To promote human and economic development by providing financing and development assistance to cooperatives and social purpose ventures that create and retain jobs for low-income people.
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund centers financing and development assistance for cooperatives and social purpose ventures that create and retain jobs for low-income people. That mission shows up in a mix of loan capital, flexible support, and technical assistance tied to shared ownership, community land trusts, and food access work. In the recent grants list, the largest award is a $150,000 grant to Wells Fargo Various Donees, followed by $40,000 grants to Casabe Fruits & Delicatessen and City of Boston Various Donees. Smaller grants also flow to organizations such as Elliot Farm LLC in Lakeville and Dorchester Food Co-op in Boston, pointing to a portfolio that combines larger institutional support with direct operating help for local enterprises. The foundation’s active programs reinforce that pattern: it underwrites cooperatives, supports Massachusetts healthy food enterprises, and finances community land trusts and small business initiatives. Local Enterprise Assistance Fund also connects advisory services to funding pathways, so grantmaking sits alongside lending and technical assistance rather than apart from it.
Community food access is one clear theme. The foundation gave $13,000 to Coastal Foodshed in New Bedford for support of organizational activities, and it also maintains a Massachusetts healthy food enterprise financing pathway for food retailers, distributors, farm stands, and food access organizations. Cooperative ownership is another major area. A 2025 grant of $15,000 to Dorchester Food Co-op in Boston fits with its cooperative loan programs for worker-owned, food, housing, purchasing, producer, energy, and platform co-ops. Community land trusts also appear in the funding model through a financing stream for organizations that start, stabilize, or expand long-term stewardship of affordable housing. Small business inclusion is part of the picture as well, including technical assistance and procurement support for underserved businesses in Massachusetts.
Typical awards are fairly clustered: the 25th percentile is $13,500, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $36,250. Recent grants suggest a mix of one-off support and ongoing program-linked financing rather than a single large recurring award pattern in the visible data. Local Enterprise Assistance Fund is a regular funder and does not fund individuals. Its active intake pathways accept unsolicited approaches, including technical assistance and advisory intake, cooperative lending, community land trust financing, and Massachusetts small business programs. The structure combines grantmaking with lending and development assistance, which matches the foundation’s loan-oriented mission.
$319K
$34.5M
$5.6M
$5.2M
Most grants fall between $14K and $36K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$36K
GERARDO ESPINOZA
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Grantmaking is local and entirely within the United States in the recent sample. Massachusetts dominates recipient locations, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the state. Named recipient cities include Boston, Lynn, New Bedford, Lakeville, and Whitman. The pattern aligns with the foundation’s Massachusetts-focused small business and healthy food programs, while its cooperative financing also extends nationally in program design even though the recent grants shown here stay in-state.
It supports cooperatives and social purpose ventures that create and retain jobs for low-income people, along with community land trusts, healthy food enterprises, and underserved small businesses. Its active programs also include technical assistance, advisory intake, and financing support for shared ownership and affordable housing models.
Typical grant size is $13,500 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $36,250 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants table also includes a larger $150,000 award, showing that its portfolio can range from mid-sized operating support to substantially larger institutional grants.
The recent grants shown are all in Massachusetts, and 100% of recipient grants go to the state. Even so, some of its active loan programs are designed for cooperatives and shared-ownership enterprises nationwide, while Massachusetts-specific pathways exist for healthy food enterprises and small businesses.
Yes. Several active pathways accept unsolicited intake, including technical assistance and advisory intake, the Mass Food Trust Program, community land trust financing, cooperative and shared-ownership loan programs, and Massachusetts small business lending and Elevate Small Business.
