Grant Guidelines
 The Essex County Community Foundation’s grant making illustrates how much can be accomplished through the investment of contributions from donor funds in the resourceful and skilled nonprofit organizations serving Essex County, Massachusetts.
ECCF has a number of different grant making funds which are described below. Each fund has specific requirements and deadlines for submitting applications. Please carefully review the Grant Guidelines for each fund which contains information about the fund, its restrictions and application procedures.
Have you received a grant from us and are ready to submit your final report? Click here to download the Grant Report Form.
Discretionary Fund
ECCF makes annual grants from income generated by our growing permanent discretionary endowment and gifts for current use. These grants are awarded to strengthen nonprofit organizations across the broad areas of Arts and Culture, Education, Environment, Health, Social and Community Services and Youth Services. ECCF awards Discretionary Grants for projects involving organizational capacity building.
Application Deadline: January 15, 2011
Grant Notification: April 15
Grant Range: $1,000 - $5,000
Geographic Limitations: Restricted to organizations with operating budgets of less than $750,000  located in and serving citizens of Essex County, Massachusetts.
Grant Guidelines: See Discretionary Fund Grant Guidelines.
Emergency Fund
The Essex County Community Foundation Emergency Fund offers limited assistance, on a one-time basis, to nonprofit organizations with a short-term need created by an unforeseen event such as a natural disaster. These selective grants for modest sums are based on critical need.
ECCF is not accepting proposals for Emergency Fund grants at this time. Please check back for updates.
Application Deadline: TBA
Grant Notification: TBA
Grant Range: Up to $5,000
Geographic Limitations: Limited to organizations located in Essex County, Massachusetts.
Grant Guidelines: See Emergency Fund Grant Guidelines.
F1rst Jobs Fund
F1rst Jobs is a collaborative program with the North Shore Workforce Investment Board (WIB). F1rst Jobs provides summer employment for teens, ages 14-24, in nineteen North Shore communities. The program connects teens in need of summer employment and work experience with local businesses and nonprofits in need of summer help. Nonprofits apply for funding to hire teens for the summer.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2011
Grant Notification: June 15, 2011
Geographic Limitations: F1rst Jobs serves teens from 19 North Shore communities including Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Ipswich, Gloucester, Hamilton, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester-by -the-Sea, Marblehead, Middleton, Nahant, Peabody, Rockport, Salem, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield and Wenham.
Grant Guidelines: See F1rst Jobs Grant Guidelines.
Greater Lawrence Summer Fund
Since 1990 the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund (GLSF) has provided a collaborative process for donors seeking to support enriching summer opportunities for inner-city youth and agencies in need of funds for their programs. Originally administered by the Stevens Foundation, ECCF became the GLSF's administrator in 2001. The Fund supports high quality innovative programs which keep young people in Greater Lawrence active and engaged during the summer.
Application Deadline: Postmarked by March 1, 2011
Grant Notification: May 15, 2011
Geographic Limitations: This Fund supports summer programs which serve inner-city school-age youth in Lawrence, Methuen, Andover and North Andover.
Grant Guidelines: See Greater Lawrence Summer Fund Grant Guidelines.
Hardscrabble Education Fund
The Hardscrabble Fund promotes and supports academic achievement in the pre-collegiate, regulated, public school systems by issuing grants to individual public schools or districts primarily in the fields of English, Mathematics and Science.
Application Deadline: Postmarked by April 15, 2011
Grant Notification: May 30, 2011
Grant Range: $500 - $5,000
Geographic Limitations: The Fund supports projects that will benefit students in the Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant, Salem and Swampscott public school districts.
Grant Guidelines: See Hardscrabble Education Fund Grant Guidelines.
Merrimack Valley General Fund
The Merrimack Valley General Fund (MVGF) was established when the Merrimack Valley Community Foundation merged with ECCF in 2004. At that time the unrestricted or discretionary funds of the MVCF were transferred to ECCF.
The MVGF supports agencies serving Eastern Merrimack Valley communities in all fields of interest including Arts and Culture, Education, Social and Community Services, and Youth Service.
There are two cycles per year. Each cycle supports different programming:
Fall cycle- Projects supporting Arts and Culture or Social and Community Service
Spring cycle – Projects supporting Youth Development or Education
Application Deadline: Postmarked by:
October 1, 2010 for Fall cycle
April 1, 2011 for Spring cycle
Grant Notification: December 31, 2010 -Fall cycle. June 30, 2011 -spring cycle
Grant Range: $1,000 - $5,000
Geographic Limitations: The MVGF provides grants to nonprofit organizations serving the Massachusetts (Eastern) Merrimack Valley communities of: Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Andover, North Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, W. Newbury, Merrimac, Amesbury, Newburyport, Newbury and Salisbury.
Grant Guidelines: See MVGF Grant Guidelines.
Webster Family Fund
The Webster Family Fund was created when the D. K. Webster Family Foundation transferred its assets into a fund at ECCF. The Fund provides one-year grants to support capital projects and emergency capital projects. Preference is given to organizations that provide youth development, health care, and arts & culture programming or services.
Application Deadline: Postmarked by September 1, 2010
Grant Notification: December 15, 2010
Grant Range: $3,000 - $15,000
Geographic Limitations: Nonprofit organizations serving Lawrence, Methuen, Andover and North Andover.
Grant Guidelines: See Webster Family Fund Grant Guidelines.
The Women's Fund of Essex County
The Women's Fund is dedicated to increasing resources, expanding opportunities and promoting positive change for women and girls in Essex County. The Women’s Fund supports programs for women and girls that promote leadership and empowerment, economic self sufficiency and security, and Hhealth and well-being.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2010
Grant Notification: March 1, 2011
Grant Range: $1,000 - $5,000 (for up to 3 years)
Geographic Limitations: Limited to nonprofit organizations located in Essex County, Massachusetts
Grant Guidelines: See Women's Fund Grant Guidelines.
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