July 2020
Community Benefits Advisory Committee announced that applications for $10,000 grants for up to 100 eligible 501c3 nonprofit organizations would be accepted between July 1 through July 10, 2020. Grant agreements were awarded to provide services to vulnerable Cambridge residents during the COVID-19 emergency and recovery that respond to the needs identified in the Cambridge Community Needs Assessment and subject to the requirements of the Community Benefits Advisory Committee Ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 2.127.
Of the 128 complete applications received, 106 were determined to be eligible. While the appropriation for this funding was for $1 million, the Committee recommended that $60,000 from previously appropriated Community Benefit Stabilization Fund balances be considered so that all 106 eligible nonprofit organizations would receive a grant award.
June 2020
$10,000 Grants for up to 100 Eligible 501c3 Nonprofit Organizations Announced
The Community Benefits Advisory Committee announced it will issue an application in early July for $10,000 grants to nonprofit organizations. Up to 100 grants will be awarded to eligible 501c3 nonprofit organizations to provide services to vulnerable Cambridge residents during the COVID-19 emergency and recovery. These services must respond to the needs identified in the Cambridge Community Needs Assessment and subject to the requirements of the Community Benefits Advisory Committee Ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 2.127.
Given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee intends for this process to be as expedient and simple as possible. If you would like to be contacted when the application is issued, please email communitybenefits@cambridgema.gov.
March 2020
The City has entered into Implementation Grant agreements with the following partnerships:
- Cambridge Community Center (Lead Organization) – Agassiz Baldwin Community, East End House
- Community Art Center (Lead Organization) – Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Tutoring Plus
- De Novo, Inc. (Lead Organization) – Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, Inc., Transition House, Inc.
- Just-A-Start Corporation (Lead Organization) – Cambridge Family & Children’s Service, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Housing Authority, Institute for Health and Recovery
December 2019
Plan for Implementation Due – Friday, December 20th @ 12:00pm
The Plan for Implementation summarizes each Community Benefits Partnership's proposal to meet the needs of Cambridge residents over a period of three (3) years.
Proposals must be submitted to communitybenefits@cambridgema.gov before the deadline.
November 2019
The Community Benefits Partnerships submitted Planning Phase Progress Reports on Friday, November 1. The Committee will check in with each partnership to gain insight on their experience during the Planning Phase and progress to date, and provide feedback that may assist partnerships advance towards successful Plans for Implementation. These check-ins will be held on:
- Tuesday, November 12 - 10:30am-2pm – City Hall, Ackermann Room, 759 Massachusetts Avenue
- Thursday, November 14 - 1-3:30pm – City Hall, Ackermann Room, 759 Massachusetts Avenue
October 2019
The Committee will host a second convening with Planning Grant Awardees and Health Resources in Action to provide an update on key components of the Planning Phase of the Community Benefits Funding Process. This meeting is open to the public.
- Thursday, October 10 - 2-4pm – Cambridge Public Library, Main Branch, 449 Broadway, Lecture Hall
June 2019
The City has entered into grant agreements with the following partnerships:
- Cambridge Community Center (Lead Organization) – Agassiz Baldwin Community, East End House
- Community Art Center (Lead Organization) – Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Tutoring Plus
- De Novo, Inc. (Lead Organization) – Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, Inc., Transition House, Inc.
- Just-A-Start Corporation (Lead Organization) – Cambridge Family & Children’s Service, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Housing Authority, Institute for Health and Recovery
The Committee will convene a Planning Grant Kickoff with Planning Grant Awardees and Health Resources in Action to provide an overview and collectively articulate the vision and goals of the Planning Phase of the Community Benefits Funding Process. This meeting is open to the public.
- Thursday, June 20 - 2-4pm – City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor
March & April 2019
Review of Planning Grant Proposals
The Committee will review Planning Grant Proposals and interview each partnership, followed by recommendations to the City Manager for the approval of grant awards with nonprofit organizations.
The Planning Grant Proposals submitted to the Committee can be found in the "Request for Proposals (RFP)" tab.
February 2019
Planning Grant Proposals Due
The application for the Planning Grant is due Friday, February 15th by 12:00pm. Proposals must be submitted to communitybenefits@cambridgema.gov before the deadline.
January 2019
Informational Session for Potential Applicants
The Committee will convene a second Informational Session on:
- Wednesday, January 16 - 9-11am – City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor
November 2018
Informational Session for Potential Applicants
Following the release of the Planning Grant RFP, there will be a data presentation, Q&A session, and networking opportunity for interested nonprofit organizations:
- Wednesday, November 28 - 3-5pm – Cambridge Public Library, Main Branch, 449 Broadway, Lecture Hall
Planning Grant Request for Proposals - November 9, 2018
Click on the "Request for Proposals (RFP)" tab for more information.
Cambridge City Council - November 5, 2018
The Committee will appear before the Cambridge City Council on Monday, November 5th to request that funds in the Community Benefits Stabilization Fund be made available to be used for grant agreements with nonprofit organizations to address the city's most pressing needs, and to contract with a Project Evaluator to work with grantees and the Committee. Please visit the City Council's Open Meeting Portal for the agenda and supporting documents.
