HOLYOKE — On Wednesday, Feb. 11, more than 70 nonprofit leaders, donors, and community advocates gathered at De la Luz in Holyoke for the Resilient Valley Community Lunch. The event was a celebration of collective power, marking a major milestone in a grassroots movement to unlock philanthropic dollars for the Valley.
Resilient Valley was born from a simple but urgent realization — organizations are stronger when they collaborate rather than compete for dwindling resources. During the lunch, the coalition announced that its Match My DAF (donor advised fund) campaign received 73 grant submissions totaling $228,810 — with $91,610 of that being eligible for matches — to support the critical work happening across Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. More than $100,000 has been raised so far for the matching pool thanks to individual donors, Greenfield Savings Bank, and PeoplesBank.
“Resilient Valley grew out of a potluck lunch and a shared fear of losing federal funding, but it has turned into a powerful statement of community resilience,” said Julia Riseman, director of Philanthropy for CET, a coalition member. “Today wasn’t just about the numbers; it was about the energy in the room and the firm belief that we can keep our Valley’s communities, landscapes, and shared future thriving if we act together.”
The campaign’s first lottery, held on Feb. 2, distributed just under $75,000 in matching funds. The recipients represent a diverse cross-section of area communities, spanning environmental conservation, food justice, education, the arts, and social services. One recipient, Amherst Survival Center, was able to turn its $1,000 gift into a $6,000 gift through the matching pool lottery.
“This kind of collective generosity strengthens our entire community,” said Bianca Walker, Development director at Amherst Survival Center. “It allows us to meet growing needs with dignity and consistency, and it reminds us that, when people come together, the impact is far greater than any one gift alone.”
The organizations that won a match award include Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts, All Out Adventures, Amherst Survival Center, CET, Center for New Americans, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Community Legal Aid, Conway School of Landscape Design, Downtown Amherst Foundation, Family Diversity Project, Franklin County DIAL SELF, Friends of Forbes, Grow Food Northampton, Hampshire County United Way, Hampshire Support Alliance, Historic Northampton, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Jewish Family Services of Western Massachusetts, Kestrel Land Trust, the Literacy Project, Manna Soup Kitchen Inc., Massachusetts Audubon Society, New England Public Media, Northampton Center for the Arts, Northampton Community Arts Trust, Northampton Community Music Center, Northampton Education Foundation, Northampton Musical Booster, Northampton Survival Center, Perugia Press, Pioneer Valley Workers Center, Red Gate Farm, Scarlet Sock Foundation, Tapestry Health, Transhealth, Western Massachusetts Asylum Support Network, Young at Heart Chorus, and Young Scholars Fund.
Resilient Valley is continuing the momentum as it builds toward the final matching lottery after May 1. All remaining matching funds will be distributed to organizations randomly selected for dollar-for-dollar matches of up to $5,000. The organization is encouraging people to support local organizations through their DAFs and nominate those gifts for a match. Any DAF gifts given to a Valley organization from Dec. 2, 2025 until May 1 could be eligible. Resilient Valley is also continuing to raise funds for the matching pool.
The coalition includes All Farmers, Amherst Survival Center, Cancer Connection, CET, CISA, Grow Food Northampton, Hilltown Land Trust, Hitchcock Center, Kestrel Land Trust, Northampton Survival Center, Nuestras Raices, Peace Development Fund, and Stone Soup Café.
