Rockland Trust’s philanthropic mission is to strengthen the communities served by the Bank. We enable individuals and their families to access opportunity and improve the quality of their lives.
GEOGRAPHIC REQUIREMENTS
Organizations must be located in, and serve individuals of, at least one of the following geographic areas:
Barnstable County, MA Middlesex County, MA Suffolk County, MA
Bristol County, MA Nantucket County, MA Worcester County, MA
Dukes County, MA Norfolk County, MA
Essex County, MA Plymouth County, MA
Providence County, RI
GRANT FOCUS AREAS
The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation provides program and general operating funding that meet its defined focus areas, listed below, through its grant program. We prioritize our grants to organizations and programs that serve a majority low-to-moderate income population in the
following focus areas:
GRANT GUIDELINES
• Affordable Housing – priority is given to programs that create and provide safe,
affordable housing, or provide programs and services to provide shelter and/or foster
homeownership or ensure that individuals and families stay in their current homes,
thereby preventing homelessness. Examples of funded programs are:
o Development of low-to-moderate income housing
o Emergency home repairs
o Rental assistance programs
o Homebuyer education programs
o Foreclosure prevention and homeowner counseling programs
o Domestic violence and homeless shelters
• Children & Youth – priority is given to programs that are preventive in nature and that
focus on providing children and youth with equal access and opportunity to programs
and services that foster health, wellness, education, and leadership skills to achieve their
full potential. Examples of funded programs are:
o Parenting education and training
o Early childhood education
o Social-emotional and mental health, including grief support programs
o After-school enrichment/tutoring programs in sports, arts, leadership with an
educational component
o Mentoring and literacy programs
o Access to summer camps for underserved youth
o Career/College exploration, preparation and support
Requests for youth sports teams, parent teacher organizations, Scout troops, local
scholarships, education foundations, food insecurity/access and basic needs (holiday gifts,
backpacks, clothing, etc.) are considered for support through Rockland Trust’s Community
Donation program.
• Financial Education – support is provided to organizations that offer financial literacy
programs, including money management, budgeting, banking, credit building and debt
reduction
• Small Business Support – support is provided to organizations that offer programs to
support small, for-profit businesses and entrepreneurial assistance programs that
strengthen our communities.
• Workforce Development – support of programs/organizations that enable individuals to
build employment skills they will need to achieve their potential and become
contributing members of society.
o Adult education, e.g., English as a Second Language
o Job preparation, training, and placement
Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation’s average grant amount is $5,000, but can range from $2,500 - $10,000+.