Compassion Massachusetts receives federal grant to support youth
According to a recent article in the Berkshire Eagle, the Compassion Massachusetts program, managed by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute in co-operation with the New England Network for Child, Youth, and Family Services, is currently performing outreach to local youth based organizations in the greater Berkshire region for the purpose of providing information about the program’s benefits.
Compassion Massachusetts grants are intended to help small youth organizations expand their size and outreach capabilities. The benefits are solely dedicated to Barnstable and Berkshire counties. A total of $100,000 per year will be subdivided into smaller grants and will be awarded to between eight and ten local Berkshire eligible applicants from both faith and non-faith based youth organizations. To be eligible, organizations must have an annual fiscal budget of $500,000 or less.
In addition, another $100,000 for technical assistance is earmarked each year to pay for five hours of one-on-one consultation work for 15 to 20 organizations. A consultant will help identify areas where assistance is needed and demonstrate how to write a grant proposal.
Kathleen Jackson has been hired by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute to manage the grant and coordinate the project in collaboration with Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership, the South Berkshire Youth Coalition and the Berkshire County Legislative Delegation.
Compassion Massachusetts will hold a series of conferences for those interested in bidding for a Berkshire grant this week.
March 20, 2008
