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Essex County Community Response Fund

ECCF’s collective effort to help nonprofits meet the moment

During times of crisis, Essex County’s nonprofits are first on the frontlines. The Essex County Community Response Fund is a collaborative effort to provide streamlined, flexible support to these organizations, which do the critical work of feeding, sheltering and protecting our friends and neighbors, and strengthening our communities.

Essex County Community Foundation is committed to being there for our local nonprofits, where and when they need us. By working with generous donors and our communities, we are ensuring that our vital nonprofits have the necessary resources to meet the current moment. And together, we are building a permanent mechanism to help them meet the moments of the future.

ECCF’s Community Response Grants are designed to help address acute community needs and establish mechanisms for longer-term recovery across the local nonprofit ecosystem. There will be multiple rounds of grants with special purposes that respond to evolving needs.

Focus Areas

The Fall 2026 round of Community Response Funding will be allocated to communities most directly affected by current and upcoming changes in SNAP and Medicaid/Mass Health eligibility requirements, as well as continuing to offer support for organizations exploring structural changes for long-term sustainability.

Food Access – Programs or services responding to increased food insecurity as a result of recent SNAP eligibility changes, and/or helping community members navigate SNAP eligibility to access benefits.
Healthcare Access – Programs or services helping MassHealth or Medicaid patients navigate recent changes in eligibility requirements and maintain or access benefits.
Structural Change Support – Capacity building or exploratory work dedicated to new partnerships, new models or larger organizational structuring shifts. (i.e. Exploration of joint partnership models, mergers, business process redesign, risk assessments, developing fee for service models, etc.).

Grant Guidelines

selection criteria

In addition to the eligibility standards listed below, grant reviewers prioritize the following when considering funding:

Funding will be prioritized for organizations that have not yet received funding via ECCF’s Community Response Fund in 2026.
Clearly defined acute or near-term need stemming from or exacerbated by recent changes in federal funding or policy.
Potential impact of the proposed work on communities in Essex County, Massachusetts, with priority reserved for organizations based within Essex County.
Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in organizational leadership, infrastructure, program design, and/or implementation.
History of sound financial management.

eligibility

Applicants must have 501(c)(3) tax status under the IRS tax code, or have a fiscal sponsor that is a 501c3.
- - Stand-alone programs applying through a fiscal agent may be eligible if they meet the following criteria:
    - The fiscal agent provides the 501(c)3 status but not much more
    - The program has a separate budget and raises its own funds to cover this budget. Note: If the program has only a small amount of administrative costs covered by the umbrella organization, they are still eligible to apply.
    - There is a letter of agreement/understanding between the program and the umbrella organization
- Applicants must provide services in Essex County.
- Grants will not be awarded:
  - To individuals
  - For sectarian or religious purposes. Programs sponsored by religious organizations are eligible, provided that enrollment is open to all and the program does not include mandatory religious instruction, worship, or other sectarian activities.
  - For political purposes
  - For debt or deficit reduction
  - For large-scale capital campaigns for buildings, land acquisition, or endowment

application procedure

Proposals must be submitted through ECCF’s Application Portal.

If you do not yet have a login for our application Portal, please read our Grant Application Process page which will give you access to the Portal.

review process

The advisory committee will be made up of ECCF Staff and Board members, as well as representatives from the community. There will be no formal site visits.

reporting requirements

No formal reporting will be required for general operating support grantees, but ECCF staff will reach out to learn more about how the funds were able to help your community. Structural support grantees will submit a brief final report.