Pelham Community Impact Fund

Background

Pelham Community Impact Fund

Pelham Apartments is a mixed-income, 540-unit residential development located in southeast Framingham, constructed around 1967. Its board has a long history of supporting residents and the surrounding community. A notable milestone is building a new community center and learning facility that opened in 2020, the Pelham Lifelong Learning Center (PLLC). The Pelham Community Impact Fund is an additional initiative to strategically support local groups working with residents and community members.

Vision/Mission

The Pelham Community Impact Fund envisions “a community where residents have access to and are able to connect with resources and opportunities.” Its mission is to work to sustain and amplify local organizations that build on community strengths, address local needs, and create opportunities and connections, particularly for those with low‑ and moderate‑incomes. To reach these ambitious goals, the Fund partners with Pelham leaders, residents, constituents, and friends.

Values

Collaboration & Responsiveness. We believe in working alongside community members and organizations to identify and address needs as they emerge.

Equity-Centered. We prioritize the needs of those who have been historically underserved and work to ensure that resources reach those who need them most.

Impact & Effectiveness. We invest in organizations and programs that demonstrate clear, measurable results for the community.

Sustainability. We aim to have a permanent presence in the area and support work that builds lasting capacity and long-term strength in the community.

Program Priorities

The Fund will consider grant applications in the following areas:

Basic Needs & Emergency Direct Cash Assistance — Support for organizations providing food access, housing stability, emergency financial assistance, and other essential services to area residents facing hardship.

Community Engagement & Enrichment Opportunities — Support for programs that bring area residents together, build skills, and enrich community life, including scholarships for youth development, higher education, and workforce training programs.

Education & Workforce Development — Support for programs that strengthen educational outcomes, further professional and career potential, and expand economic opportunity for area residents of all ages.

Health & Wellness — Support for programs that improve physical, mental, and social well-being for area residents.

The Fund is flexible with the types of requests it will consider. Requests may be for programs, general operating expenses, capacity-building, advocacy (subject to legal requirements for 501(c)(3) organizations), and/or capital. Collaborations between partnering organizations are highly encouraged. Organizations proposing to work directly with and within the Pelham Lifelong Learning Center must include a letter of support from the PLLC’s Executive Director as part of their application.

Q&A INFO SESSION

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Fund’s guidelines and attend an in-person only Q&A info session on Thursday, October 1st. A light breakfast will be served at 9am, followed by a formal presentation at 9:30am.

Application Process

The Pelham Community Impact Fund awards grants annually in May through a two-step review process.

Step 1: Letter of Interest (LOI) Review (2026)

• August: Final guidelines posted on the Fund’s website
• September 1st: Portal of the online application system opens for LOI submissions
• October 1st: In-person Q&A session for interested applicants
• October 23: LOIs due via the online portal
• November-early December: Pelham reviews LOIs and invites semi-finalists to submit full proposals

LOI Deadline: October 23, 2026
Access Code for the application: ‘pelham‘

Step 2: Full Proposal Review (2027)

• January 15: Full proposal deadline for semi-finalists
• February-March: Site visits (in-person or virtual)
• April-May 2027: Pelham reviews full proposals and determines finalists
• Late May-June 2027: Full proposal awards announced & disbursed
• June-July 2027: Grant award celebration

More Details

For more comprehensive information regarding the fund, including the application process and eligibility criteria, we invite you to download the complete grant program guidelines by clicking the button below.