Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation announces highest-ever level of grants for 2025

Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation is awarding $600,000 in grants through the 2025 Community & Impact Grants program. This 2025 funding level marks a 13% increase from 2024, setting a new record for the community foundation’s annual local giving. This funding will support community-based projects at 54 nonprofit organizations serving the Island across sectors including food access, health care, arts and culture, language access, the environment, and services for children and seniors.

The Community & Impact Grant program is offered annually to nonprofits based on or providing significant service to the Island. The Community Foundation received 61 applications from organizations of different budget sizes and operating structures. The common thread is that the nonprofits proposed projects with a common purpose: making a significant positive impact on the lives of Islanders.

“Our local nonprofits are facing enormous challenges, given changes at the national level. The direct impact is beginning to be felt here on the Vineyard by the nonprofits providing so many essential services. We saw this in this grant cycle where 61 nonprofits asked us for over $1,000,000 in grant support. Our board members did an outstanding job in allocating our funding,” said Paul Schulz, Executive Director of Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation.

A closer look at the 2025 grant recipients and their initiatives:

Accessibility:

• Camp Jabberwocky
• Island Autism Group
• Mass Audubon / Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
• Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center
• The Great Blizzards of Massachusetts Special Hockey

Arts and Cultural Enrichment:

• Circuit Arts
• Island Community Chorus
• Islanders Write
• Mariposa Museum & World Culture Center
• Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society
• Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition

Martha’s Vineyard Museum:

• The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing
• Vineyard Preservation Trust
• West Tisbury Library Foundation

Children’s Services:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts
• Friends of Children’s Cove

Educational Opportunity:

• Aquinnah Cultural Center
• Chilmark Preschool
• Garden Gate Child Development Center
• Island Children’s School
• Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy
• Penikese Island School
• Sail Martha’s Vineyard
• Sassafras Earth Education
• Vineyard Montessori School

Elder Services:

• Healthy Aging MV
• Island Elderly Housing
• Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living

Environmental Initiatives:

• Biodiversity Works
• Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society
• Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group
• Vineyard Conservation Society

Food Security:

• Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands
• First Congregational Church of West Tisbury
• Grace Church
• Island Grown Initiative
• Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club
• Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust
• The United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard

Health Services:

• Cape Wellness Collaborative
• Health Imperatives
• Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard
• Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group
• Martha’s Vineyard Hospital
• Vineyard Health Care Access Program

Housing:

• Harbor Homes

Language Access

• ACE MV
• Communication Ambassador Partnership (CAP)

Other Community Groups:

• Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard
• Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and the Islands
• Friends of MVY Radio
• MV Mediation
• Vineyard House