The Arc of Massachusetts’ Pathways to Friendship, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS), announces the availability of Community Bridging grants for FY2025.

The grants are intended for Community Organizations to demonstrate creative, intentional activities to advance relationships between people with and without developmental/intellectual disabilities.

For the purposes of this announcement, community organizations are those which typically serve all residents in a particular community or region, whether providing recreational, faith, arts, cultural, or other social activities.  Agencies specializing in the field of disabilities are not eligible for these mini grants. FY2024 grant recipients are also not eligible for the FY2025 grant cycle.

Grants of up to $7,000 each will be provided for projects throughout the state.  We hope to fund projects that have a diverse reach and that impact people with a variety of developmental/ intellectual disabilities of transition and adult ages and in different settings in the community.

Proposals will be accepted at any time from the date of this announcement but no later than 5 P.M. on August 2nd, 2024, to The Arc of Massachusetts.

We anticipate making awards in time for start-up in September 2024 and running through June 2025.