RIZE Massachusetts Foundation announces Family Resilience Grant

The Family Resilience Grant, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, and powered by RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), is aimed at supporting children and families impacted by the opioid crisis. The initiative stems from Massachusetts' participation in nationwide legal settlements against private companies responsible for the opioid epidemic, resulting in over $900 million in settlement funds. A portion of these funds has been allocated to create the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF) and to support community-based, culturally responsive projects addressing the opioid crisis. The grant, distributed through the Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership, seeks to fund community-led initiatives that enhance prevention, harm reduction, access to care, recovery, trauma, grief, and family support services. Specifically, this program targets historically underserved communities disproportionately affected by opioid overdose deaths. The Family Resilience Grant program will provide $7.5 million over three years, offering up to $500,000 annually per awarded organization. Between 5 to 10 organizations are expected to receive funding. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations with annual operating budgets of $20 million or less. They must serve diverse communities in Massachusetts and can include 501(c)(3) organizations, minority-led groups, tribal entities, and multi-service agencies. Projects must be family-centered, emphasizing the entire family unit's well-being. The grant defines "family" broadly to include nuclear families, extended families, chosen families, and other caregiving relationships. Applications must be submitted by June 17, 2025, by 11:59 PM EST. Key dates include the application release on April 22, 2025, an informational webinar on April 28, 2025, office hours on May 19, 2025, notifications in September 2025, and a grant period beginning November 1, 2025. Interested applicants can submit questions to grants@rizema.org, and answers will be posted anonymously online. The selection process will consider alignment with the grant’s priorities, project strength and innovation, engagement of people with lived experience, geographic equity, organizational capacity, and budget feasibility. Applicants must also agree to participate in evaluation activities led by the Institute for Community Health (ICH), including data tracking, reporting, and participation in learning and technical assistance opportunities to promote sustainability and impact measurement.