FY2027 Returning Citizens Support Grant
Applications are now open!
Through this grant program, the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens will support organizations with a proven track record of reentry services and programs for formerly incarcerated Boston residents. Eligible programs will include those that provide reentry and integration services to individuals returning to Boston from federal, state, or county correctional facilities. For the purposes of this grant opportunity, reentry and integration services may include, but are not limited to, case management services, workforce development programs, housing assistance and stability, family reunification, community stability, food assistance, and economic independence.
Application Deadline: September 22, 2026
Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization OR have a fiscal sponsor that operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Please Note: If you do not have 501c3 status OR do not have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status, you are not eligible for this grant.
- Applicants must be in good financial standing with both the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the IRS, and be in good standing with current or previous City grant reporting requirements.
- Programs must serve Boston's returning citizens.
- Services must be free for participants.
- A valid City of Boston Supplier/Vendor ID number is required to receive a grant from the City of Boston.
- Priority will be given to organizations led by returning citizens, those applying in partnership with such organizations and/or prior experience working with returning citizens.
- The ORC may connect participants to award recipients; however, recipients have the final authority to accept or refuse that individual.
- Applicants must have the capacity to successfully execute the proposed program deliverables and demonstrate that they will commit to providing an adequate number of staff, staff experience and expertise, time, and resources.
- City grant-funded activity must take place in Boston and serve only Boston residents.
Evaluation Criteria
Successful applicants must demonstrate:
- Experience working with individuals returning from incarceration and providing high-quality programming aligned with the purposes of this grant,
- A clear linkage between the identified community need and the proposed programming,
- The capacity to carry out the program with qualified staff and adequate resources,
- The ability to plan for the use of City grant funds with a detailed program budget and realistic program timeline,
- Existing relationships with other reentry service providers or plans to establish these partnerships for the benefit program participants
Reporting Requirements
Award recipients must agree to site visits from OHS and ORC representatives as needed. All selected grant partners will be required to complete a final report, submitted to the City no later than July 16, 2027.
