Mayor Gary Christenson announced that 31 local nonprofits, community organizations, and grassroots groups will receive funding through the City’s Community Connections Grant program, which is now in its second year.
The program is designed to foster community engagement, strengthen relationships among residents, and celebrate Malden’s diverse culture and character. This year’s application process was highly competitive, with 46 organizations requesting nearly $500,000 in funding despite only $200,000 being available for distribution.
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“Over the past year, the Community Connections Grant has proven to be a vital resource,” Christenson said. “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.”
The 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. City officials said funding will continue to be distributed annually over the next several years, with the next application cycle expected in early 2027.
Organizations receiving grants this year include Creative Malden, Malden Pride Coalition, Malden Juneteenth, Friends of the Malden River, The Great Malden Outdoors, Urban Media Arts, and the Malden Farmers Market.
The largest grant awarded this cycle went to St. Paul’s Parish CCG, which received $15,750 for outdoor safety and accessibility upgrades. Other major recipients included Malden Juneteenth for its 10th annual Freedom Celebration and the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition for its “Where We Belong” cultural mapping initiative.
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 — Malden Farmers Market, $10,000
- Malden Juneteenth — 10th Annual Malden Juneteenth Freedom Celebration-2027, $12,000
- Malden Neighborhood Basketball League — Malden Neighborhood Basketball League’s 2027 Season, $4,000
- Malden Overcoming Addiction — 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 — Malden Reads 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 — The Great Malden Outdoors Summer and Fall Programming, $9,500
- The Immigrant Learning Center — The Immigrant Learning Center’s 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
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