At the Watertown Community Foundation we make it our mission to advance and support positive change for the people who live and work here, through the power of transformative giving. We envision a welcoming community where people of all backgrounds can thrive, connect, and contribute to the strength and resilience of our city.
Watertown Community Foundation Inc’s giving is anchored in basic-needs support at meaningful scale: its two largest recent grants were $558,847 and $317,184 to the Watertown Housing Authority for food security. That pattern sits alongside substantial support for emergency rental assistance, neighborhood programs, and school-based enrichment. In the recent-grants list, the foundation also backed Metro West Collaborative Development with $167,022 and $113,360 for emergency rental assistance, showing a clear emphasis on stabilizing households as well as funding civic life. The foundation’s portfolio reaches into several parts of Watertown community life. It has supported Watertown Public Schools for classroom enrichment grants and a food-security weekend backpack program, Watertown Free Public Library for Hatch Makerspace and Project Literacy, and the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts for education and program support. Other local grantees include the City of Watertown, Watertown Boys and Girls Club, Watertown Community Gardens, and World in Watertown. Across these awards, the foundation funds both direct assistance and program support, with grants appearing in multiple years for several organizations.
Food security is a central theme. The Watertown Housing Authority received $72,541 in 2025 for food security, while Wayside Youth and Family Support Network received $65,690 in 2024 and $8,000 in 2025 for a bundle of services that included food security, rental assistance, utility assistance, COVID kits, and a mutual aid coordinator. Housing stability also appears in the grant record. Metro West Collaborative Development was awarded $167,022 in 2024 and $15,000 in 2025 for emergency rental assistance. That focus is reinforced by the foundation’s Essential Needs Grants, which cover housing and emergency assistance. Education and youth development show up through school and youth-serving organizations. Watertown Public Schools received $53,900 in 2025, $39,186 in 2024, and $32,024 in 2024 for classroom enrichment grants and the food-security weekend backpack program. The foundation also funded Watertown Boys and Girls Club with $9,500 for education and program support.
Typical awards cluster around modest-to-mid-sized grants: the 25th percentile is $7,500, the median is $19,778, and the 75th percentile is $61,582. The recent record shows repeated support for the same organizations across multiple years, including Watertown Housing Authority, Metro West Collaborative Development, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown Free Public Library, World in Watertown, and Springwell. That suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation is a community foundation, and its grant opportunities accept unsolicited applications through several local programs.
$213K
$2.3M
$520K
$558K
Most grants fall between $8K and $62K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$62K
LAUREN COUGHLIN UNSWORTH
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Grantmaking is entirely local in the available record: 100% of grants went to recipients in Massachusetts, and the top state by grant count is MA. Most awards land in Watertown, including the Watertown Housing Authority, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown Free Public Library, World in Watertown, and the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts. Nearby recipient cities include Newton, Framingham, Waltham, and Cambridge-area partners through local community-serving work.
The foundation funds local organizations serving Watertown residents across basic needs, education, youth development, housing assistance, community engagement, arts and culture, STEM education, and neighborhood building. Recent grants include support for the Watertown Housing Authority, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown Free Public Library, and community organizations such as World in Watertown.
Yes. Several active grant programs are listed as accepting unsolicited applications, including Essential Needs Grants, Block Party Grants, Community Engagement Grants, Education & Youth Development Grants, and the Youth Sports League Grant Program.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller local awards, with a 25th percentile of $7,500, a median of $19,778, and a 75th percentile of $61,582. Some program pages also specify smaller ranges, such as $0–$5,000 for Community Engagement Grants and $500–$5,000 for Education & Youth Development Grants.
The foundation’s giving is local, and 100% of grants in the recipient-country data went to the US. In the recent-grants list, most recipients are in Watertown, MA, with some support also going to organizations in Newton, Framingham, and Waltham.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Watertown Housing Authority, Metro West Collaborative Development, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown Free Public Library, World in Watertown, and Springwell. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Watertown Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: The program supports organizations and projects serving Watertown; detailed eligibility criteria and grant amounts were not provided in the scraped content.
