metrics like number of clients hired)
• Break it down - Use numbers to break down indicators by program or subcategories; analyze by race, gender, age or other demographic variables
• Go beyond client service statistics - Include management measures tracking organizational progress (fundraising, staffing, volunteer metrics, etc.)
• Highlight strategic and tactical priorities - Identify organizational and programmatic improvements planned for the coming year