Nonprofit Grant Applications Open Through August 21

The City of Cambridge, through its Community Benefits Advisory Committee, is pleased to announce the opening of a competitive round of grant funding. The Committee recognizes that the significant challenges facing Cambridge residents are also placing greater pressure on local nonprofit organizations. This funding is intended to address critical needs of Cambridge residents by supporting community-based nonprofit organizations that are well-positioned to respond.

Funding Overview

• Total funding available: Up to $1 million
• Grant amounts: $10,000 to $25,000 per grant
• Grant use: Projects, programs, or services that address the needs of underserved Cambridge residents, including related operating or capital expenses

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, an organization must:

• Serve Cambridge residents.
• Address at least one need identified in the Citywide Needs Assessment.
• Be a nonprofit organization (which may have 501(c)3 status or otherwise an established nonprofit recognized by the Commonwealth of MA).
• Be able to use the funds within 12 months.

Application and Timeline

• Application opens: July 21, 2026
• Application submission deadline: August 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.
• Link to online application: CBAC 2026 Grant Application

Please submit your application through this link by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026. For reference, you may download a copy of the application. If you have any questions, please contact communitybenefits@cambridgema.gov.

Review Process

• Applications will be reviewed for eligibility; questions will be sent to the applicant for their response.
• Eligible applications will be evaluated to determine the extent to which the applicant’s proposal will use funding to:
  
  • Address a significant or urgent need.
  • Meet the needs of underserved residents.
  • Achieve the outcomes described in the application.
• With respect to the focus of funding, budget size, need(s) being addressed, neighborhood(s) and resident populations served, the Committee will strive to fund a range of entities.
• Funding decisions are expected to be announced by mid-October.

Grant Agreements

A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is awarded a grant will enter into an agreement with the City of Cambridge. Here’s a link to a sample agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and how will funds be distributed?

• The first disbursement (60%) will be released after the organization executes a grant agreement with the City. The remaining funds will be released after the organization submits a brief report and a final invoice.

What reporting will be required of selected grantees?

• With the final invoice, grantees must submit a brief report that describes:
  • What funds were spent on, noting any variation from the original proposal.
  • What was accomplished, including any outcomes that were different than expected.
  • What challenges were encountered, if any.
  • What helped the organization achieve its goals.
  • A specific story of how the grant made the intended impact or advanced the organization’s mission.

When might the City hold another round of funding?

• Later this year, the Community Benefits Advisory Committee (CBAC) plans to develop and launch a separate round of strategic funding, which may include:
  • A more targeted approach informed by CBAC’s learnings from previous funding rounds.
  • Larger award amounts (resulting in fewer overall grants awarded).
  • Multi-year funding and potential for renewal.
• Recipients of the current round of funding will be eligible to apply for the next round.

More about the Community Benefits Advisory Committee

Since 2017, CBAC has worked with the goal of addressing the complex needs of Cambridge residents that are low-income, specifically families with a single parent or guardian. The Committee has overseen grant funding to support collaborations among nonprofit organizations that serve those families.

In 2025, the Committee issued an Executive Summary to document important learnings, meaningful outcomes, and recommendations from previous rounds of grant funding. For more information, please visit the CBAC webpage.