Funding Requests (Agencies Only)

Each year, the Stow Community Chest raises and allocates funds to local non-profit service organizations to meet the needs of our community. If you are an individual in need of a service, please see our Guide to Human Services to find an agency that can assist you or go to Mass 2-1-1.

Determine Your Eligibility

Non-profit organizations may be eligible for funding from the Stow Community Chest if they meet these initial criteria:

• Align with our purpose: The purpose of this Community Chest shall be to encourage, assist and support health, welfare, charitable, educational, and character building agencies and projects; to raise and allocate funds needed to provide the aforementioned human services and to maximize the resources available to such agencies and projects; to muster community support for the attainment of Community Chest objectives; to manage Community Chest operations effectively, and to offer assistance to agencies of a general nature and/or in response to needs relating to the community. Special focus shall be given to agencies and projects that have strong local impact.

• Be a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

• Demonstrate that Chest funds are essential to its operations

Submit a Request for Funding

New Agencies:

If your agency meets the above eligibility requirements, has never received funding, and would like to become affiliated with the Stow Community Chest, please send a written request. Your request should include the following information: (1) Your agency representative’s full contact information; (2) a description of your organization and its mission; and (3) the services provided to Stow residents and approximate number of Stow residents served. Please email your request before November 1 of the year in which you want to be considered for allocations or mail it to us at P.O. Box 392, Stow, MA.

Current Agencies:

If you have previously received funds from the Chest, we urge you to re-apply every year. A new application will be automatically sent in January and must be completed by March 1.

Funding Decisions

We make our funding decisions in late spring and distribute funding in June. The amount of money we grant to agencies is always dependent on the amount that is raised through our fundraising campaign. In addition, we use the following criteria to evaluate applications:

• Is the agency meeting an urgent community need, one that could not be met by another agency?

• Should the agency’s service program be supported by public (tax) resources, rather than by voluntary contributions?

• Does the agency offer, or propose to provide, a unique or innovative service or more efficiency for existing services?

• Does the agency propose to work on high priority problems or in a geographical area with great need for its services?

• Is the quality and quantity of the agency’s service sufficient to justify its support by broad-based community fundraising?

• Will the inclusion of the agency assist broad-based community fundraising?

• Does the agency’s program meet or exceed the accepted standards of service?

• Will the provided services be available to all persons without unconstitutional or otherwise illegal discrimination?

The Stow Community Chest wishes to be responsive to a broad spectrum of groups within the community. As a fundraising organization, we must take under advisement the implications of affiliation, or denial of affiliation, on our fundraising ability. We are also interested in providing a lasting benefit to Stow.