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Lee Bank Foundation Awards $48,800 in Fourth Grant Cycle of 2025

Grantmaking Milestones Highlight Foundation’s First Five Years of Impact

Lee, Mass. (January 12, 2026) – The Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $48,800 in its fourth grant cycle of 2025 to support thirteen Berkshire-based nonprofit organizations, continuing Lee Bank’s long-standing tradition of community reinvestment through the Foundation’s formal grantmaking efforts. Established in 2021 to build on decades of community support by Lee Bank, the Foundation has expanded and formalized the Bank’s philanthropic impact across Berkshire County.

Grant awards in this cycle ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 and will support initiatives aligned with the Foundation’s core focus areas, including education, food security, economic development, health and human services, and workforce development.

The latest grant recipients are:

• 18 Degrees
• Becket Athenaeum
• Berkshire Agricultural Ventures
• Berkshire County Head Start
• Berkshire Grown
• Berkshire Immigrant Center
• Berkshire Pulse
• Latinas413
• Neighborhood Ninjas
• NESEA for Cooler Communities
• Outreach, Inc.
• Sheffield Farmers’ Market
• The Nonprofit Center

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for the next round of funding, with applications due by March 2, 2026, can find application details in the Community Impact section of leebank.com.

To be considered, applicants must have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. The Foundation prioritizes program-based grants aligned with one or more of the following focus areas:

• Education and literacy
• Food security and nutrition
• Economic growth and development
• Health and human services
• Mentorship, internship, and school-to-work initiatives

Organizations are eligible to receive funding once per 12-month period.

Since its founding in 2021, the Lee Bank Foundation has distributed 218 grants totaling more than $1.09 million, reaching nonprofit partners across Berkshire County and reinforcing Lee Bank’s long-standing commitment to community reinvestment, equity, and local decision-making. As the Foundation enters its sixth year, it remains focused on deepening partnerships and supporting programs that create meaningful, measurable impact in the region.

For more information about the Lee Bank Foundation and its grantmaking priorities, visit leebank.com.