The Massachusetts Gateway Cities Program is a multi-pronged, 10-year effort to support community-driven change– both on the ground in select Gateway Cities, and at a systems level– in the areas of climate, health equity, housing, transportation, and civic engagement.
Donor Name: Merck Family Fund
State: Massachusetts
City: Holyoke and New Bedford
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/12/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
This program is anchored in place-based grant-making in the cities of Holyoke and New Bedford, represented by this RFP. Separately, MFF will support state and regional advocacy and organizing, to augment and advance city-level e orts. In addition, MFF is exploring mission-related investments (MRIs) that further advance community priorities in Holyoke and New Bedford. Finally, beginning in 2026, MFF will support non-profit capacity building, training, and convening in collaboration with area funders, partners, and grantees.
Types of Grants
The three categories of grants to be awarded through this RFP are described below.
- Community Solutions Grants: These grants are intended to support organizations that advance community-driven solutions in the areas of climate, health equity, transportation, housing, and civic engagement in ways that are connected to, or lead to, systems change. MFF understands that there are many programs, projects and/or initiatives that reflect community priorities in these areas. However, eligible work should not be “one off,” but should focus on systems change, i.e., changing one or more policies, practices, relationships, leadership structures, beliefs, or resource flows/ allocations that produce inequitable outcomes for impacted communities.
- Grant amount: $25,000-$75,000 per year (based on the scale of the proposed work).
- Grant term: 1-3 years. Requests should reflect the nature of the proposed work. For example, they anticipate that a pilot might receive 1-2 years of funding, while a longer term initiative might receive 3 years.
- Civic Engagement Grants: These grants are intended for organizations that have, or want to start, initiatives that effectively increase civic engagement among residents to advance system change. MFF is interested in funding work that is tied to at least one civic engagement goal (such as a percent increase in voter turn-out among a certain population, or a certain level of participation in an upcoming public process or in the Census).
- Grant amount: $25,000-$75,000 per year (based on the scale of the proposed work). They anticipate that funding at a level of $75k per year will be most appropriate for organizations that are already implementing successful civic engagement programs.
- Grant term: 1-3 years. Requests should reflect the nature of the proposed work. For example, they anticipate that a pilot might receive 1-2 years of funding, while a longer term initiative might receive 3 years.
- Coalition Grants: This grant category is intended to increase the capacity and impact of a new or established coalition that is working to collectively advance change related to climate, health equity, housing, transportation and/or civic engagement in Holyoke or New Bedford.
- MFF is interested in funding coalitions that have agreement over their collective goals, respective roles/responsibilities, coalition resource allocations, and work plans.
- Grant amount: $100,000- $150,000 per year
- Grant term: 3-5 years. They anticipate that 4-5 years of funding will be most appropriate for coalitions that can demonstrate member organizations’ commitment to the coalition for that full period.
- MFF is interested in funding coalitions that have agreement over their collective goals, respective roles/responsibilities, coalition resource allocations, and work plans.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for consideration, applicant organizations must:
- Advance Community Solutions, Civic Engagement, or Coalition work in Holyoke or New Bedford. Please review the RFP carefully to determine if your organization can meet this requirement.
- MFF’s funding is intended primarily for Holyoke or New Bedford, although they understand that some initiatives may also benefit nearby towns or cities.
- Be located in these cities or surrounding areas and/or know these communities well and have a successful record of working there already.
- Be a 501(c)3, have a fiscal sponsor, or be a governmental entity.
- MFF does not directly support 501(c)4s, LLCs, or for-profits at this time.
- Note, members of an MFF-funded Coalition can include organizations other than non-profits.
- Do work focused on MFF priority areas (climate, health equity, housing, transportation, or civic engagement).
For more information, visit MFF.
