Malden awards funds to 31 local groups through Community Connections Grant program

Thirty-one local nonprofits, community organizations and grassroots groups will receive funds through a City of Malden grant program designed to foster community, strengthen bonds between residents and celebrate Malden’s unique character and diverse culture, Mayor Gary Christenson announced. The grant program, now in its second year, demonstrates the city’s commitment to building community.

“Over the past year, the Community Connections Grant has proven to be a vital resource. At a time when many people are feeling increasingly disconnected from one another, these organizations play an important role in creating spaces where residents can come together, build relationships, and strengthen our sense of community,” said Mayor Christenson. “It has been a pleasure to attend this year’s Community Connection events, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community partners. I’m looking forward to the innovative ways Malden residents will come together over the next year.”

This year’s application process was highly competitive: 46 applications were submitted, with requests totaling nearly $500,000 in funding, far exceeding the $200,000 available for distribution. The City of Malden will continue to award up to $200,000 annually over the next several years, providing additional opportunities for organizations to apply for funding in future rounds.

The Malden Community Connections Grant program is funded through the Surrounding Community Agreement with Encore Boston Harbor and administered by the City’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. Funds will be spent over the next fiscal year, and the next application round will take place in early 2027. More information is available at www.cityofmalden.org/MCCG or by emailing Malden’s Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development, Jane Ventrone, at jv*******@**********en.org.

Below is the full list of 2026 Community Connections Grant recipients:

• Action for Haitian Community Development, Inc., Malden Immigrant Community Connection Circles, $9,500
• Chinese Christian Church of Grace in Malden, Community Ping Pong and Learning Hub, $6,000
• Chinese Culture Connection, Building Bridges Through Books: A Bilingual Literacy and Community Engagement Initiative, $8,950
• Club 24, Recovery and Support to Those in the Community, $2,500
• Community City Covenant Church, English Conversation Classes, $2,500
• Community City Covenant Church, Friendsgiving Dessert Party, $2,500
• Creative Malden, Artists Take the Street, $5,500
• Creative Malden, Malden Center Public Art Walking Tour and Continuation of Switchbox Program, $5,000
• Eritrean Cultural and Development Center, ECDC Youth Program, $2,500
• First Parish Malden, Youth-led Meal Kits, $4,000
• Friends of Oak Grove, Inc., FOOGI 2026 Community Events, $3,000
• Friends of the Malden River, Malden River Works Waterfront Park Grand Opening, $6,500
• Friends of the Malden River, Malden’s Neat Streets, $7,000
• Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, “Fells Kids” Outdoor Education Program Van, $7,800
• Golden Tornado Club, Malden High School Student Engagement & School Spirit Initiatives, $4,000
• Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition, Where We Belong: Cultural Mapping and Activations for Spatial Justice in Malden, $10,000
• Little Ant World / Vietnamese American Community of Massachusetts, AAPI Arts Festival, $3,500
• Lt. Dexter W. Clifford Chapter 85, Disabled American Veterans, Painting outside of DAV building, $2,500
• Malden Chamber of Commerce, Pints on Pleasant, $4,500
• Malden Cosplay Celebration, Malden Cosplay Celebration After Party, $1,500
• Malden Farmers Market, Malden Festivals, $10,000
• Malden Juneteenth, 10th Annual Malden Juneteenth Freedom Celebration (2027), $12,000
• Malden Neighborhood Basketball League’s 2027 Season, $4,000
• Malden Overcoming Addiction, Community/Family Day, $5,000
• Malden Pride Coalition, Malden 2027 Pride in the Park, $10,000
• Malden Reads: One City, One Book, 2027 Program, $3,500
• Maplewood Association, Maplewood Square Revitalization and Community Building Through Art and Placemaking, $10,000
• North Shore Hispanic Association, Inc., Hispanic Heritage Month Festival, $6,000
• Silent Rhythms Inc., Salsa-ASL For All, $2,500
• St. Paul’s Parish CCG, Outdoor Safety and Accessibility Upgrades, $15,750
• The Great Malden Outdoors, Summer and Fall Programming, $9,500
• The Immigrant Learning Center, Teen Perspectives Contest, $3,500
• The Urban Biodiversity Alliance, Bats in the City! “We’re Batty about Malden” programming, $3,000
• Urban Media Arts (UMA), Replacement of Outdated Stage with Modular, Accessible Stage for TV Production and Meeting Space, $6,000