Groundwork Massachusetts

The work begins at home! Groundwork Project will always support local community organizers in Massachusetts.

two overlapping outlines of Massachusetts, one filled with solid yellow and the other one a solid white outline

Organizing in Massachusetts

To the outside, Massachusetts may appear to be an improbable fit for Groundwork's mission. With its liberal reputation and wealth of progressive representation, it's easy to assume that our state lacks little when it comes to blue infrastructure, coalitions and capacity. That reality is much more complicated and reveals a state wrestling with profound racial, social, economic and political disparities.

Consider this: In 2020, wealthy, white suburbs around Boston saw voter turnout hovering as high as 90 percent. Meanwhile, communities of color and Gateway Cities saw two-thirds of that, at best. In 2018, people of color made up nearly 20 percent of eligible voters, but cast only around 10 percent of all ballots - a power gap of nearly 50 percent.

We believe that dramatic investment in community organizing is the only way for Massachusetts to address this systemic divide in political power and build a Commonwealth that is as inclusive, representative and innovative as its reputation leads the nation to believe.

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Organizer Grant Program

Through our flagship grant program we award unrestricted, multi-year grants to hyperlocal organizers in Massachusetts who are working in communities with the lowest voter turnout in the state. Along with grant funding, grantees get access to a vibrant cross-state grantee community and wraparound support from the Groundwork team.

Status: Open

Application Deadline: Monday, September 25

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Groundwork's National Footprint

Learn more about the states we work in across the country.

Massachusetts Organizer Grantees

Brockton Workers Alliance

Brockton, MA

Lowell Votes

Lowell, MA

Additional Massachusetts Grantees

Coalition for Social Justice

Taunton, MA

a dark blue background with white text that reads "Delivering on Equity Collective"

DELIVERING ON EQUITY

COLLECTIVE

Massachusetts, Statewide

DEMOCRACY HUBS

Massachusetts, Statewide

Essex County

Community Organization

Lynn, MA

Lawrence Community Works

Lawrence, MA

MASS ALLIANCE

Boston, MA

United Interfaith Action

of Southeastern MA

New Bedford, MA

Massachusetts Advisory Board

Headshot of Barbara Kamholz

Barbara Kamholz

EF Education First (she/her)

Headshot of Ben Downing

Ben Downing

The Engine at MIT; former State Senator (he/him)

Headshot of Celia Johnston Blue

Celia Johnston Blue

MA Women of Color Coalition (she/her)

Headshot of Cheryl Clyburn Crawford

Cheryl Clyburn Crawford

MassVOTE (she/her)

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Darien Johnson

Black Economic Council of MA (he/him)

Headshot of Darlene Lombos

Darlene Lombos

Greater Boston Labor Council (she/her)

Headshot of David Halbert

Dave Halbert

Progressive MA Funders' Collaborative (he/him)

Headshot of Deb Fastino

Deb Fastino

Coalition for Social Justice (she/her)

Headshot of Diana Hwang

Diana Hwang

Asian-American Women's Political Initiative (she/her)

Headshot of Elvis Mendez

Elvis Mendez

Neighbor to Neighbor (he/him)

Headshot of Enrique Pepen

Enrique Pepen

Boston Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (he/him)

Headshot of Jackie Jenkins Scott

Jackie Jenkins-Scott

Roxbury Community College (she/her)

Headshot of Janine Carreiro Young

Janine Carreiro

MA Community Action Network (she/her)

Headshot of Jen McAndrew

Jen McAndrew

Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts (she/her)

Headshot of Luxshmi Sivalogan

Luxshmi Sivalogan

Planned Parenthood (she/her)

Headshot of Naomi Aberly

Naomi Aberly

political activist & civic volunteer

Headshot of Shanique Spalding

Shanique Spalding

Mass Voter Table (she/her)

Headshot of Vanessa Otero

Vanessa Otero

Pioneer Valley Healing Racism Institute (she/her)

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