Deadline: September 9-30, 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants must form a planning group with at least three neighbors and organize a Watertown block party. The event must highlight or support a Watertown charity. First-time block parties may receive up to $200; neighborhoods that held a party within the last five years may receive up to $100. Alcohol and cannabis costs are not reimbursable.
Deadline: No fixed deadline stated; applications are accepted for block parties scheduled during the applicable season.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY | WATERTOWN, MA | $72,541 | 2025 | FOOD SECURITY |
| WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WATERTOWN, MA | $53,900 | 2025 | CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM |
| DOROTHY AND CHARLES MOSESIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS | WATERTOWN, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT | NEWTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE |
| WORLD IN WATERTOWN | WATERTOWN, MA | $10,100 | 2025 | UNITY BREAKFAST |
| WATERTOWN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY | WATERTOWN, MA | $9,061 | 2025 | SUPORT HATCH MAKERSPACE AND PROJECT LITERACY |
| WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $8,000 | 2025 | FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR |
| WATERTOWN CABLE ACCESS CORPORATION | WATERTOWN, MA | $7,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SPRINGWELL | WALTHAM, MA | $6,500 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY | WATERTOWN, MA | $558,847 | 2024 | FOOD SECURITY |
| WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY | WATERTOWN, MA | $317,184 | 2024 | FOOD SECURITY |
| METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT | NEWTON, MA | $167,022 | 2024 | EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE |
| METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT | NEWTON, MA | $113,360 | 2024 | EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE |
| WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $65,690 | 2024 | FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR |
| WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $49,256 | 2024 | FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR |
| WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WATERTOWN, MA | $39,186 | 2024 | CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM |
| WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WATERTOWN, MA | $32,024 | 2024 | CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM |
| CITY OF WATERTOWN | WATERTOWN, MA | $27,057 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WATERTOWN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY | WATERTOWN, MA | $12,500 | 2024 | SUPORT HATCH MAKERSPACE AND PROJECT LITERACY |
| WATERTOWN BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | WATERTOWN, MA | $9,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SURVIVAL EDUCATION FUND INC | WATERTOWN, MA | $7,815 | 2024 | EDU |
| SPRINGWELL | WALTHAM, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DOROTHY AND CHARLES MOSESIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS | WATERTOWN, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SPRINGWELL | WALTHAM, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WATERTOWN COMMUNITY GARDENS | WATERTOWN, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NEW REPERTORY THEATRE | WATERTOWN, MA | $7,100 | 2024 | EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WORLD IN WATERTOWN | WATERTOWN, MA | $5,620 | 2024 | UNITY BREAKFAST |
WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY
$72,541FOOD SECURITY
WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$53,900CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM
DOROTHY AND CHARLES MOSESIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$30,000EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT
$15,000EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
WORLD IN WATERTOWN
$10,100UNITY BREAKFAST
WATERTOWN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$9,061SUPORT HATCH MAKERSPACE AND PROJECT LITERACY
WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK
$8,000FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR
WATERTOWN CABLE ACCESS CORPORATION
$7,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
SPRINGWELL
$6,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY
$558,847FOOD SECURITY
WATERTOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY
$317,184FOOD SECURITY
METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT
$167,022EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
METRO WEST COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT
$113,360EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK
$65,690FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR
WAYSIDE YOUTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK
$49,256FOOD SECURITY, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, COVID KITS, MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR
WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$39,186CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM
WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$32,024CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT GRANTS AND FOOD SECURITY WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM
CITY OF WATERTOWN
$27,057EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
WATERTOWN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$12,500SUPORT HATCH MAKERSPACE AND PROJECT LITERACY
WATERTOWN BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
$9,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
SURVIVAL EDUCATION FUND INC
$7,815EDU
SPRINGWELL
$7,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
DOROTHY AND CHARLES MOSESIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$7,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
SPRINGWELL
$7,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
WATERTOWN COMMUNITY GARDENS
$7,500EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
NEW REPERTORY THEATRE
$7,100EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
WORLD IN WATERTOWN
$5,620UNITY BREAKFAST
