Regional Program Grants Announced

Getting a Facelift

The Robbins House in Concord (circa 1830) was built and inhabited by the descendants of Revolutionary War veteran and former Concord slavery survivor Caesar Robbins. Saved from demolition, the house was recently returned close to its original site across from The North Bridge and Old Manse where renovation is underway. A December 2011 grant to the Drinking Gourd Project will support interior restoration of the property and preliminary exhibit design. The facility will reopen as The Robbins House Interpretive Center.

Twenty-seven local nonprofit agencies were awarded more than $265,000 in grant support in December  through the Foundation’s final Regional Program funding cycle. Lots of impressive work being done in our area. Congratulations to all!

——————————————————————————————————————————— 

Acton-Boxborough Coalition for Healthy Youth, Acton, MA / $5,000
For strategic planning for this new alliance of youth agencies.

A Place to Turn, Natick, MA / $5,200
A second year of support for the Eat Healthy program, which enables this food pantry to provide fresh produce to clients on a weekly basis.

Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA / $10,000
To pilot a series of programs and trainings to nurture new environmental stewards along the Metrowest section of the Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest, Worcester, MA / $10,000
To support youth mentoring services in Metrowest.

Boys & Girls Club of Assabet Valley, Maynard, MA / $25,000
To support the agency’s Beyond the Bell after-school programming.

Center for Parents and Teachers, Concord, MA / $5,000
To plan and host parent education workshops during the 2011-12 academic year.

Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA / $15,000
To support the Teen Docent program, which provides high school students with experiential learning in art, leadership and artistic professions.

Drinking Gourd Project,  Concord, MA / $10,000
To restore and interpret the Robbins House, the early 1800s home of one of Concord’s earliest African-American families and to present the stories of slavery-to-freedom-to-homeownership.

Foundation for MetroWest, Natick, MA / $3,000
To fund three Insight Tours to educate local donors about funding opportunities at area nonprofits.

Friends of Resiliency for Life, Framingham, MA / $15,000
To pilot the part-time position of Graduate Support Coordinator, who will track program graduates and support them as they transition to college or the workforce.

Golden Tones, Natick, MA / $7,500
To support a grantwriting consultation for this senior citizens chorus as a means of diversifying funding sources.

Indian Hill Music Center, Littleton, MA / $12,000
To support the development of a new website as part of an updated communications strategy.

Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, Framingham, MA / $20,000
To support the Reducing Achievement Gaps program at the Wilson Elementary School in Framingham.

John Andrew Mazie Memorial Foundation, Wayland, MA / $10,000
To support the Mazie Mentoring Program for at-risk students at Framingham High School.

Kids Connect, Natick, MA / $5,000
To support after-school tutoring.

Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce (formerly Metro South/West Regional Employment Board), Marlboro, MA / $17,000
To support the Future Skills Institute which provides job readiness training and placement services to low-income 16-24 year old young adults in the Framingham area.

MetroWest Mediation Services, Framingham, MA / $10,000
To support free mediation services to parties in small claims, minor criminal and housing/eviction cases in the Framingham, Marlborough, Natick and Concord district courts.

Metrowest Nonprofit Network, Framingham, MA $2,500
To host a fundraising workshop for area nonprofit staff.

Metrowest YMCA, Framingham, MA / $26,000
To support the High Flight Program, the YMCA’s outdoor, adventure-based counseling program for at-risk youth ages 12-17.

Organization for the Assabet, Concord & Sudbury Rivers, Concord, MA / $12,000
A second year of support for a project to increase community stewardship of the Sudbury and Concord rivers.

Sudbury Valley Trustees, Sudbury, MA / $25,000
To support the agency’s effort to obtain accreditation certification through the Land Trust Alliance.

Thoreau Farm Trust, Concord MA / $5,000
In support of a project to enhance the visitor experience at Thoreau’s Birthplace through audio and video programming.

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, Framingham, MA / $10,000
For a consultation to develop a micro-enterprise that will provide supervised employment opportunities for the at-risk young adult population at Wayside’s TEMPO Young Adult Resource Center.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

This marks the close of our Regional Grant Program. Beginning in 2012, the Foundation will direct local funding (in the 10 towns contiguous to Sudbury) to agencies serving Children, Youth and Families.