Florence Bank awards $150,000 in Customers’ Choice grants to nonprofits
FLORENCE, Mass. (WWLP) – Florence Bank awarded $150,000 in grants to 40 organizations on Tuesday night at its annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program reception.
The event, held at the Garden House in Look Park in Florence, recognized the efforts of nonprofits across the Pioneer Valley. The Customers’ Choice Community Grants program, founded in 2002, encourages Florence Bank customers to vote for their preferred local nonprofit organizations to receive grant funding.
Voting for the grants is conducted year-round, both online and at bank branches. Each customer is permitted one vote. For an organization to qualify for a community grant, it must receive at least 50 customer votes. In the 2025 program, more than 7,500 votes were cast, resulting in 40 nonprofits becoming eligible for a grant.
“Our Customers’ Choice Community Grants program is very unique, as it gives a voice to our customers and their preferences on where we allocate the grants,” said Matt Garrity, President and CEO of Florence Bank. “We enjoy having the chance to connect with each of them and are proud to support the work they do for our communities.”
This year’s recipients included five organizations that were awarded grants for the first time: Anne T. Dunphy School, Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity, Northampton Cycling Club, Northampton Musical Booster Club, and Williams-Boltwood Project.
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts received a $5,000 grant, marking the sixth consecutive year it has received this amount. The nonprofit has been awarded a Customers’ Choice grant for each of the 24 years the program has been offered.
“We are grateful to Florence Bank and its customers for their ongoing support through the Customers’ Choice Program,” said Jillian Morgan, Development Director for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “This important grant helps the Food Bank and our partners provide food to people facing hunger across western Massachusetts. We are honored to be among the many organizations supported through this meaningful program.”
The following organizations received awards as part of the Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program:
- Amherst Survival Center
- Cancer Connection in Northampton
- Dakin Humane Society in Springfield
- Easthampton Community Center
- Friends of Forbes Library in Northampton
- Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball
- Friends of the Williamsburg Library
- Goshen Firefighters Association
- It Takes A Village in Huntington
- Northampton Survival Center
- Our Lady of the Hills Parish in Haydenville
- Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Florence
- Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library in Shutesbury
- Manna Soup Kitchen in Northampton
- Williams-Bolton Project in Goshen
- Ludlow Boys & Girls Club
- Thomas J O’Connor Adoption Center in Springfield
- Williamsburg Firefighters Association
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton
- Smith Vocational High School PTO in Northampton
- BARC, Inc. in Belchertown
- Anne T. Dunphy School in Williamsburg
- Northampton Community Music Center
- New Hingham Regional Elementary School PTO in Chesterfield
- Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence
- Friends of Lilly Library in Florence
- Belchertown K-9 Unit
- Bright Spot Therapy Dogs in West Brookfield
- Grow Food Northampton, Inc. in Florence
- Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation in Hatfield
- Northampton Musical Booster Club
- Amherst Neighbors
- Northampton Cycling Club
- Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School in South Hadley
- First Churches of Northampton
- Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield
- Kestrel Land Trust in Amherst
- Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst