Past Events

Please join us for a luncheon hosted by The Hanover Insurance Group for funders that invest in the Central Massachusetts region.Participants will have the opportunity to network with one another,...

Maximizing opportunities for informative, collaborative, and productive site visits of funders to nonprofits has been a top focus of Philanthropy Massachusetts for years. Through a yearlong process...

Often when we think of “memorials,” we picture bronze statues commemorating an individual or an event. In this conversation, we’ll work to expand this definition of memorials and think through the...

Writing an effective grant is all about connecting the dots: What is the funder seeking and how do I demonstrate my organization’s link to their specific interests? Learn to write a compelling and...

Join your peer Family Foundation EDs for a conversation around how we are responding to changes in the current political climate. Following our established norm of confidentiality, we expect to...

Join your peer arts funders to share insights about what to anticipate from this new federal administration. What is becoming more clear, and what still remains uncertain? What are the...

With tens of thousands of nonprofits sharing demographic data via their Candid profiles, the social sector now has the data to move beyond intention and into action. In 2024, Candid, a nonprofit...

Please join for the first Cape and Islands Funders Network of the new year. At this meeting the Cape Cod Commission will provide an update to their regional housing needs assessment and housing...

Discover how to turn your signature event into a powerful catalyst for annual and major gift fundraising. This workshop, led by Lori Smith Britton, Founder and Principal of Community...

At this meeting we’ll hear from Representative Lindsay Sabadosa and former Representative Smitty Pignatelli on the current state of play in Massachusetts as we navigate the next...

 A PROGRAM CO-SPONSORED BY PHILANTHROPY NY, GEO & PHILANTHROPY MARecent reports, including this report by the Cricket Island Foundation, show that philanthropy has not adapted...

Conversation with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Undersecretary Mary McGeown and the President and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of...

Join our sister organization for a special edition Philanthropy Northwest Network Call this Friday, February 7 at 11:00AM PT/ 2:00 PM ET, about implications for philanthropy in the...

We are thrilled to invite you to our February Small Business Collaborative Network Meeting! This dynamic session is designed to inspire, connect, and guide our shared efforts to strengthen the...

Join us for the first meeting of the year! This meeting is structured around the topic of automation and how it manifests in your roles as CFOs. We will divide up into small groups based on these...

With more than 30,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts, competition for funding is high. How does one get a leg up? The first step is to do your homework. It is vital to the success of your proposal...

Join us for our last Program Staff Learning Network meeting of the year. This facilitated session, will have experts from the Nonprofit & Grantmaker Advisory Group at BDO, who have...

Join us for a Get-to-Know Funders: Southeastern MA to learn about grantmakers with an interest in the Southeastern MA region!This program is free to attend, thanks to the generous support of the...

Join us at The Vilna Shul, Boston's Center for Jewish Culture in Boston. Brunch will be available from Lehrhaus, generously sponsored by an anonymous individual. If you would like to...

Over the past several months, we’ve explored how philanthropy can play a deeper role in supporting small business growth across Massachusetts. Together, we’ve brainstormed, exchanged ideas, and...

In Nov 2023, we surveyed this group about the topics you were most interested in talking with peers about, and outside speakers you would like to learn from. In this second category, hearing from a...

For our next Funders Who Fundraise program we are pleased to announce that Nanette Fridman from Effect Collective will join us to share her expertise and provide concrete ideas on how to...

Join the Data Collective for a candid conversation about evaluation and how funders can support nonprofits in this work. In dialogue with both nonprofits and funders we’ll explore why and how...

Join Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) and (Mid-Senior Level) Program Staff Learning Network, a Funder Network convened by Philanthropy Massachusetts, for breakfast,  networking,...

The U.S. government awards several trillion dollars in grants to qualified nonprofits and institutions of higher education annually. The odds of winning a federal grant for a specific competition is...

Please join the Massachusetts Community Foundation Partnership (MACFP) for a full day Summit to provide space for all Community Foundation staff to strengthen relationships, learn from each other,...

Our next Small Business Learners Collaborative will be held in person at the Wagner Foundation. Join us for a powerful discussion among Massachusetts' Black, Latinx, and Asian American business...

In this lively three-hour workshop, you will learn tips and tricks for taming your anxiety in donor conversations and practice how to reach out to your donors to more fully engage them in the life of...

Join us for the final grantmakers of color network meeting of the year. This will be an opportunity to connect with one another, continue building relationships, reflect on this year and begin to...

This program for nonprofits and funders is a follow up to the March 2024 session Site Visits: Let’s Improve Them! at which more than 150 staff and volunteers from philanthropic and nonprofit...

We were delighted with the turnout and engagement at our summer in-person meeting in Lenox at The Norman Rockwell Museum. Coming out of that meeting in July, there was an overwhelming interest in...

This meeting of Cape and Islands Funders Network follows our in-person June session. We will spend our time together in small group conversation, focusing on some of the topics that emerged when...

Nonprofit organizations often struggle with crafting compelling grant proposals that secure funding. As competition for grants intensifies, organizations need innovative strategies to stand out....

In the nonprofit world, securing the right funding is key to elevating your mission. Yet, many nonprofit leaders struggle to find the right words to authentically represent their nonprofit in a grant...

Join us in Natick at the Community Foundation for Metrowest for a breakfast meeting of the CFO & Finance Staff Network!Finance/Operations staff are often the defacto HR representatives in an...

Philanthropy has a key role to play in protecting and expanding democracy - fostering greater participation with the ultimate goal of bettering society and creating and fostering the conditions for...

In Nov 2023, we surveyed this group about the topics you were most interested in talking with peers about and outside speakers you would like to learn from. In this second category, hearing from a...

With more than 30,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts, competition for funding is high. How does one get a leg up? The first step is to do your homework. It is vital to the success of your proposal...

As Massachusetts winds down its legislative session and national politics heat up, join us and our guest Jessica Seney, Senior Policy Associate with the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, to hear about...

Can you imagine how good it will feel to have the first draft of your appeal finished at the beginning of September instead of rushing it out the door at the last minute? Join expert fundraising...

Join us for our Grantmakers of Color Network Summer Social! With most network gatherings occurring over Zoom, this event offers a great opportunity to catch up and connect with each other IN PERSON...

Staring at a blank screen can be the hardest part of writing a grant. We’ve all been there and Philanthropy MA is here to help! Instructor Rachel Ross is highly experienced at helping...

This meeting is structured around topics of interest to Network participants. While most of our time will be spent in small group conversation based on interest areas, we will have time all together....

Elevating the voices and experiences of those who have been historically silenced, misunderstood, or oppressed is critical if philanthropy wants to shift the inherent power imbalance that exists and...

Can you imagine how good it will feel to have the first draft of your appeal finished at the beginning of September instead of rushing it out the door at the last minute? Join expert fundraising...

In this meeting of the MA Arts Funders and Behavioral Health Funders Networks, facilitated by Mass Cultural Council, they and others will explore the benefits of arts, culture, and nature to existing...

Join fellow funder colleagues who fund in, and/or are based in, Western Mass (Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties) for a lunchtime conversation at the beautiful Norman Rockwell...

This program is for AI skeptics and enthusiasts alike!Recent advances in AI technology promise to free us from time-consuming fundraising tasks like compiling reports, wordsmithing appeals, note...

One of the most important jobs as program officers is to effectively communicate information to trustees and grantmaking committees to facilitate their funding decisions. This becomes even more...

Staring at a blank screen can be the hardest part of writing a grant. We’ve all been there and Philanthropy MA is here to help! Instructor Rachel Ross is highly experienced at helping...

Join Philanthropy MA staff as we walk participants through the varied programs and services we provide as Massachusetts’ statewide philanthropy serving organization (PSO). Whether you are new to the...

EVENT IS FULL - WE CAN'T ACCOMODATE WALK-INS DUE TO VENUE SECURITY POLICYJoin us for this 2024 edition of Get-to-Know Funders: Central Massachusetts! Admission to this program is free, thanks to...

Under pressure from civil society to transform the inequitable system of philanthropy, some foundations are embracing the participation of people with lived experience. One approach is participatory...

Foundations are partnering with civil legal aid to bring critically needed changes to public policy that directly affects people experiencing barriers and low wages. Join us for a conversation about...

Join peer funders in Brockton to learn about the city and the nonprofits serving the community. We invite funders already funding in Brockton, along with those who are interested in learning more, to...

We are excited to partner with Impala to provide this informational session on new capabilities now available through the Impala for Fundraisers solution. Impala staff will demonstrate how you can...

As grantmakers, state and federal agencies speak a language all their own. If acronyms such as COI, LOI, EOI, RFI, RFP, RFQ, and RFR make your head spin, this is your chance to learn how to crack the...

The network will be coming together in person in June! Please join us in West Yarmouth for lunch and conversation, as well as a chance to check in with one another face-to-face and hear updates. A...

Psychological safety is the ability to speak openly about ideas, questions, and concerns without fear of negative repercussions. Psychological safety is linked to team effectiveness and innovation...

Join us as we launch a new funder learning collaborative with a mission to address the challenges encountered by small businesses owned by people of color throughout the state. Together as a group of...

Philanthropy 201 is a three-module funder cohort series that helps staff in philanthropy deepen understanding of themselves and their role within the social sector. Designed as a companion to the...

With more than 30,000 nonprofits in Massachusetts, competition for funding is high. How does one get a leg up? The first step is to do your homework. It is vital to the success of your proposal...

This second meeting of the year will continue to serve as an opportunity for folks of color working in the field of philanthropy to check in with one another, hear updates, and connect with new...

With the school year winding down, Summer Fund partners are preparing for summer programs, many of which are kicking off in a matter of weeks. This session, facilitated by Summer Fund staff with...

Despite our best intentions, many philanthropic investments aiming to improve access to behavioral health care are hampered by sector-wide workforce shortages. Join the Behavioral Health Funders...

Help us welcome our new Chief Executive Officer Mary Skelton Roberts, who arrived today (May 1st) to lead the Philanthropy MA team!  After introducing Mary, members of our board and staff...

Concerns about increasing polarization and antisemitism on college campuses are not new. In early 2023, the MA Jewish Funders Collective ranked this as a high priority learning topic.In the wake of...

Philanthropy 201 is a three-module funder cohort series that helps staff in philanthropy deepen understanding of themselves and their role within the social sector. Designed as a companion to the...

Are you ready to work for yourself? Do you have expertise in nonprofit fundraising or management that you would like to share? Are you inspired to create something new? What’s your tolerance for risk...

“Like a body without a backbone, a sector without a strong infrastructure will crumble.” (Gibson). In the United States, the social sector is comprised of groups and organizations working to address...

Philanthropy 201 is a three-module funder cohort series that helps staff in philanthropy deepen understanding of themselves and their role within the social sector. Designed as a companion to the...

This workshop is crafted to demystify logic models and equip you with knowledge and tools to enhance your program planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. In this interactive session,...

With a desire to maintain the energy and momentum from our February meeting, where we updated one another on our work and talked about ways to facilitate collaboration, this April meeting will be a...

There is a lot happening in the world and in our nation at the moment. Nationally we're in the midst of an election year and we are observing national level decisions pushing back on equity and...

Join Philanthropy Massachusetts for Get-to-Know Funders: Western MA! These programs were formerly known as Meet-the-Donors.We're thrilled to be going out to Western MA as we welcome a blockbuster...

It’s a conversation for nonprofit nerds! The traditional nonprofit model – the 501(c)(3) organization – is a legacy structure dating back more than a century. Does it still work in today's world? If...

Foundations are most effective -- and can make the most difference in the world -- when their decisions are informed by the insights of the people and communities most harmed by the systems and...

Youth mental health is an essential consideration for summer enrichment programs and organizations as they gear up for their 2024 programming. Staff are preparing to navigate challenges including...

One of the most critical governance functions of nonprofit boards is to ensure that the organization has adequate resources to pursue its mission. In this workshop we will provide an overview of...

Founded in 1971, the Summer Fund is a donor collaborative that supports summer camps and enrichment programs for underserved youth throughout Greater Boston. The Summer Fund is operated and staffed...

