What We Do

The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts was established to give individuals and families a way to give back to the community to causes they care passionately about. When you create a charitable fund, you have the opportunity to benefit the community forever with a permanent endowment. Your gift is invested over time. Earnings from your fund are used to make grants addressing community needs. Create your own fund.

The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts manages more than 150 funds created by generous individuals, families and businesses. These funds make grants to support specific organizations or areas of interest, including education, the arts, health & human services, animal protection and environmental causes. You can donate to any of these funds now and make a difference. Search our funds.

When you give to the Community Foundation’s General Endowment Funds, you are helping address a broad range of local needs — including future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time your gift is made. We evaluate all aspects of community well-being: arts and culture, economic development, education, environment, health and human services, neighborhood revitalization, and more. The flexibility of your unrestricted gift enables the community foundation’s program experts to respond to the community’s most pressing needs, today and tomorrow. Donate today.

If you wish to leave a gift that costs nothing during your lifetime, you can include the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts in your will or estate plan, ensuring that your charitable vision endures forever. You can leave a specific dollar amount, a property, a percentage of your estate or the remainder after distributions to other beneficiaries. To Learn More

When you join The Legacy Society of North Central Massachusetts, you’ll find opportunities to share and connect with other caring individuals in the community. You’ll be invited to:  

• Name your charitable fund. We encourage you to use your gift to honor the name of your family or loved one. You may also choose to remain anonymous.  
• Attend special community events. You’ll be invited to various Community Foundation events to meet other generous people who have provided for North Central Massachusetts in their estate plans.  
• Learn of changes to Massachusetts probate or federal tax law. We will make sure we keep you up-to-date on changes to state and federal tax laws.  
• Be named in Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts publications. We’d like to give others the opportunity to follow your example of community stewardship and leadership. Of course, you can remain anonymous.  
• Share your personal story. We would like to preserve your story and photographs for future generations who will receive grants from your fund.  

Including a charitable bequest in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift to your community. Download More Information or Contact Linda Mack. 

When the year-end approaches, many individuals will start to give more thought to pressing financial issues. One of them may be their charitable giving options. Here are five questions to consider.  

1. Have you sold a business, inherited property, or otherwise experienced a change in circumstances that could have tax implications?
2. Do you find yourself in the fortunate position of holding highly appreciated stock or real estate assets?
3. Do you feel you don’t have enough time to consider properly which organizations you would like to support?
4. Is this the year for you to create a lasting legacy by planning for an estate gift or by establishing an endowment?
5. Have you thought about opening a fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts?

Download Flyer on Potential Tax Savings