Essex County Community Foundation

05/21/2026

We are thrilled for our friends at Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Inc.. An investment of this scale means so much for the city of Gloucester, for Essex County, for the Commonwealth -- and, most importantly, for healthy oceans, resilient fisheries and climate adaptation.

The future of blue innovation looks bright in Gloucester.

Congratulations! 🎉🎉🎉

We are honored to be one of five recipients of the Testing and Demonstrations Assets (TDA) Program, a new Massachusetts Clean Energy Center initiative, which awarded $18 million in funds at an event on Tuesday in Lowell.

GMGI's award of $2.25M will be used to develop the Climatetech Northern Node: an automated and cutting-edge eDNA center, a harborside ocean sensing and eDNA integration station, and a climate innovation hub on Gloucester’s working waterfront.

“GMGI is honored to receive this award from MassCEC and the Healey-Driscoll Administration to advance a new model for ocean-based climatetech innovation on Gloucester’s working waterfront,” said Bonnie Fendrock, GMGI Executive Director. “Over the next several years, through the Climatetech Northern Node at GMGI, we will process thousands of eDNA samples annually, expand ocean sensing capabilities and support emerging climatetech startups, creating a collaborative hub for researchers, start-ups, educators and industry partners. This project will integrate genomics, environmental DNA monitoring, seawater systems, and advanced data infrastructure to support applied research and pilot demonstrations focused on healthy oceans, resilient fisheries, and climate adaptation. By connecting cutting-edge science with entrepreneurship and community collaboration, we’re helping position Gloucester and the Commonwealth as leaders in blue innovation and climate resilience.”

Through the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Massachusetts is investing in clean energy, start-ups, economic growth, and innovation – and GMGI is proud to be part of this critical movement.

Click the link below to read MassCEC’s full press release.

https://www.masscec.com/press/healey-driscoll-administration-invests-18-million-accelerate-climatetech-startups-and

Pictured L to R: Ann Petersen, Ph.D., GMGI Research Program Director, Bonnie Fendrock, GMGI Executive Director, Ben Downing, MassCEC CEO, Secretary Tepper, EEA, Undersecretary Moochhala, EOED

05/13/2026

We are thrilled to announce Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll as the keynote speaker for our 2026 State of Essex County event happening on June 11 at Endicott College.

In 2016, Lt. Gov. Driscoll, then the Mayor of Salem, partnered with ECCF to launch Impact Essex County, the foundation's data initiative to track the quality of life in our region. And she was with us again in 2023 when we hosted our first State of Essex County event to celebrate the progress and promise that collaboration brings.

We are so excited for Lt. Gov. Driscoll's return to this signature event, which will be attended by hundreds of local leaders from the public, private and social sectors.

We hope YOU will join us for an evening of storytelling, data sharing and celebration. See the link in comments to register!

05/12/2026

Rising Loaves at Lawrence History Center is a three-week exploration of arts and writing through history. Students in grades 5-7 learn about Lawrence history, engage in writing in its many forms, including poetry, narratives and memoirs, and work on multimedia projects. Run in collaboration with Andover Bread Loaf, participants become more competent and confident writers, artists and communicators and learn to write more expressively while discovering the joys and rewards of the written word.

For 35 years, the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund has been supporting programs like Rising Loaves and many others that provide high-quality, engaging summer programming for thousand of youth in Greater Lawrence each year.

See the links in the comment below to learn more about the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund and to donate. Thank you for your support.

05/08/2026

May is

Did you know that Essex County represents 20% of all Medal of Honor Recipients from Massachusetts, while only representing just over 10% of the state's population (according to the Southern Essex Registry of Deeds)?

We honor all those who serve or have served our country - today, throughout the month and every day of the year. Thank you to all members of the military, past and present, for your service.

Stay tuned because later this month, we'll be announcing some exciting news from our Essex County Veterans Fund.

04/30/2026

Nonprofits across Essex County continue to persevere and show up for our communities, despite the sustained fallout from federal funding cuts making their work increasingly more challenging.

ECCF is thrilled to announce that since the launch of our Essex County Community Response Fund, we have collectively deployed $2M to local organizations doing incredible work to support our friends and neighbors who need it most.

See the link in comments below to read more about how this is supporting Essex County's nonprofits as they navigate this moment.

04/23/2026

Have you heard? Registration for ECCF's State of Essex County is now OPEN! And we hope you will join us on June 11, from 4-7pm at Endicott College for updates to ImpactEssexCounty.org, our countywide data website (link below), and to connect and learn about the people, organizations and community coalitions across our region that are building a more resilient future for all of us. Registration link is in the comments below too. We hope to see you there!

04/16/2026

Love Your Magic is a Boston-based organization that uplifts and supports the positive identity development of Black and Brown girls from the region - including Lawrence - through programming that empowers participants to use their voices, cultivate meaningful relationships, develop leadership skills and so much more. The organization's summer camp, supported by ECCF's Greater Lawrence Summer Fund, offers a transformative overnight experience for participants to lean into joy and learning. Rooted in self-love, advocacy, leadership, and self-care, these summer sessions empower girls to embrace their individuality. From culturally significant activities like Double Dutch to traditional camp adventures like swimming and rock climbing, participants celebrate their heritage while honing vital life skills, fostering confident leaders grounded in community and chosen kinship.

If you want to be a part of a collaboration of donors supporting programs like these and others that close opportunity gaps, keep youth safe and healthy, and help them make lasting memories, consider making a gift to the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund. Our young people need YOU.

Check out the link in comments below to learn more and donate. Thank you.

04/15/2026

Our hearts are heavy for our friends at Three Sisters, a nonprofit farm in Ipswich working to make fresh, local produce accessible to all. Their greenhouse was broken into and thousands of dollars worth of seedlings, many ready to be transferred outside after weeks of nurturing and care, were destroyed.

Eighty percent of Three Sisters' produce goes to food-insecure neighbors and now they'll have to work that much harder to meet their mission in Essex County, where food insecurity, according to the most recent Massachusetts Food Access Report, is on the rise. Right now, 43% of households in Essex County are having trouble putting food on their tables.

It is harder than ever for food-focused nonprofits to keep up with the demand, but they never stop working. "We're not giving up," Three Sisters Executive Director Liz Green told The Local News, a nonprofit newspaper that covers Ipswich and surrounding communities.

Thank you, Three Sisters, for the work you do for our friends and neighbors. See the links in comments below for more info about Three Sisters and in Massachusetts.

The Three Sisters Garden Project faces destruction as seedlings were brutally damaged, causing significant losses and community impact.

03/31/2026

There's so much to love about Si Se Puede Inc, a dynamic center for educational and social opportunities in Lawrence. The organization serves youth year-round, and its summer program, supported by ECCF's Greater Lawrence Summer Fund, offers a blend of on-site activities and off-site adventures that add up to a memorable summer for local youth. Field trips, literacy support, nutritious meals and sports and fitness - it all happens here. And these smiles say it all!

If you want to be a part of a collaboration of donors supporting programs like these and others that close opportunity gaps and keep youth safe and healthy, consider making a gift to the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund. Check out the link in comments below to learn more!

03/23/2026

The Kickoff for the is tomorrow! BUT, there's STILL time to register for our keynote with Anne Yurasek of Fio Partners and panelists Rosario Ubiera-Minaya of Raw Art Works Lino Covarrubias, MBA/MS of JFS of Metrowest and Tener Wade of Your Theatre Inc. - and the 6 weeks of workshops for nonprofit executives and board members that follow. You won't want to miss this opportunity to learn and grow with your nonprofit peers across the state! Registration link is below. We hope to 👀 you at the Institute for Trustees.