Across the country and throughout the world over the last few years there has been a documented  increase in hate crimes and extremist views. Massachusetts is perceived as a liberal and...

We invite you to attend our fourth gathering of Women, Girls, and Gender Equity Funders. Based on the widespread interest we heard from you to continue meeting, we meet twice yearly. We also have set...

Nonprofit organizations often seek grant support but fall short of receiving an award. Competition for grants continues to grow as government funding dwindles. Learn how to present your case for...

In this program for nonprofits and funders, we will collaborate in real time to co-create a Site Visit Best Practices document, which could also be called Top Tips for Site Visits, Site Visits Dos...

Individual giving is the largest and often most sustainable source of funding for nonprofit organizations, but establishing a major gift program can be daunting. Join us for this interactive session...

The recent influx of immigrants and refugees into Massachusetts has dominated headlines and challenged our community- and immigrant-serving organizations in so many ways. Join peer funders focused on...

In the nonprofit world, securing the right funding is key to elevating your mission. Yet, many nonprofit leaders struggle to find the right words to authentically represent their nonprofit in a grant...

Did you know that 90% of all foundations in the U.S. do not have a web presence and cannot be found via standard online searches? That is why we at Philanthropy MA provide access to Candid’s...

MASSCreative will provide network partners with an update on cultural policy efforts in Massachusetts. We will review the status of the Creative Sector Agenda, five bills filed to address specific...

Conducting a capital campaign can seem daunting, especially if it’s your first one. This workshop will help you understand what it takes to conduct a successful capital campaign. We will explore...

Youth mental health is a perennial problem for summer enrichment programs, as staff must navigate challenges including conflict resolution, behavior management, hiring clinical staff, and securing...

If you work for a foundation that wants to engage in and/or fund election-related activities, you need this training! It reviews the federal tax rules governing public and private foundation support...

Join us for the first Western MA Funders Network meeting of the year. This meeting is a time to catch up with peers (including time in small groups), update one another on your foundation’s...

Join Philanthropy Massachusetts for our first installment of our 2024 "Get-to-Know Funders" series. These programs were formerly known as Meet-the-Donors.This event will feature funders with a focus...

As 'funders that fundraise' we aim to amplify the impact that our organizations have in our communities by partnering with donors who have aligned goals. This unique strategy brings nuanced...

Join us to learn about donor collaboratives and how to engage with these unique funding models. Staff of the Summer Fund, a donor collaborative housed at Philanthropy Massachusetts, will share the...

Everyone involved in your organization is an ambassador. So everyone -- trustees, other volunteers, staff -- needs to be able to tell at least a part of your organization's story in a way that...

Join us for a CFO and Finance Staff Network session dedicated to empowering individuals and foundations against the growing threat of cyber fraud.  As these attacks become increasingly...

Please join us for a conversation about behavioral health policy and program priorities in Massachusetts from the Undersecretary for Human Services, Mary McGeown.  The Undersecretary will...

Thank you for your interest in the Nonprofit Learning Institute!Presented by Bank of America and Philanthropy Massachusetts, the Nonprofit Learning Institute (NPLI) is comprised of a series...

Start the new year off with a fresh start on our new website!Philanthropy MA launched a new and improved website in November 2023 with the goal of increasing use of our member resources and ease...

The work of social impact leaders has never been more complex, and expectations from stakeholders never higher. The corporate changemaker plays a crucial role in addressing social and environmental...

In today’s data-driven world, effective communication of key metrics and insights is crucial for organizations to engage key audiences, make informed decisions, and build trust. Nonprofit leaders...

Like living organisms, nonprofit organizations cycle through developmental stages from conception, growth, maturity, and decline. But unlike organic organisms, those stages are not always linear or...

Join us and our special guests from Candid to learn about Guidestar and why it is important for your nonprofit to go for a Gold Seal of Transparency. Nonprofits with annual revenue or expenses...

As funders working to advance health equity in our behavioral health portfolios, we often seek to support evaluation strategies that will identify and monitor the health disparities we are trying to...

Philanthropic Intermediaries—mission-driven organizations that support the social sector in a number of ways, including serving as a bridge between grantmakers/donors and community-based...