The Cape and Islands United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities to advance the common good on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Cape and Islands United Way Inc. channels most of its grantmaking into local organizations serving Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, with a strong pattern of support for housing stability, food access, emergency shelter, and services for children and families. Its recent awards include $40,000 to Housing Assistance Corporation Inc for emergency financial assistance and $37,500 to Homeless Prevention Council for counseling, showing a direct-service approach to urgent community needs. The foundation also backs child- and youth-serving work, including school-based mentoring, early education, and infant support, alongside mental health and caregiver-oriented services. The grant list shows repeated support for the same local partners across multiple years, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. Independent houses of support for people facing homelessness appear more than once, and family-serving groups such as A Baby Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & Islands, and Cape Cod Children’s Place also recur in the recent record. The foundation’s focus areas span housing, health, education, economic stability, basic needs, women and children, and volunteerism/civic engagement, but the actual awards are consistently tied to nearby nonprofit programs working on practical community needs.
Housing and homelessness services are a clear priority. Cape and Islands United Way Inc. gave $25,000 to Independence House for emergency shelter with resources and another $25,000 to Harbor Homes of Mv for an SRO home with case management for adults who are homeless. Food security and household basics also appear throughout the recent grants. The foundation awarded $31,000 to Lower Cape Outreach for feeding families and $30,000 to Family Pantry to operate its main pantry in Harwich and provide food support. In youth and early childhood work, it supported school-based mentoring and developmental services. One grant provided $27,500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & Islands for school-based mentoring, while another gave $20,000 to Cape Cod Children’s Place for integrated early education for children with developmental delays, disabilities, and learning disorders. Mental health and caregiver support are part of the mix as well. Behavioral Health Innovators received $25,000 for teen counseling, and Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod received $25,000 for support groups for Alzheimer’s/dementia.
$534K
$1.1M
$1.3M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
J RICHARD FAIRBANKS
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Typical grant size sits at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $24,600 at the 75th percentile, which indicates a center of gravity in the mid-teens to mid-twenties. The recent record also shows repeat support across years for several local partners, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation operates as a regular funder, and its active programs include both unsolicited opportunities and a two-step LOI process for Community Impact grants. Program support, direct service delivery, and emergency assistance all appear in the grant descriptions.
Grantmaking is entirely local and entirely in Massachusetts: 100% of grants went to recipients in MA. Awards are concentrated in Cape Cod and the Islands, with frequent recipients in Hyannis, Orleans, Harwich, North Eastham, South Chatham, Vineyard Haven, and Nantucket. The recent grants list also includes Mashpee, Brewster, and Harwich Port, showing coverage across multiple towns in the region rather than a single municipality.
Recent grants consistently support housing stability, food security, emergency shelter, early childhood education, school-based mentoring, and mental health services. Examples include emergency financial assistance, pantry operations, teen counseling, and integrated early education for children with developmental delays and disabilities.
The recent record shows recurring support. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Independence House, Housing Assistance Corporation Inc, Cape Cod Children’s Place, Behavioral Health Innovators, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & Islands.
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $24,600 at the 75th percentile. The active Community Impact grant program is generally designed for awards in the $5,000 to $25,000 range.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited requests, including the Community Impact Grant Program, Micro Grants, the National Grid & Cape & Islands United Way Fuel Assistance Grant, and the COVID-19 Cape & Islands Community Relief Fund. The Community Impact program uses a Letter of Intent followed by invited full applications.
All recent grants in the dataset went to Massachusetts recipients, and the foundation gives locally across Cape Cod and the Islands. Recent recipient towns include Hyannis, Orleans, Harwich, North Eastham, South Chatham, Vineyard Haven, and Nantucket.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Cape and Islands United Way that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations or community groups based on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, or Nantucket may apply if their project engages volunteers in training, education, or a specific volunteer project.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling schedule.
