Update on our local funding program

As part of a recent strategic planning process, our board of directors made the difficult decision to discontinue our local Essex County funding program by mid-2027.

Accordingly, Round 1 of 2027 will be our final round of local grants. For this final round, we will prioritize existing local grantees and will not be able to accept new applicants.

For the past 42 years, we have proudly supported many exceptional local nonprofits serving communities in our founder’s backyard. Supporting this work has been a privilege. However, as our core focus on international grantmaking has grown, the infrastructure and resources required to fund work abroad have made it increasingly difficult to respond to local needs in a timely and efficient way.

We apologize for any challenges this change may create for the local nonprofit community. Please contact us at info@nebf.org for any questions or further guidance.