Can I apply to more than one grant area?
Yes and no.
Your organization may apply for funding from only one of the following focus areas: Arts and Culture, Environment, or Family Support. Your organization may be eligible to receive additional funding from a Town Fund. Youth Development grants are by invitation only. For specific questions, contact us to schedule a time to speak with a member of the Foundation’s Program Team.
Can I apply for general operating support?
Yes. Proposals may be submitted for general operating support, for new or existing programming support, or for capacity building. The Foundation does not provide event sponsorships.
Can I apply for capital support?
We will consider proposals only for specific capital projects. We do not provide grants for capital campaigns.
Can I apply for emergency assistance?
We do not provide grants for emergency assistance, nor do we award grants to individuals in crisis. If you are an eligible organization that serves families and/or individuals in crisis, you may be eligible to receive support through our MetroWest Fund for Families or the MetroWest Hunger Relief Fund. See
About Grants for more details.
Do you provide multiple-year grants?
At this time, the Foundation does not provide multi-year grants. Organizations that complete their projects and expend all funding are eligible to apply for funding on an annual basis.
Can I apply for funding with another nonprofit?
Yes! We love collaborations. Combining resources and expertise to have an even greater impact on our communities can be great when done well. We encourage two or more eligible organizations to submit a joint proposal if they’ve come up with a great idea. We just ask that the proposal clearly indicates the primary organization and a clear division of responsibilities of each organization.
How do you define MetroWest?
We define MetroWest as the following 33 cities and towns: Acton, Ashland, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Harvard, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Walpole, Waltham, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough, Weston, and Westwood.
How do I submit a proposal to a Donor Advised Fund?
Most funds at the Foundation do not currently accept formal proposals. If you’d like to share your work with our fundholders, we encourage you to provide us with a 1-2 page document that provides a brief organization overview and details of any funding priorities. Having this on file allows us to share your information with fundholders when they seek our guidance and expertise. Please email your overview to
Caroline Murphy.