2025 Community Grants
Learn more about and apply for a Community Grant here.The Community Grants are funds available through Northeastern University’s Office of City and Community Engagement (CCE). CCE’s mission is to be an active and responsible contributor to our local and campus communities by fostering collaborative relationships and partnerships that connect, educate, and engage people and organizations throughout our network. These grants provide financial support to local 501(c)(3) organizations that engage with Northeastern students, staff, or faculty.
To apply, please read the information below and fill out the form below with the required information.
The application to submit a grant is now closed.
The application to submit a grant is now closed.
If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact Chelsea Lauder, Director of Outreach and Programs.
What to know about the Community Grants Process
What is the goal of a Community Grant?
The vision of CCE is to be a catalyst for vibrant, interconnected, and evolving networks of individuals and communities that value equity and justice as guiding and core principles in our shared work. The goal of the Community Grants is to help fund the projects and initiatives of our community partners whose work aligns with CCE’s vision and the key goal areas we’ve identified in partnership with community members. These grants serve to support local initiatives focused on college readiness, workforce development, and health and wellness in Northeastern’s surrounding Boston neighborhoods.
Who is eligible to apply for a Community Grant?
Any 501(c)(3) organization that is currently engaging or has previously engaged with Northeastern University students, staff, or faculty in the last two academic years (2023-2024, 2024-2025), and that primarily serves the neighborhoods in which Northeastern resides is eligible to apply. Please note that organizations that have already received funding from Northeastern University in the 2024-2025 academic year are not eligible to receive a CCE Community Grant in 2025.
As Northeastern strives to be a good neighbor to the communities in which we reside, we will focus funding for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving residents of the neighborhoods of Fenway, Mission Hill, Roxbury, South End, and/or Back Bay. Your organization’s office does not need to reside in these neighborhoods, but your work must have a direct impact on one or more of them.
How much funding will applicants receive?
Organizations may apply for and receive funding for one grant, as the goal is to fund a variety of initiatives in our local communities. Selected organizations will receive up to $3,000. Funding could be used for, for example, program supplies, event supplies, volunteer recruitment and training, research, or anything else that will have an impact toward your organization’s goals. Please note that funding is not intended for salary, rent, or utilities. Applicants are not guaranteed funding.
A budget submission with general estimates of how the money will be spent is required. Grant funding will be distributed directly to the recipient 501(c)(3) organization. Additional guidelines will be provided to those whose proposals are accepted.
What type of proposals are funded?
The proposals likely to be funded are those that, in addition to meeting our basic requirements above, can demonstrate data-driven impact in at least one of the five neighborhoods listed and can provide a clear, compelling plan for the grant funds. Proposals that directly align with CCE’s goal areas of health and wellness, workforce development, and access to college/education are the most likely to receive funding.
You can find examples of proposals from past recipients in the “What organizations and projects were funded last year?” section below.
Is there any support available when applying for these grants?
An optional information session will be held via Zoom on February 18th to provide an overview of the grant process and answer any questions from interested applicants. If you are unable to attend the session, please direct questions to Chelsea Lauder at c.lauder@northeastern.edu.
RSVP for the info session at the following link:
https://northeastern.zoom.us/meeting/register/mp2Bq4qnQp2SLbNz4K9NSg#/registration
What is the 2025 Grant funding timeline?
- Submit the grant application by 5PM EST on Monday, March 3, 2025.
- Notification of funding decisions will be announced in early April with payments processed no later than 30 days after receiving required paperwork from recipients.
- Organizations can expect to receive the funds by late May if all paperwork is complete, correct, and submitted in a timely manner.
- In early 2026, please be prepared to answer a brief form to help us share your impact in our communities and promote next year’s grant cycle.
What organizations and projects were funded last year?
While the criteria for the 2025 Community Grants are slightly different from past years, the excerpts below are strong examples of initiatives that we may fund.
Fresh Truck at BHA
Granted $2,000 for Fresh Truck Mobile Market Pop-ups
Boston Housing Authority oversees the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Program, which provides pathways for residents to achieve self-sufficiency at four BHA housing sites: Alice Taylor (Roxbury), Franklin Field (Dorchester), Mildred C. Hailey (Jamaica Plain), and Ruth Barkley Apartments (South End). Using funds from the Northeastern Community Grant, BHA will connect 300 residents at the three housing sites located in Northeastern University’s service areas with the Fresh Truck mobile market by hosting neighborhood nutrition events. Residents will receive bags containing neighborhood nutrition guides, health and wellness items, community resource guides, federal resource guides, and ROSS outreach materials for on-site services. The goal of the resource bags will be to provide health and wellness items directly to residents in order to assist with household health short-term, while federal and community resources will be distributed in the bags to improve the long-term health of public housing residents. The funds of this grant will support BHA in hosting an oral health and nutrition workshop series in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission, as well as three Fresh Truck mobile market pop-up events, bringing affordable healthy foods to the community.
Mission Hill Arts Fest
Granted $2,000 for Fresh Truck Mobile Market Pop-ups
The Mission Hill Arts Festival (MHAF), born of the community, has now grown to a dynamic and thriving gathering of artists and art enthusiasts, of all ages and life contexts, from Mission Hill, and from Boston proper and beyond. The sustaining energy and vitality of the Festival is generated by the collective desire of the community, audience, artists, collaborators, supporters, and volunteers to actively participate, to enrich one another and be enriched by the arts.
A distinguishing trait of the Mission Hill Arts Festival is the dedicated time to dialogue to foster a sense of community and openness, creating a climate of shared commitment to progress and growth. One of the Festival’s goals is to continue to increase a positive perception of Mission Hill as an enjoyable, safe, and inspiring neighborhood. We believe that through the Arts we can achieve that! And support from NEU will sustain this goal!