We expand volunteerism and service to make Massachusetts a better place to live.
Massachusetts Service Alliance Inc channels most of its grantmaking through federally funded service programs that place AmeriCorps members with Massachusetts organizations and support volunteer infrastructure across the state. As Massachusetts’ State Service Commission, it combines subgrants, training, and operational support to help nonprofits, schools, and public agencies expand service capacity. The largest recent awards show the scale of that work. City Year Boston received $5,056,859 in 2023 and $2,545,524 in 2024 as subgrants of CNCS federal funding, while Jumpstart for Young Children received $1,674,018 in 2024 and $1,362,080 in 2023 for the same funding stream. Other large awards went to The Literacy Lab, Terracorps Inc, and Boston University, all through CNCS federal funding passed on by the alliance. Beyond AmeriCorps placements, the foundation also supports volunteer generation and service-learning. Its active programs include the Youth Career Pathway Initiative, the Youth Development Volunteer Initiative, Connect Science: Service-Learning Training Program, and the Service Enterprise Initiative. Across these efforts, the common thread is program implementation support for organizations working in education, youth development, workforce development, health, and environmental stewardship.
In education and youth development, Massachusetts Service Alliance Inc funded Boston University with $748,359 in 2024 and Clark University with $555,226 in 2024 as subgrants of CNCS federal funding. Those awards fit a model that strengthens service programs inside higher education and community settings rather than making unrestricted grants. Workforce and career pathways appear in the Youth Career Pathway Initiative, which offers $20,000 grants to nonprofits supporting youth career pathways, workforce development, and volunteer engagement. The Youth Development Volunteer Initiative provides $10,000 grants to nonprofits that want to engage volunteers in youth programming. Service-learning is another distinct lane. Connect Science: Service-Learning Training Program combines a project-based learning unit on energy and natural resources with training, materials, support, and follow-up virtual sessions for schools and out-of-school-time programs. Volunteer management is also built into the model through the Service Enterprise Initiative, which offers training, coaching, and certification to improve volunteer program operations.
$16M
$6.5M
$19.3M
$19.3M
Most grants fall between $16K and $424K, with a median of $227K.
25th Percentile
$16K
Median
$227K
75th Percentile
$424K
ELIZABETH MCGUINNESS
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The typical grant size profile is wide: the 25th percentile is $15,500, the median is $227,435, and the 75th percentile is $423,645. That spread matches a funder that mixes smaller program awards with much larger federal pass-through subgrants. The recent grants list shows repeated support to the same organizations across 2023 and 2024, including City Year Boston, Jumpstart for Young Children, The Literacy Lab, Terracorps Inc, and Mass Mentoring Partnership, which points to multi-year program funding rather than one-off awards. Massachusetts Service Alliance Inc is a regular funder, and the active programs indicate restricted, project-specific support tied to AmeriCorps, volunteer mobilization, and service delivery. It does not accept unsolicited applications for the programs listed.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly in Massachusetts: 90% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is MA. The recent grants list includes Boston, Lowell, Roxbury, Fall River, Greenfield, Worcester, Jamaica Plain, Woburn, Framingham, Barnstable, and Springfield. Outside Massachusetts, the list also includes Washington, DC, and Charlestown, NH, both tied to grant recipients in the recent awards. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 81 grants to U.S. recipients.
Its active programs center on AmeriCorps placements, volunteer generation and management, service-learning, and youth-focused service initiatives. Examples include the Youth Career Pathway Initiative, the Youth Development Volunteer Initiative, Connect Science: Service-Learning Training Program, and the Service Enterprise Initiative.
Yes. Several organizations appear in both 2023 and 2024 recent grants, including City Year Boston, Jumpstart for Young Children, The Literacy Lab, Terracorps Inc, and Mass Mentoring Partnership. That pattern suggests recurring support for ongoing service programs.
The grant-size distribution is broad, with a 25th percentile of $15,500, a median of $227,435, and a 75th percentile of $423,645. Active program examples also show fixed awards such as $10,000 and $20,000 for volunteer and youth initiatives.
The grantmaking is strongly local. Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and 90% of grants go to recipients in MA. The recent grants list is concentrated in Boston and other Massachusetts communities such as Lowell, Worcester, Fall River, Greenfield, Framingham, and Springfield.
The listed programs are project-specific and do not accept unsolicited applications. The active initiatives are structured around AmeriCorps, volunteerism, and service-learning support, including fixed awards for the Youth Career Pathway Initiative and Youth Development Volunteer Initiative.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Massachusetts Service Alliance that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Programs beginning in the 2027-28 service year must host at least 20 full- or part-time members, and all service activities must take place within Massachusetts. The 2023-24 opportunity was limited to new applicants without a prior AmeriCorps State and National grant with MSA.
Deadline: Applications due by 2:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2026.
Who can apply: Organizations developing an AmeriCorps program; the 2026-27 opportunity invites programs with as few as 5 full-time or part-time-equivalent members. Earlier cycles specified organizations not currently receiving AmeriCorps State funding from MSA.
