Connecting people and resources to improve the community.
United Way of Central Massachusetts Inc. channels community grantmaking into Worcester and the surrounding region, with a pattern of large local awards to organizations that deliver direct services. Recent grants show repeated support for Worcester Community Action Council, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, and YMCA of Central Massachusetts, alongside funding to United Way affiliates in North Central and South Central Massachusetts. The foundation also uses named initiatives such as YouthConnect, the Community Impact pool, and the United Response Fund, which points to a mix of ongoing program support and flexible response funding. Its portfolio reaches across youth services, food security, emergency relief, financial stability, volunteer engagement, farm resiliency, and health and well-being. In practice, that means support for youth-serving nonprofits, community action agencies, and collaborative local funds. The organization’s giving is built around Central Massachusetts needs, with grants that help fund programming, community support, and targeted initiatives rather than a narrow single-purpose strategy. Recent awards to Ascentria Care Alliance and Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center also show attention to community-based service providers serving residents with immediate needs.
Youth development is a clear throughline. The foundation awarded $205,304 to Boys & Girls Club of Worcester for YouthConnect in 2023, then continued youth-serving support with $132,000 to Girls Inc of Worcester for a program grant in 2024 and $112,000 to YMCA of Central Massachusetts for a program grant in 2024. Community support and basic-needs work also appear prominently. Worcester Community Action Council received $405,000 as a community support grant in 2024, and Ascentria Care Alliance received $96,000 as a community support grant in 2024. In 2023, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center received $212,670, and Worcester Islamic Center received $93,000, reflecting support for local organizations serving specific community needs. Food security and resilience are another recurring theme. The foundation’s active programs include the Food Security Initiative, the Emergency Food & Shelter Program, and the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, showing attention to nutrition access, shelter, and agricultural recovery.
$5.6M
$16M
$8M
$9.2M
Most grants fall between $12K and $47K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$47K
TIMOTHY J GARVIN
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Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $11,794, the median is $25,393, and the 75th percentile is $46,883. The recent grants list also shows a smaller number of much larger awards, including six-figure program, community support, and other grants. The pattern is recurrent rather than one-off. United Way of North Central Massachusetts appears in both 2023 and 2024, as do Worcester Community Action Council, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Girls Inc of Worcester, Ascentria Care Alliance, and United Way of South Central Massachusetts. The foundation is classified as a mixed community foundation and uses program grants, community support grants, donor-designated or pass-through funding, and other discretionary grants. Some initiatives, including YouthConnect and EFSP administration, are not open to unsolicited applications.
Giving is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in Massachusetts: 98% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Worcester is the most common city in the recent grants list, with additional awards in Fitchburg, Southbridge, Roxbury, and Shrewsbury. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 312 grants in the United States. That pattern fits a Central Massachusetts funder whose grantmaking lands mainly in Worcester and nearby communities.
The recent grants list points to community action agencies, youth-serving nonprofits, and other local service providers. Examples include Worcester Community Action Council, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, YMCA of Central Massachusetts, Ascentria Care Alliance, and Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center.
The listed focus areas include youth services and out-of-school time, food security, disaster and emergency response funds, financial stability and tax services, volunteer engagement, farm resiliency and local agriculture support, and health and well-being.
The typical grant size profile is $11,794 at the 25th percentile, $25,393 at the median, and $46,883 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes several larger program and community support grants above $100,000.
No. Worcester is prominent, but the recent grants list also includes Fitchburg, Southbridge, Roxbury, and Shrewsbury. The geography is still highly local overall, with 98% of grants going to recipients in Massachusetts.
Yes. The United Response Fund and the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund both accept unsolicited applications. Other named programs in the data, including Worcester Together Fund and EFSP administration, do not.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from United Way of Central Massachusetts that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Funding supports ASOST programs; specific eligibility criteria are not detailed in the scraped content.
Deadline: Summer funding applications are closed; 2026 grant funding period is July 1, 2026 through August 31, 2026.
Who can apply: Criteria are established on a case-by-case basis appropriate to the scale of the disaster, number of individuals impacted, and significance of recovery response needed. Agencies, nonprofits, and businesses may apply regarding food security SNAP and/or energy assistance LIHEAP.