Who can apply: Projects must engage volunteers in some way, and applicants must be based on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket. Eligible applicants may include nonprofits, schools, councils on aging, parent/youth organizations, and other community groups.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling schedule.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOMELESS PREVENTION COUNCIL | ORLEANS, MA | $37,500 | 2026 | COUNSELING |
| HOUSING ASSISTANCE CORPORATION INC | HYANNIS, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | EMERGENCY FINANCIAL |
| LOWER CAPE OUTREACH | ORLEANS, MA | $31,500 | 2026 | FEEDING OUR FAMILIES |
| HEALTH IMPERATIVES | HYANNIS, MA | $29,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAPE COD CHILDREN'S PLACE | NORTH EASTHAM, MA | $27,500 | 2026 | EARLY EDUCATION |
| NANTUCKET INTERFAITH COUNCIL | NANTUCKET, MA | $26,475 | 2026 | NANTUCKET FOOD PANTR |
| CAPE KID MEALS | FORESTDALE, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | DAY BACKPACK PROGRAM |
| ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE | VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | $24,000 | 2026 | HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE | HYANNIS, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI |
| INDEPENDENCE HOUSE | HYANNIS, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | EMERGENCY SHELTER |
| COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF CAPE COD | MASHPEE, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | MANAGE CHRONIC DISEA |
| FALMOUTH SERVICE CENTER | FALMOUTH, MA | $22,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATORS | SOUTH CHATHAM, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | TEEN COUNSELING |
| BELONGING TO EACH OTHER | FALMOUTH, MA | $17,500 | 2026 | TRANSITIONAL HOUSING |
| THE FAMILY PANTRY | HARWICH, MA | $16,275 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CAPE COD | MASHPEE, MA | $16,250 | 2026 | SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI |
| DUFFY HEALTH CENTER | HYANNIS, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | MOTEL STAYS |
| MARTHA'S VINEYARD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | EDGARTOWN, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | MENTAL HEALTH PROGRA |
| A BABY CENTER | HYANNIS, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | BABY CENTER |
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR ALL | HYANNIS, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FOOD4KIDS | ORLEANS, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WE CAN | HARWICHPORT, MA | $12,500 | 2026 | COLLABORATION |
| BRAZILIAN RESOURCE CENTER | HYANNIS, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAPE COD TOY LIBRARY | WEST BARNSTABLE, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FAMILY TABLE COLLABORATIVE | SOUTH YARMOUTH, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CHAMP HOMES | HYANNIS, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | TRANSITIONAL HOUSING |
| THE WARMING PLACE | NANTUCKET, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE CAPE COD | TRURO, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY | HYANNIS, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YMCA CAPE COD | WEST BARNSTABLE, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOSPICE OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD | VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | $8,200 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAPE COD TIMES NEIGHBORS FUND | HYANNIS, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SASSAFRAS EARTH EDUCATION | AQUINNAH, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | SUMMER CAMP |
| HANDS OF HOPE OUTREACH CENTER | WEST HARWICH, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SHARING KINDNESS | HARWICH, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HARBOR HOMES OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD | VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | $6,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAPE & ISLANDS VETERAN OUTREACH | HYANNIS, MA | $6,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOUSING ASSISTANCE CORPORATION INC | HYANNIS, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY FINANCIAL |
| HOMELESS PREVENTION COUNCIL | ORLEANS, MA | $37,500 | 2025 | COUNSELING |
| LOWER CAPE OUTREACH | ORLEANS, MA | $31,000 | 2025 | FEEDING OUR FAMILIES |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE | HYANNIS, MA | $27,500 | 2025 | SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI |
| BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATORS | SOUTH CHATHAM, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | TEEN COUNSELING |
| INDEPENDENCE HOUSE | HYANNIS, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY SHELTER |
| A BABY CENTER | HYANNIS, MA | $24,600 | 2025 | BABY CENTER |
| CAPE COD CHILDREN'S PLACE | NORTH EASTHAM, MA | $22,500 | 2025 | EARLY EDUCATION |
| THE FAMILY PANTRY | HARWICH, MA | $22,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET INTERFAITH COUNCIL | NANTUCKET, MA | $22,500 | 2025 | NANTUCKET FOOD PANTR |
| HEALTH IMPERATIVES | HYANNIS, MA | $19,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CAPE COD | MASHPEE, MA | $18,750 | 2025 | SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI |
| WE CAN | HARWICHPORT, MA | $17,500 | 2025 | COLLABORATION |
LOWER CAPE OUTREACH
$31,500FEEDING OUR FAMILIES
HEALTH IMPERATIVES
$29,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
NANTUCKET INTERFAITH COUNCIL
NANTUCKET FOOD PANTR
CAPE KID MEALS
$25,000DAY BACKPACK PROGRAM
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE
$22,500SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI
INDEPENDENCE HOUSE
$22,500EMERGENCY SHELTER
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF CAPE COD
$22,500MANAGE CHRONIC DISEA
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATORS
$20,000TEEN COUNSELING
MARTHA'S VINEYARD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
$15,000MENTAL HEALTH PROGRA
A BABY CENTER
$15,000BABY CENTER
ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR ALL
$15,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FOOD4KIDS
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING
BRAZILIAN RESOURCE CENTER
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAPE COD TOY LIBRARY
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FAMILY TABLE COLLABORATIVE
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CHAMP HOMES
$10,000TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
THE WARMING PLACE
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SUSTAINABLE CAPE COD
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HOSPICE OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD
$8,200PROGRAM SUPPORT
HANDS OF HOPE OUTREACH CENTER
$7,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
SHARING KINDNESS
$7,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAPE & ISLANDS VETERAN OUTREACH
$6,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
LOWER CAPE OUTREACH
$31,000FEEDING OUR FAMILIES
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE
$27,500SCHOOL-BASED MENTORI
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATORS
$25,000TEEN COUNSELING
INDEPENDENCE HOUSE
$25,000EMERGENCY SHELTER
A BABY CENTER
$24,600BABY CENTER
NANTUCKET INTERFAITH COUNCIL
$22,500NANTUCKET FOOD PANTR
HEALTH IMPERATIVES
$19,000PROGRAM SUPPORT