Deadline: Applications due by 12:00 PM on October 12, 2026.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY YEAR BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $2,942,312 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| JUMPSTART FOR YOUNG CHILDREN | BOSTON, MA | $1,686,000 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| SOUTH COASTAL COUNTY LEGAL SERVICES INC | FALL RIVER, MA | $775,482 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BPE (BOSTON PLAN FOR EXCELLENCE) | ROXBURY, MA | $762,157 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $759,910 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY DIALSELF INC | GREENFIELD, MA | $733,560 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| TERRACORPS INC | WINDHAM, NH | $655,781 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $631,666 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY-MASSPROMISE FELL | BOSTON, MA | $577,564 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| SOCIAL CAPITAL INC | WOBURN, MA | $549,048 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| CLARK UNIVERSITY | WORCESETER, MA | $534,925 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE AMERICORPS PROGRAM | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $457,085 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BOSTON HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS PROGRAM INC (BHCHP) | BOSTON, MA | $451,978 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| EAST BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER CORP | BOSTON, MA | $430,081 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| MA IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE ADVOCACY COALITION (MIRA) | BOSTON, MA | $397,209 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND | WATERTOWN, MA | $396,357 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION INC | CHARLESTOWN, NH | $396,240 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| UNITED WAY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY INC | BOSTON, MA | $335,258 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BARNSTABLE COUNTY | BARNSTABLE, MA | $295,688 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| 826 BOSTON | ROXBURY, MA | $295,434 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| PLAYWORKS EDUCATION ENERGIZED | OAKLAND, CA | $293,071 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| CITY OF LAWRENCE | LAWRENCE, MA | $238,881 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| WALKER INC | NEEDHAM, MA | $216,629 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| GREENAGERS INC | SOUTH EGREMONT, MA | $212,356 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB METRO SOUTH INC | TAUNTON, MA | $186,670 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | BOSTON, MA | $184,160 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| LUK CRISIS CENTER INC | FITCHBURG, MA | $148,841 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| CENTRAL BERKSHIRE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | PITTSFIELD, MA | $145,364 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION - BMC | BOSTON, MA | $53,210 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| THE LITERACY LAB | WASHINGTON, DC | $47,295 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| FOLLOW MY STEPS FOUNDATION INC | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $26,493 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| LEAP FOR EDUCATION INC | SALEM, MA | $22,628 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| CITIZEN SCHOOLS INC | BOSTON, MA | $21,350 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| GROWING PLACES | LEOMINSTER, MA | $19,924 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS INC | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $19,706 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| LAUNCHSPACE INC | ORANGE, MA | $16,272 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| RAW ART WORK | LYNN, MA | $16,000 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| THE BOSTON PROJECT MINISTRIES | BOSTON, MA | $14,525 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| IMMIGRANT FAMILY SERVICES INSTITUTE INC (IFSI-USA) | BOSTON, MA | $12,991 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| TEACH WESTERN MASS INC | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $11,252 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| COMMUNITY BOATING CENTER INC | NEW BEDFORD, MA | $10,134 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| SAMARITANS SOUTHCOAST | FALL RIVER, MA | $8,184 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| ARLINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS | ARLINGTON, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| GIRLS INC OF THE VALLEY | HOLYOKE, MA | $6,300 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BENEVOLENT FRATERNITY OF UNITARIAN CHURCHES DBA UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST URBA | BOSTON, MA | $5,140 | 2026 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| CITY YEAR BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $3,006,472 | 2025 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| JUMPSTART FOR YOUNG CHILDREN | BOSTON, MA | $1,963,072 | 2025 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $777,014 | 2025 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| TERRACORPS INC | WINDHAM, NH | $747,702 | 2025 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
| SOUTH COASTAL COUNTY LEGAL SERVICES INC | FALL RIVER, MA | $679,256 | 2025 | SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD |
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
FRANKLIN COUNTY DIALSELF INC
$733,560SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY
$631,666SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE AMERICORPS PROGRAM
$457,085SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
$396,357SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
BARNSTABLE COUNTY
$295,688SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
CITY OF LAWRENCE
$238,881SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
WALKER INC
$216,629SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
LUK CRISIS CENTER INC
$148,841SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
FOLLOW MY STEPS FOUNDATION INC
$26,493SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
CITIZEN SCHOOLS INC
$21,350SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS INC
$19,706SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
LAUNCHSPACE INC
$16,272SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
COMMUNITY BOATING CENTER INC
$10,134SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SAMARITANS SOUTHCOAST
$8,184SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
ARLINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$7,500SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
GIRLS INC OF THE VALLEY
$6,300SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
BENEVOLENT FRATERNITY OF UNITARIAN CHURCHES DBA UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST URBA
$5,140SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
SOUTH COASTAL COUNTY LEGAL SERVICES INC
$679,256SUB-GRANT OF CNCS FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD
