Community Workforce Partnerships Grant Program

Community Workforce Partnerships Grant Program is sponsored by Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED). This competitive workforce development grant funds projects that create workforce development opportunities and economic mobility within Massachusetts cities and towns.

Community Workforce Partnership Grant... — Massachusetts Executive... Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Opened/Updated This Week 0 $0 Community Workforce Partnership Grant Program This program provides funding to Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations for collaborative workforce development projects that help low-income communities and vulnerable youth gain job skills and secure stable employment.

The Community Workforce Partnerships Grant Program is administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) and is designed to support community-led workforce development initiatives that promote economic mobility across the Commonwealth.

The program focuses on strengthening workforce opportunities for low-income communities, vulnerable youth, and young adults by funding collaborative, locally driven solutions that address specific economic challenges or opportunities within a single municipality.

The initiative emphasizes equipping individuals with job skills, credentials, and supportive services necessary to secure stable employment or achieve wage growth within a one-year timeframe. This competitive grant program prioritizes partnerships among nonprofit organizations, community groups, educational institutions, businesses, and local governments.

Eligible applicants must be Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations with demonstrated experience in workforce development and a minimum of $500,000 in gross revenue, applying on behalf of a coalition with at least one additional partner.

Projects must be rooted in a clearly defined geographic area, such as a city, town, or Boston neighborhood, and must target a specific population that has been involved in shaping the project and faces identifiable workforce barriers.

Funding supports a range of workforce development activities including job skills training, adult literacy and English language learning with a workforce focus, and small business employee development such as apprenticeships, recruitment, and retention strategies. Allowable expenses include staff salaries, program materials, participant stipends, supportive services such as childcare and transportation, and partner subcontracts.

However, capital expenditures, large equipment purchases, vehicles, and certain administrative or fundraising costs are not eligible. The grant operates on a cost reimbursement basis with structured payment milestones tied to performance and reporting. The maximum award for this program is $200,000, with a contract performance period running from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027.

Projects must demonstrate measurable outcomes using SMART goals and show a clear connection between program activities and employment or wage outcomes. Evaluation criteria include alignment with community needs, strength of partnerships, innovation, demonstrated impact, and the ability to provide at least two direct supportive services such as housing stabilization, childcare, transportation, healthcare navigation, or CORI sealing.

The application process requires submission through the Submittable platform and includes a written application, a detailed budget, a video response component, IRS Form 990, and letters of support from partners. The video component is intended to provide qualitative insight into the applicant’s approach and community engagement. Applications must be submitted by May 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.

m. , and late submissions will not be accepted. An informational webinar is scheduled for April 13, 2026, and questions are addressed through a centralized FAQ process rather than direct responses from staff.

Award notifications are anticipated in September 2026, with project implementation beginning in January 2027. Grantees are required to submit quarterly financial and performance reports throughout the grant period, with a final report due January 15, 2028.

The program is part of a broader state strategy to advance economic equity and workforce readiness, emphasizing tailored, community-informed approaches that can deliver both immediate and long-term impact.

Cost reimbursement grant with quarterly reporting; payments structured as 50% upfront, 25% after expenditure verification, and final 25% upon completion; performance period Jan-Dec 2027 Eligible applicants must be Massachusetts nonprofit organizations with IRS tax-exempt status at the time of application, demonstrated experience in workforce development services, and at least $500,000 in gross revenue as shown on their most recent IRS Form 990.

Applicants must apply on behalf of a partnership or coalition that includes at least one additional active organization and must serve as the lead entity responsible for managing funds and reporting. Projects must focus on a single Massachusetts municipality and target a defined population facing workforce barriers.

Strong applications have clear community need alignment, active multi-sector partnerships, integration of support services (e.g., childcare, housing), and target population involvement in project design Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) Employment Labor and Training