The MVSB Fund Committee members present the 2025 distribution late last year. The 2026 MVSB Fund application deadline is October 15. From left, Charley Hanson, Carmen Lorentz, Marcus Weeks, Patrick Cate and Andy Hartmann stand inside the MVSB Main Office in Meredith.
MVSB is reminding nonprofit organizations throughout the Lakes Region, White Mountains, Mount Washington Valley, and Seacoast regions that applications for the 2026 MVSB Fund grant program are due by October 15. The focus area for this year’s grant cycle is food insufficiency. The MVSB Fund is seeking proposals from organizations and projects that work to address hunger, improve food access, strengthen local food security, and ensure that individuals and families throughout the communities we serve have reliable access to nutritious food.
Beginning with the current application cycle, each annual grant season will focus on one specific area of community need. By concentrating resources on a single impact area each year, the committee aims to maximize the positive results achieved through the program while helping a greater percentage of applicants receive funding.
Since 1997, the MVSB Fund has awarded annual grant-based contributions to nonprofit organizations that make a meaningful difference in the lives of local residents. Over the program’s history, the Fund has awarded 621 grants totaling more than $2.2 million to support a wide range of environmental, social, educational, cultural, and historic initiatives throughout the communities MVSB serves.
“As the popularity of the MVSB Fund continues to grow, so does the number of deserving organizations seeking support,” said Carmen Lorentz, MVSB Fund Committee Chair “By focusing on one critical community need each year, we can make larger, more meaningful investments in the organizations addressing that issue. We also hope this approach will reduce competition among applicants and increase the likelihood that the dedicated staff and volunteers leading these important nonprofits achieve a positive funding outcome. Food insecurity affects neighbors in every community we serve, and we believe this year’s focused approach presents an opportunity to make a measurable impact on a fundamental human need.”
The MVSB Fund is separate from MVSB’s ongoing community support efforts, which include donations, sponsorships, scholarships, and thousands of volunteer hours contributed annually by employees. The Fund specifically provides grant-based support to organizations whose work enriches and improves the quality of life throughout the region.
Over the years, MVSB Fund grants have supported literacy and after-school programs, environmental conservation and monitoring efforts, historic preservation projects, organizations serving individuals and families facing challenging circumstances, and initiatives that improve health, safety, and quality of life in local communities.
The MVSB Fund Board seeks opportunities where a modest investment can create a significant local impact. Grant requests of up to $10,000 will be considered, with historical awards averaging approximately $5,000. Eligible applicants must demonstrate tax-exempt status or public agency status, a primary presence within MVSB’s market area, organizational sustainability, community impact, and the ability to effectively leverage grant funding.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying are encouraged to review eligibility requirements and application materials at the MVSB Fund Application webpage.
Applications must be submitted by October 15.