Home Posts tagged Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation

128 Local Farmers Receive More Than $270,000 in Grants from HGCF

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Daily News

AGAWAM — The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF), and its Local Farmer Award partners, announced the 2026 recipients, granting more than $270,000 to 128 farmers across Western Massachusetts. With this year’s awards, the program’s total investment in local agriculture surpasses $2 million — marking a major milestone in its 12-year commitment to strengthening the regional food system.

“Reaching the $2 million mark reflects our foundation’s and our partners’ deep, ongoing commitment to supporting the hardworking farmers of Western Massachusetts,” said Harold Grinspoon, founder of the Local Farmer Awards and the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation.  

Philanthropist Steve Davis, a long-time supporter of the program, emphasized the real-world impact of the awards: “I am proud to support these awards, which help farmers strengthen their operations and bring fresh, local food directly to our communities.”

Since the program’s launch, the Local Farmer Awards have helped fund practical on-the-ground improvements such as infrastructure, equipment, and production upgrades to help farmers grow and sustain their operations. The awards help farmers improve efficiency, expand production, and strengthen the region’s local food system.

The 2026 winners represent a diverse mix of farms of varying sizes across the four counties of Western Mass. Funds of up to $2,500 will help support projects such as:

  • Fencing, cattle chutes, headlocks, calf housing, and feeding systems;
  • Greenhouses, hoophouses, energy curtains, and irrigation inside structures;
  • Cold storage, wash stations, and processing equipment; and 
  • No-till preparation, cover cropping, composting, and pest management.

Kitchen Garden Farm, a vegetable farm in Sunderland, plans to purchase harvesting crates with support from the Local Farmer Awards.  Co-owner Lilly Israel explained, “Having these reusable stackable crates makes harvesting and storage more efficient and environmentally friendly,” said co-owner Lilly Israel.

This program is made possible through community funding from the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Big Y, the Mass. Society for Promoting Agriculture, and the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation. Additional support is provided by PeoplesBank; Ann & Steve Davis; the Elizabeth & Charles D’Amour Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; Audrey & Chick Taylor; Andrew Associates; DeNucci, Crosby, & Associates – Merrill Lynch Wealth Management; Eastern States Exposition; Farm Credit East; Hood; Three County Fair; bankESB; Baystate Health,  Franklin First Federal Credit Union; & Country Bank.

Davis Foundation Makes Major Gift to Local Farmer Awards

By
Daily News

AGAWAM — The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation has become the newest lead funding partner with a contribution to the Local Farmer Awards, a program in its 11th year providing annual grants of up to $2,500 to Western Mass. farmers, helping them purchase capital equipment used as an ongoing part of farm operations.

Harold Grinspoon — whose foundation, in partnership with Big Y and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, and in collaboration with 15 other community funders, makes these awards possible — described the Davis Foundation gift as “a pivotal moment in our ability to help more deserving farmers.”

Founded in 1970, the Davis Foundation has a rich legacy of local support. Kiley O’Meara, executive director, stated that “the Davis Foundation is thrilled to join this program that supports and empowers the local community.”

The 2025 Local Farmer Awards application is open until Friday, Jan. 31. To qualify to receive an award, project applications must be related to growing, harvesting, or processing of farm products. Past award winners have used the grants to expand planting areas, improve fencing to keep their animals healthy and safe, acquire machinery to produce items for market, and put in place a host of other efficiencies. A full list of eligibility criteria can be found at farmerawards.org. This year’s winners will be announced in April.

“Our generous community funders are fundamental to the program’s success,” said Mark Gold, director of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. “We will have a complete list of 2025 funders available soon.”

Davis Foundation Announces Support for Square One

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In advance of the celebratory groundbreaking on Thursday, June 6, leaders from the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation recently visited Square One to celebrate the foundation’s $500,000 gift towards the construction of Square One’s new home.

“The Davis Foundation is deeply committed to investing in our community’s future through high-quality early education and care,” said Laurel Ferretti, chair of the board of the Davis Foundation. “We believe this project will provide critical support to children and families, ensuring they have access to the quality and supportive leadership of the team at Square One.”

Located at 947 Main St., the new building will stand where Square One resided prior to the 2011 tornado that destroyed the building. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place there on June 6 at 10:30 a.m.

“We are so grateful to the Davis Foundation for supporting our journey back to Square One,” said Dawn DiStefano, Square One president and CEO. “This project means so much to us and to the children and families who will benefit from the generous support of our donors. It is an outstanding opportunity to address the critical needs of our community, particularly in the way of early-childhood education and literacy.”

The new, 26,000-square-foot facility will include four preschool classrooms, outdoor learning and play space, workforce-development programming for youth and families, trauma-sensitive therapeutic intervention, parent education and support programming, and administrative offices.

The Davis Foundation was among the first funders to support Square One’s plans for a new building. In 2022, it awarded Square One a grant of $50,000 to complete a feasibility study to gauge support for the project. The results of that study were overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward with the capital campaign.

Other early support for the project includes funding from the city of Springfield, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, PeoplesBank, Balise Auto, the Beveridge Foundation, and New Market Tax Credits.

Davis Foundation Supports Irish Cultural Center of Western New England

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation awarded the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England (ICCWNE) a $100,000 grant toward its $2 million goal to help create a community performance center at its Morgan Road facility.

The grant will support the ICCWNE’s Capstone Campaign. Funds from the Capstone Campaign will be used to complete the community performance center, which will serve the needs of the greater region for concerts, events, meetings, and private functions. It will provide a home for local, regional, national, and international performance groups, making it a full-scale regional base for Irish heritage and culture as well as a center for cross-cultural collaboration. The space will be able to house performances by major Irish cultural groups, such as Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, as well as regional performers of all ages.

“We’ve been working diligently throughout the winter to build campaign momentum,” said Sean Cahillane, chair of both the board of directors and the Capstone Campaign. “We are so grateful to the Davis Foundation for this generous grant that will be instrumental in completing our renovation.”

Paul Belsito, executive director of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, added that “the Davis Foundation is proud to support the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England as they create space to offer arts and cultural opportunities for the residents of Hampden County. We are excited to support a project that will add significantly to our region’s cultural landscape.”

Formerly the home of the Elks Lodge, the facility had been vacant for five years prior to the ICCWNE taking possession of it through a partnership with the city of West Springfield. Improvements have included developing a vibrant, Irish country-style restaurant, pub, and meeting and gathering place for the community. With 11,500 square feet of space on four floors, the facility has become the ideal home for the Irish Cultural Center, which was established in 1999.

West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt noted that, while the ICCWNE is already a vibrant gathering spot, the community performance center will expand the impact that it has on city residents and visitors alike.

“The campaign’s progress is truly impressive, and we are grateful to the Davis Foundation for their generous support,” Reichelt said. “The center has become a cultural crossroads for West Side, especially for those with Irish heritage. We’re proud to host them, to see the community performance center complete, and to see such support from the community.”