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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.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED WAY OF NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS | FITCHBURG, MA | $294,490 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 527 |
| UNITED WAY OF NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS | FITCHBURG, MA | $242,209 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| WORCESTER COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL | WORCESTER, MA | $220,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT HEATING |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $205,304 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC |
| YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC | WORCESTER, MA | $115,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| GIRL'S INC OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $106,222 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC |
| CENTRAL MASS HOUSING ALLIANCE | WORCESTER, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT CMHA |
| WORCESTER COMMUNITY HOUSING RESOURCES INC | WORCESTER, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT WCHR |
| UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MA | SOUTHBRIDGE, MA | $95,281 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 527 |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID INC | WORCESTER, MA | $84,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UPHELD INC | WORCESTER, MA | $82,014 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC |
| MERYL'S SAFE HAVEN | WORCESTER, MA | $80,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT MSH |
| UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MA | SOUTHBRIDGE, MA | $73,841 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| NATIVITY SCHOOL OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $70,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT PILOT GRANT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $69,921 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT SSUP |
| CENTRAL MASS HOUSING ALLIANCE | WORCESTER, MA | $68,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| SOUTH MIDDLESEX OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $65,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| FRIENDLY HOUSE | WORCESTER, MA | $64,725 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC |
| FRIENDLY HOUSE | WORCESTER, MA | $63,750 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| GIRL'S INC OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $63,550 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT SSUP |
| RACHEL'S TABLE | WORCESTER, MA | $60,013 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT ARPA |
| 2GETHER WE EAT | WORCESTER, MA | $60,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT ARPA |
| YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC | WORCESTER, MA | $53,729 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT WI |
| SOUTHEAST ASIAN COALITION OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS | WORCESTER, MA | $52,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| ELDER SERVICES OF WORCESTER AREA INC | WORCESTER, MA | $51,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM | WORCESTER, MA | $51,125 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| SPOONFULS INC | NEWTON, MA | $50,011 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT ARPA |
| REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL | WORCESTER, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WORCESTER, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT NELLIE MAE |
| NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT FIT LOT |
| WORCESTER STATE FOUNDATION INC | WORCESTER, MA | $48,360 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT WI |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MAMETROWEST | WORCESTER, MA | $46,500 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| YMCA OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS | WORCESTER, MA | $46,034 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC SUMMER 24 |
| QUINSIGAMOND COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WORCESTER, MA | $45,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT PILOT GRANT |
| FAMILY SERVICES OF CENTRAL MA | WORCESTER, MA | $45,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| THE CASA PROJECT INC | WORCESTER, MA | $44,125 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WORCESTER, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| WORCESTER STATE FOUNDATION INC | WORCESTER, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 527 |
| WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WORCESTER, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $39,378 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC SUMMER 24 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $39,200 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT ARPA |
| WORCESTER COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL | WORCESTER, MA | $38,750 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF WORCESTER | WEST BOYLSTON, MA | $36,875 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| PERNET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE | WORCESTER, MA | $36,750 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| FAMILY HEALTH CENTER OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $36,625 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT CI |
| FRIENDLY HOUSE | WORCESTER, MA | $36,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| GUILD OF ST AGNES | WORCESTER, MA | $36,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC | WORCESTER, MA | $35,312 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 528 |
| WORCESTER NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM | WORCESTER, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT 527 |
| YMCA OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS - GREENDALE BRANCH | WORCESTER, MA | $34,800 | 2026 | PROGRAM GRANT YC |
YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC
$115,500PROGRAM GRANT CI
GIRL'S INC OF WORCESTER
$106,222PROGRAM GRANT YC
CENTRAL MASS HOUSING ALLIANCE
$100,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT CMHA
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MA
$95,281PROGRAM GRANT 527
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UPHELD INC
$82,014PROGRAM GRANT YC
MERYL'S SAFE HAVEN
$80,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT MSH
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MA
$73,841PROGRAM GRANT 528
CENTRAL MASS HOUSING ALLIANCE
$68,500PROGRAM GRANT CI
SOUTH MIDDLESEX OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL
$65,000PROGRAM GRANT CI
GIRL'S INC OF WORCESTER
$63,550PROGRAM GRANT SSUP
RACHEL'S TABLE
$60,013PROGRAM GRANT ARPA
2GETHER WE EAT
$60,000PROGRAM GRANT ARPA
YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC
$53,729PROGRAM GRANT WI
ELDER SERVICES OF WORCESTER AREA INC
$51,500PROGRAM GRANT CI
WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$50,000PROGRAM GRANT NELLIE MAE
NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN
$50,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT FIT LOT
WORCESTER STATE FOUNDATION INC
$48,360PROGRAM GRANT WI
FAMILY SERVICES OF CENTRAL MA
$45,000PROGRAM GRANT CI
WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$40,000PROGRAM GRANT 528
WORCESTER STATE FOUNDATION INC
$40,000PROGRAM GRANT 527
WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$40,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
PERNET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE
$36,750PROGRAM GRANT CI
GUILD OF ST AGNES
$36,000PROGRAM GRANT 528
YWCA CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS INC
$35,312PROGRAM GRANT 528
WORCESTER NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
$35,000PROGRAM GRANT 527
