Berkshire Bank Foundation

• Berkshire Bank Foundation funds upward economic mobility, racial equity and opportunities for success, with themes that include small business entrepreneurship, housing, food insecurity, educational advancement and arts and culture, so check that your work sits within one of them.
• Organisations that are not tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charities are excluded, so if your organisation does not hold that status, it should not apply.
• The filing states no geographic focus, so location is not a stated limit, and most grants to organisations are small: about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $500 and $10,000, with a median of $2,500, though its largest grant was $100,000, so a modest request fits its typical range.
• Applications are written and must include an IRS determination letter, a current board list, a board-approved operating budget, the most recent annual report, Form 990 and a financial audit report, and they are due by 15 December, March, June or September.
• Repeat funding is strong, with 71% of its grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had also funded in one of its two filings before the latest, but a first-time applicant should not be put off by being new.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Common Capital · Small and micro business lending and business assistance expansion- multi-year
  $33,3332024 tax year
• GreenPath · Greenpath financial wellness support
  $30,0002024 tax year
• Berkshire Family YMCA · Berkshire family ymca full of possibilities campaign
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Worcester Center for Performing Arts · The hanover theatre & conservatory's annual production of the nutcracker
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Worcester Regional Strategic Opportunities Fund · Worcester regional strategic opportunities fund
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Berkshire Theatre Group · Btg plays! year-round education program
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Westfield State University Foundation · Westfield state university internship and student success initiatives
  $25,0002024 tax year
• Mcla Foundation Inc · Mcla basic needs center
  $25,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.