NEW BEDFORD – The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has awarded $102,500 in workforce development and early literacy grants to 12 regional programs.
The funding comes from the Polaroid Fund, the Acushnet Foundation Early Literacy Consortium, and the Steere Fund.
The Polaroid Fund distributes up to $100,000 annually to organizations that support workforce development and early literacy. The community foundation manages the Polaroid Fund’s New Bedford Area grants program by contracting with the Boston Foundation.
“These grants are part of our ongoing strategy to fund programs that are working to increase the region’s historically low levels of educational attainment,” said Foundation President Craig J. Dutra.
Nine local organizations received a total of $80,500 in grants from the Polaroid Fund from April through December to support workforce development programs that emphasize advocacy and capacity building. Also supported are programs on English for Speakers of Other Languages, Adult Basic Education, and General Education Development classes.
The organizations and their funding amounts include:
Women’s Fund of Southeastern Massachusetts, $12,500.
An additional $22,000 will be used to support programs that integrate early literacy for children from birth to three years old. This includes $12,000 from the Acushnet Foundation’s Early Literacy Consortium, $7,500 from Polaroid, and $2,500 from the Steere Fund.
Three other awards are:
The foundation is a public charity charged with improving the quality of life in southeastern Massachusetts. Grant-making focuses on the communities of Greater New Bedford, Fall River and Plymouth County, serving 41 cities and towns in the region.
