WORCESTER — The Greater Worcester Community Foundation has awarded $1.14 million in Facing Change: Sustainable Pathways grants to 15 community-based organizations in Worcester and surrounding areas, providing multiyear support to strengthen operational infrastructure, build long-term sustainability and position organizations to meet growing demand.
The three-year grants, ranging from $35,000 to $120,000, are tailored to each organization’s annual budget and stage of development. Most of the grantees are founder-led and volunteer-driven, and many have experienced rapid growth in recent years. These investments will help organizations align their internal capacity with that momentum, often by hiring staff, improving systems and developing diversified funding strategies.
“Facing Change: Sustainable Pathways is about meeting organizations at a pivotal moment,” said Pete Dunn, president and CEO of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. “These groups are doing vital work in our community, and many have outgrown their current infrastructure. This support gives them the tools and time to build a stronger foundation so they can sustain and expand their impact at a time of significant funding uncertainty.”
In addition to financial support, grantees will participate in a cohort experience offering peer learning, mentorship and opportunities to share best practices. The cohort model is designed to reduce isolation often experienced by small, founder-led organizations and to foster collaboration across the region.
Grantees are advancing a wide range of community-rooted work across Worcester and the region. For example, Project New Hope will receive $100,000 to support its work with veterans and their families; Community Health Awareness Network Grows Equity will receive $90,000 to support its work with African immigrant communities; and Adaptive Recovery Teaching Incorporated will receive $60,000 to support individuals and families affected by substance use, mental health challenges and trauma.
“This investment will help us stabilize our operations and strengthen our infrastructure to meet demand,” said Lovo Koliego, president and founder of CHANGE. “Through the Facing Change: Sustainable Pathways program, we hope to develop a diversified funding roadmap and vetted governance structure, ensuring CHANGE remains a resilient pillar of health equity in Worcester.”
The Sustainable Pathways grants are part of the foundation’s Facing Change initiative, a $3 million investment announced last year in response to growing financial pressures and shifting federal priorities impacting Worcester County’s nonprofit sector.
The $3 million commitment includes $2.5 million from the city of Worcester and $500,000 in additional support from the foundation’s Community Leadership Fund and other sources. These supplemental resources enabled three nonprofits outside Worcester to receive funding: Our Bright Future and The Wellstorm Inc. in Southbridge and Centro Celeste in Fitchburg.
Full list of grantees
• Centro Celeste — $35,000 — Founded in 2021, Centro Celeste is a Fitchburg-based grassroots nonprofit serving Latino families by fostering cultural connection, inclusion and access to community resources across Worcester County.
• The Village — $120,000 — Founded in 2020, The Village is an Afrocentric cultural center in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood advancing racial and social justice through learning, creativity, community and healing.
• Love Your Labels — $120,000 — Founded in 2018, Love Your Labels fosters social connection and identity development for LGBTQIA+ youth and community through programs like Threads, a multimonth sewing and fashion design initiative for youth.
• Project New Hope — $100,000 — Founded in 2010, Project New Hope is a military-affiliated resource hub that connects veterans, service members and their families to wellness resources.
• UHAI for Health — $90,000 — Founded in 2010, UHAI for Health serves African immigrants and refugees with culturally and linguistically appropriate prevention, intervention, education, advocacy and support services.
• Community Health Awareness Network Grows Equity — $90,000 — Founded in 2018, CHANGE supports African immigrant communities in Greater Worcester by addressing complex integration challenges and empowering individuals to navigate the health care system.
• 508 CHEERS — $80,000 — Founded in 2022, the group is a youth-led Worcester organization providing leadership workshops, advocacy training, community service initiatives and civic engagement opportunities.
• Refugees and Immigrants Cultural Empowerment Massachusetts — $80,000 — Founded in 2023, RICEMA is a performance arts and education organization that builds community and preserves culture among immigrants and refugees through cultural arts and learning.
• Her Way Home — $80,000 — Founded in 2025, Her Way Home is a survivor-led Worcester nonprofit supporting women healing from the violence of the sex trade, homelessness and substance use disorder.
• Adaptive Recovery Teaching Incorporated — $60,000 — Founded in 2020, A.R.T. Inc. is a Worcester-based grassroots nonprofit supporting individuals and families affected by substance use, mental health challenges and trauma through creative, peer-centered programming.
• Guardians of Tradition — $60,000 — Founded in 2019, Guardians of Tradition is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving cultural heritage and empowering underrepresented communities through arts, education and inclusive programming.
• El Salón — $60,000 — Founded in 2019, El Salón is a nonprofit artist collective creating inclusive spaces that empower Black, Indigenous and other artists of color to share skills, build community and create opportunities.
• Casita Cultural Latina — $60,000 — Founded in 2021, Casita Cultural Latina is a collective that hosts cultural and creative activities in inclusive, intergenerational spaces while elevating issues affecting Latino communities.
• Our Bright Future — $60,000 — Founded in 2016, Our Bright Future empowers youth through STEAM-based programming that builds skills, resilience and leadership through hands-on learning opportunities.
• The Wellstorm Inc. — $45,000 — Founded in 2021, The Wellstorm provides community-rooted support across Worcester County by increasing access to essential resources while centering dignity, equity and lived experience leadership.
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation serves central Massachusetts, employing its expertise and resources to address the region’s most urgent needs. Since 1975, it has worked in partnership with donors to build a $270 million endowment composed of more than 650 named charitable funds and award over $186 million in grants that have helped transform communities and build a strong and vibrant region. For more information on the foundation’s programs, the Facing Change initiative program and how to give, visit greaterworcester.org.
Original article
Comments