Watertown, MA, June 8, 2023

For Immediate Release 

Watertown Community Foundation Awards $135,000 in Spring Grants  

Investing in the Mission and Programs of 25 Organizations  

The Watertown Community Foundation awarded $135,000 in institutional and program grants at their spring grants celebration last night to support 25 organizations serving the Watertown community.

“We received so many great proposals, nearly $200,000 in funding requests this year from over 25 Watertown community-based organizations, including the City of Watertown.  It’s exciting to see how our non-profits are responding to the diverse needs of the Watertown community with programs and services that are innovative and positively impact and enrich the lives of our neighbors and residents,” said Mary Ann Mulligan, WCF Co-President and Grants Committee Chair.

Spring grant awards fall into two separate categories: institutional and program support. Eleven non-profits central to Watertown received $69,000 in institutional grants to support their organization's mission, staffing and operating costs.

Twenty-five programs, run by an additional 14 organizations that serve Watertown, received $66,000 in funds for new or existing programs with a broad educational focus that operate outside of Watertown’s public schools. This includes seven programs sponsored by the City of Watertown which received 39% of this year’s program grant funds. Funding will support three programs run by the Watertown Free Public Library: Project Literacy, The Hatch Makerspace, and Watertown Pride Extravaganza, in addition to programs sponsored by the Commander’s Mansion, the Public Arts and Culture Committee, and the Watertown Cultural Council.

“The Watertown Free Public Library provides books and so much more to the Watertown community. Residents see our library as a community heartbeat and a place to learn and create in all sorts of ways. Funds from the Watertown Community Foundation make it possible for us to respond to Watertown with innovative programs for everyone,” says Caitlin Browne, Executive Director, Watertown Free Public Library.

You can view WCF’s Spring Grantee Recipient list on the Watertown Community Foundation website here.

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About Watertown Community Foundation 

The Watertown Community Foundation works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations. To accomplish this, WCF connects networks of non-profits, grantees, program participants, and stakeholders; builds financial resources from people and partner institutions; grants funding opportunities to non-profits and community projects. Since its inception in 2003, WCF has awarded more than $3,000,000 in grants to programs and organizations serving Watertown.  

WCF Board of Directors: Lauren Coughlin Unsworth and Mary Ann Mulligan; Co-Presidents; Albrik Avanessian; Emily Barclay; Jennifer Davis; Ninos Hanna; Eileen Hsu-Balzer; Heather Leary; Maria Panaggio-Phillips; Anthony Paolillo; Lora Sabin; Robert Shay; David Siegel; Felicia Sullivan; Elaina Themistos; and Donna Tuccinardi

Media Contact:

Tia Tilson
Watertown Community Foundation
Tia.Tilson@watertownfoundation.org