For more information, please contact Wendell Joseph at communitybenefits@cambridgema.gov.
August 2018
CNC/CCF Networking Event
The Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition and the Cambridge Community Foundation will hold a joint network event for nonprofit organizations interested in applying for Community Benefits Funds. This informal gathering is an opportunity to get an update on the City's process to release the Request for Proposals, and for nonprofit leaders to engage with their peers and build on existing partnerships, or form new partnerships.
This event will be held on Wednesday, August 1 from 4:30-6:30pm at the Cambridge Community Foundation, 99 Bishop Allen Drive.
For more information, please contact Elena Sokolow-Kaufman at elena@cambridgenc.org.
June 2018
Listening Sessions - Feedback & Comments
The Committee has compiled the feedback received on the Framework for Community Benefits Funding, and will continue to refine its process to provide clarity on key comments and questions.
May 2018
Listening Sessions
The Committee hosted listening sessions to solicit feedback on its Framework for Community Benefits Funding on the following dates:
- Tuesday, May 15 - 3-5pm – City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor
- Wednesday, May 16 - 10am-12pm – Cambridge Public Library, Main Branch, 449 Broadway, Lecture Hall
May 2017
Community Benefits Advisory Committee
The Committee was formed with thirteen members appointed by the City Manager, and charged with soliciting and evaluating applications from local nonprofit organizations for the provision of services to Cambridge residents, and to establish rules, regulations, and guidelines for the proper administration and implementation of community benefits funding.
Community Benefits Ordinance
The purpose of the Committee and its process, is to identify community benefits needs of the residents of Cambridge based on the priorities established by the City Council and to solicit and evaluate applications for the provision of said services by qualified applicants in order to make recommendations to the City Manager for the allocation of Community Benefits Funds for the award of grant agreements or contracts for the provision of said services. (Community Benefits Advisory Committee, City of Cambridge’s Code of Ordinances, Section 2.127)
Community Benefits Funds refer to monies offered to and received by the City, from developers from zoning amendments or agreements entered, to be expended for community benefits or related purposes. Between 2010 and 2018, mitigation funds designated for community benefits purposes were pledged to the City through these amendments and agreements. While over $20 million has been pledged to this fund, approximately $7.5 million has been received by the City to date. Upon completion of various stages of development, additional monies will be deposited into the Community Benefits Fund to further assist in the expansion of services to better meets the needs of Cambridge residents.
Guiding Principles for Funding
The guiding principles for prioritizing needs and resources, and appropriating funds for community benefits purposes, was first established by the ordinance. The Needs Assessment Advisory Committee endorsed and adopted these principles, then recommended additional principles for funding:
Frame Needs Thoughtfully
- *Fund programs or services that directly benefit Cambridge residents.
- *Emphasize funding priorities established by the City Council informed by the outcomes of the Needs Assessment.
- Prioritize support for vulnerable and undeserved populations.
- *Consider neighborhood(s) impacted by development projects.
Build on Existing Assets and Programs
- *Consider other public resources allocated to a neighborhood in order to better understand unmet needs.
- Promote awareness of and connection to existing programs and services.
- Prioritize approaches that leverage other private and public resources.
- Encourage an asset-based approach that recognizes and builds on the resilience of Cambridge residents and communities.
Promote Holistic Approaches, Innovation, and Collaboration
- Recognize the inter-connectedness among community needs.
- Emphasize holistic and creative ideas that promote prevention and coordination across systems and organizations.
- Remain open to bold and innovative approaches to challenging issues.
- Recognize that addressing community challenges takes time, and provide the latitude for longer term interventions.
- *Prioritize funding for nonprofit applicants that promote collaboration, partnership, and collective impact.
- Encourage and incorporate program evaluation to identify which strategies work best.
Simplify the Application Process
- *Establish a transparent, inclusive, and collaborative process.
- *Provide support and technical assistance to nonprofits in the application process to ensure equal opportunity and access.
- *Provide opportunities for renewable grants to returning nonprofit providers that have an excellent performance evaluation record and programmatic success
*guiding principles established by the ordinance
The Cambridge Community Needs Assessment and its findings are essential to the work of the Community Benefits Advisory Committee. The report is provided below.
For more information on the process, please visit the Cambridge Needs Assessment webpage.
Tiered Needs
As part of the Community Needs Assessment, a framework was developed and refined to prioritize needs and inform future funding. This approach does not suggest that certain needs are more important than others, but recognizes that needs may vary based on breadth (the amount of individuals/neighborhoods affected), impact (the degree of challenges imposed on individuals/neighborhoods), and urgency (the combination of severity and time). This analysis resulted in the following:
Top Tier Needs
- Affordable Housing and Homelessness
- Financial Security
- Mental Health: Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse
Middle Tier Needs
- Food
- Civic Engagement and Social Capital
- Education
- Employment
Lower Tier Needs
- Safety
- Transportation
- Arts, Culture, and Recreation
- Health
- Built and Natural Environment
Additionally, according to the Community Needs Assessment, knowledge about the service context in the City can inform thinking about feasibility (the extent to which Cambridge nonprofits have the capacity to address the relevant needs with additional resources), and synergy (the extent to which directing resources to these needs has the potential to address other needs as well).