January 12, 2026 Press Releases

Funding for Community Grows as Community Foundation Distributes $3.3 Million to Nonprofits

MassMutual Foundation increases support to expand Flexible Funding opportunities in 2026

Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts announced the distribution of $3,347,000 in unrestricted grant funding through its Flexible Funding cycle, supporting 123 nonprofit organizations across Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties. Funding may be used at the nonprofit’s discretion to advance its mission, strengthen operations, support staff, or respond to evolving community needs.

“Flexible Funding has played a critical role in strengthening our nonprofit sector,” said Denise Hurst, Vice President of Community Impact and Partnerships. “Our approach has helped us to support the sector’s stability, responsiveness, and the long-term impact they have in their communities.”

This round of Flexible Funding comes at a time when the majority of nonprofit applicants reported federal funding losses. Flexible Funding enables nonprofit leaders to make informed, strategic decisions based on their in-depth understanding of the challenges they face. It reflects the Community Foundation’s commitment to supporting its grant recipients in ways that align with their priorities and long-term goals.

The Community Foundation has also announced that it has received an increase in support for its next grant cycle. The MassMutual Foundation has committed $1,000,000 towards 2027 Flexible Funding grants, which will help address barriers to financial well-being in Springfield while expanding the total amount available for next year’s Flexible Funding recipients. Through this grant, the MassMutual Foundation aims to increase access to social and economic opportunities in its local community. The increase builds upon steady growth in philanthropic support from the MassMutual Foundation since 2024 and allows the Community Foundation to support nonprofits on a greater scale.

“Our investment in the Flexible Funding program reflects our confidence in the Foundation’s deep understanding of the region and its ability to listen closely to nonprofit leaders,” said Dennis Duquette, President and CEO of the MassMutual Foundation. “By staying attuned to evolving community needs tied to the financial stability of families, the Foundation is able to direct resources where they can make the greatest impact. We are pleased to place our trust in the Community Foundation’s stewardship of this funding to strengthen organizations and communities in Springfield.”

“The MassMutual Foundation’s increased investment allows us to expand and refine our Flexible Funding support so that it best responds to the needs of the moment,” said Megan Burke, Community Foundation’s President and CEO. “It comes at a time when many nonprofit organizations are navigating reduced or uncertain federal funding this year and allows us to shape resources in ways that increase their impact, strengthen leadership, and ensure organizations have what they need to serve their communities today and into the years ahead.”

Organizations that have received Flexible Funding include:

A Queen’s Narrative
Academic Leadership Association
Action Centered Tutoring Services (ACTS)
All Farmers, Inc.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum
Amherst Cinema Arts Center, Inc.
Ancestral Bridges Foundation, Inc.
Arise for Social Justice
Art For the Soul Gallery, Inc
Art Garden, Inc.
Arts Integration Studio, LLC
Artspace Community Arts Center
Ashfield Community Preschool, Inc.
Available Potential Enterprises, Inc.
Black Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
Blues to Green
Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity
Boys & Girls Club Family Center, Inc.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield
Brick House Community Resource Center, Inc.
Caring Health Center, Inc.
Center for New Americans
Chicopee Child Development Center, Inc.
Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin & North Quabbin
Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County
Children’s Museum at Holyoke
Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts
CitySpace, Inc.
Coalition for an Equitable Economy
Collective Power, Inc.
Common Capital
Common Wealth Mural Collaborative
Community Education Project, Inc.
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, Inc.
Community Music School of Springfield, Inc
Conexiones Latinx-MA
Conway School of Landscape Design, Inc.
Darrell Lee Jenkins Jr Resource Cen
Davenport Child Care, Inc.
Double Edge Theatre Productions, Inc.
Downtown Amherst Foundation
Drama Studio, Inc.
Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
EDC 413Works, Inc.
Empty Arms Bereavement Support, Inc.
Enlace de Familias de Holyoke/Holyoke Family Network, Inc.
Families First Parenting Programs, Inc.
Five Colleges, Inc.
Franklin County Community
Gardening the Community
Girls Inc. of the Valley
Gray House, Inc.
Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity
Greenfield Community Television
Grow Food Northampton, Inc.
Hampden County Career Center, Inc. DBA MassHire Holyoke
Hampshire Regional YMCA
Hilltown Village, Inc. DBA It Takes A Village
Holyoke Community Media, Inc.
Holyoke Food and Equity Collective
Holyoke YMCA, Inc.
International Language Institute of MA, Inc
Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
LaunchSpace
LightWorks Collective
Local Access To Valley Arts (LAVA)
Looky Here, Inc.
Lupinewood Institute
Make-It Springfield
Martin Luther King Jr Family Services Inc
Massachusetts Fair Housing Center
Memorial Hall Association, Inc
Men of Color Health Awareness
Musica Franklin, Inc.
Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts Education Fund, Inc.
Northampton Center for the Arts, Inc.
Northampton Community Music Center
Northampton Parents Center, Inc.
Northeast Organic Farming Association Massachusetts Chapter
Nuestras Raices, Inc.
Parent Villages
Pioneer Valley Doula Collaborative
Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares, Inc.
Piti Theatre Company, Inc.
Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts, Inc.
Raising A Reader Massachusetts (RAR-MA, Inc.)
Resilience Center of Franklin County
Resilient Community Arts
Rick’s Place
River East School-to-Career, Inc.
Riverside Industries, Inc.
Roca, Inc.
Self-Evident Education, Inc.
Shea Theater Arts Center
Silverthorne Theater Company, Inc.
Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership, Inc
South End Community Center, Inc.
Springfield Boys & Girls Club
Springfield Jewish Community Center
Springfield No One Leaves
Springfield Operations ECS, Inc.
Springfield Pride Parade
Stavros Center for Independent Living, Inc
Stone Soup Cafe Inc
Tech Foundry
The Care Center
The Center After School Program Inc
The Dunbar Center Inc
The Heartwing Center, Inc.
The Literacy Project
The Performance Project
The Sphere Northampton
Urban League of Springfield, Inc.
Weathervane Community Arts
Wellspring Cooperative Corporation
West Springfield Boys & Girls Club, Inc.
Willow Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Inc.
Women of Color Health Equity Collective
Workshop 13, Inc.
YMCA of Greater Westfield, Inc
Young at Heart Chorus Incorporated
YWCA of Western Massachusetts