2026-2027 Community Partner Grants (CPG)
ARAW’s review process is highly selective and favors a small number of organizations which show effectiveness and the promise of long-term impact.
The 2026/2027 Community Partner Grant is open to all organizations which demonstrate a commitment to low-income, elderly women in the Greater New Bedford community.
This cycle ARAW’s funding decisions will prioritize those organizations which also address fundamental human needs including food, shelter, physical health, mental health, accessibility and other social determinants of health.
A link to the RFP and application for ARAW’s 2026/2027 Community Partner Grant full will be available on Friday, November 21, 2025.
2025-2026 Community Partner Grants (CPG)
Through Community Partner Grants, ARAW invests in community partners which demonstrate a commitment to low-income, elderly women in the Greater New Bedford community.
As ARAW continues to embrace a Trust Based Philanthropy approach, we have come to recognize that the funder-grantee partnership is strongest when both parties prioritize trust, dialogue, transparency, relationship-building and the iterative process in their practices. Therefore, by adopting the Trust Based Philanthropy philosophy and practices, we endeavor to go beyond the check and create a true partnership with the organizations with whom we chose to invest.
On April 1, 2025, ARAW awarded nineteen Community Partner Grants to organizations which demonstrated a commitment to low-income elderly women in New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Dartmouth and Westport. These grants provide $5,000 to $30,000 in general operating support for one-year (4/1/25-3/31/26).
2025-2026 Program Partner Awards
awarded $274,500 on April 1, 2025
Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity
Buzzards Bay Coalition
Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford
Coastal Foodshed, Inc.
Coastal Neighbors Network, Inc.
Community Nurse Home Care
Fairhaven Council on Aging
New Bedford Art Museum
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
New Bedford Whaling Museum
PACE
South Coast LGBTQ+ Network
South Coastal Counties Legal Services
Westport Council on Aging
Women’s Fund SouthCoast
YMCA Southcoast
YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
2024-2025 Program Partner Awards
awarded over $200,ooo on April 1, 2024
Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity
Buzzards Bay Coalition
Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford
Coastal Foodshed, Inc.
Coastal Neighbors Network, Inc.
Community Nurse Home Care
Dartmouth Council on Aging
DEAF Inc.
Fairhaven Council on Aging
New Bedford Art Museum
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
New Bedford Whaling Museum
PACE
South Coast LGBTQ+ Network
South Coastal Counties Legal Services
Westport Council on Aging
Women’s Fund SouthCoast
YMCA Southcoast
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
2023-2024 Community Partner Grant
awarded over $200,ooo on April 1, 2023
2023-2024 Outreach Partner Awards
Westport Council on Aging
2023-2024 Program Partner Awards
Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford
Coastal Neighbors Network, Inc.
DEAF Inc.
New Bedford Art Museum (NBAM/ArtWorks!)
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
South Coast LGBTQ+ Network
South Coastal Counties Legal Services
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
For information and to learn about the grant process,
please contact ARAW Executive Director, Clare Healy Foley
at cfoley@arawofnb.org or (508) 717-0400