No. It is listed as not funding individuals, and its support is organized around organizations, cooperatives, community land trusts, and small businesses rather than personal awards.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOATHOUSE BISTRO LLC | NORTH WEYMOUTH, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| THE BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| VICENTE'S NEW BEDFORD LLC | BROCKTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| MERENGUE RESTAURANT AND CATERING | ROXBURY, MA | $22,527 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| CAITLYN FONTES - TWO SISTERS (NAME OF RESTAURANT) | EAST FREETOWN, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| RINCON LIMENO REVERE INC | REVERE, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| MICHAEL AGRICOLA LLC | LAWERANCE, MA | $22,500 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| LENZI'S CATERING | DRACUT, MA | $22,492 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| ELLEN WILSON DBA FREE RANGERS FARM | CARVER, MA | $22,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| DIEUDONNE LEAN DBA DEE'S DELUX CARIBBEAN | BROCKTON, MA | $21,700 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| DIEGO PRECIADO - PRECIADO BROTHERS (NAME OF RESTAURANT) | CHELSEA, MA | $21,691 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| GONCALVES GROUP LLC | EAST BRIDGEWATER, MA | $20,567 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| CHATHAM HARVESTERS COOPERATIVE INC | CHATHMAN, MA | $12,500 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| MOONLIGHTROSE | SWANSEA, MA | $12,500 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| MILL CITY GROWS INC | LOWELL, MA | $12,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| HOMESTEAD HARVEST | WHITMAN, MA | $8,100 | 2026 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| ELLIOT FARM LLC | LAKEVILLE, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| DORCHESTER FOOD CO-OP | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| BUILDING AUDACITY | LYNN, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| COASTAL FOODSHED | NEW BEDFORD, MA | $13,000 | 2025 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| HOMESTEAD HARVEST | WHITMAN, MA | $10,558 | 2025 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| WELLS FARGO VARIOUS DONEES | — | $150,000 | 2023 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| CITY OF BOSTON VARIOUS DONEES | — | $40,000 | 2023 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| CASABE FRUITS & DELICATESSEN | — | $40,000 | 2023 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| SUPREME MARKET | — | $15,000 | 2023 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
| EASTIE FARM | — | $12,500 | 2023 | GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION |
BOATHOUSE BISTRO LLC
$25,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
THE BOSTON FOUNDATION
$25,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
VICENTE'S NEW BEDFORD LLC
$25,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
MERENGUE RESTAURANT AND CATERING
$22,527GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
CAITLYN FONTES - TWO SISTERS (NAME OF RESTAURANT)
$22,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
RINCON LIMENO REVERE INC
$22,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
MICHAEL AGRICOLA LLC
$22,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
LENZI'S CATERING
$22,492GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
ELLEN WILSON DBA FREE RANGERS FARM
$22,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
DIEUDONNE LEAN DBA DEE'S DELUX CARIBBEAN
$21,700GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
DIEGO PRECIADO - PRECIADO BROTHERS (NAME OF RESTAURANT)
$21,691GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
GONCALVES GROUP LLC
$20,567GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
CHATHAM HARVESTERS COOPERATIVE INC
$12,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
MOONLIGHTROSE
$12,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
MILL CITY GROWS INC
$12,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
HOMESTEAD HARVEST
$8,100GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
ELLIOT FARM LLC
$25,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
DORCHESTER FOOD CO-OP
$15,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
BUILDING AUDACITY
$15,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
COASTAL FOODSHED
$13,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
HOMESTEAD HARVEST
$10,558GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
WELLS FARGO VARIOUS DONEES
$150,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
CITY OF BOSTON VARIOUS DONEES
$40,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
CASABE FRUITS & DELICATESSEN
$40,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
SUPREME MARKET
$15,000GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
EASTIE FARM
$12,500GRANT TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZATION
Current and upcoming funding from Local Enterprise Assistance Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Massachusetts-based healthy food enterprises operating within the food value chain; examples include food retail businesses, food distributors, farm stands, and food access organizations.
Deadline: No deadline stated; appears to accept inquiries/applications on an ongoing basis.
Who can apply: Cooperatives/shared ownership organizations, community land trusts, and underserved small businesses in Massachusetts are listed as eligible; the FAQ also notes LEAF can finance starting cooperatives outside New England.
Deadline: No deadline stated; applications appear to be accepted through inquiry.
Who can apply: Cooperatives, community land trusts, and underserved small businesses in Massachusetts may qualify; LEAF emphasizes projects that create and retain jobs for low-income people and align with its mission.
Deadline: Rolling intake; applicants submit an inquiry and LEAF reviews it on an ongoing basis.
Who can apply: Community land trusts seeking financing to start, stabilize, or grow their footprint.
Deadline: Not stated.
Who can apply: Organizations seeking technical assistance; intake via online TA form. TA may be prioritized for organizations aligned with LEAF's mission and funding priorities.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
