SPRINGFIELD — Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts recently awarded $3.2 million in Flexible Funding grants to 109 local organizations in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, an increase of over $900,000 in grant support since last year.
Increases in its investment were made possible by new partnerships with the MassMutual Foundation and an individual donor committed to addressing the needs of families in Franklin County.
Flexible Funding grants provide unrestricted resources of up to $30,000 to nonprofit organizations working in a range of areas, including those falling within the Community Foundation’s strategic priorities of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in workplaces and institutions, accessible and more affordable post-secondary education and training, a strong start for all children, and a vibrant local arts and creativity ecosystem. The support enables grantees to strengthen their operations, expand their reach, and create a lasting impact based on key areas of need for each organization.
MassMutual Foundation provided a $560,000 grant to the Community Foundation: $500,000 was allotted to Flexible Funding grants, with the additional $60,000 earmarked to support the program’s growth and scale.
Applications for the next Flexible Funding round will open this summer. To learn more about Flexible Funding and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, visit communityfoundation.org/.
EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently promoted Stacey Grushkin to accounting officer.
Grushkin was previously senior staff accountant at Abington Bank, part of Hometown Financial Group’s family of banks that includes bankESB, bankHometown, North Shore Bank, and Abington Bank, a division of North Shore Bank, as well as Hometown Mortgage.
Grushkin, of Brockton, has nearly 10 years of banking experience. She started at Abington Bank as a staff accountant in 2015 and was promoted to senior staff accountant in 2023. In her new role, she will lead the bankESB finance team, and will also be responsible for regulatory reporting for Hometown Financial Group’s family of banks.
Grushkin earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s certificate in accounting and finance from Bridgewater State University.
SPRINGFIELD — Northampton resident Matti C. Tacy is one of six new associates to join the Springfield law firm Egan, Flanagan and Cohen over the last year.
Tacy focuses her practice in corporate governance and transactional matters. Tacy received her J.D. from Western New England University School of Law, where she completed both Egan, Flanagan and Cohen’s Summer Associate program and a clerkship with the firm’s Corporate Services Group.
Tacy received her dual Bachelor of Arts in sociology and politics from Mount Holyoke College. She is a native of Florence.
The other new lawyers are Paul M. Bromwich of Springfield; Kylie P. Brown of Chicopee; Stefan R. Sjoberg of Suffield, Connecticut; Marissa Fabo of Ludlow; and Enrique Tirado of Springfield.
HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union (UMassFive) is offering free financial wellness workshops this spring on topics ranging from paying down debt to home buying, and much more.
The workshops to be offered include:
■Budgeting 101: A judgment-free session that will offer tips on how to simplify the budgeting process. Learn how to analyze where your money is going now, how you can make changes to that, and how to make sure that you spend and save money strategically.
■Pass Down Prosperity: Join UMassFive’s partners at GreenPath for a webinar where you will learn how to make decisions to invest in yourself and the future generation, to build a stronger financial future.
■Paying Down Debt: This session includes tips on paying down debt quicker while avoiding late fees and keeping your budget on track. You’ll also receive resources related to student loan repayment.
■Three Things You Can Do This Week to Get Your Financial House in Order.
■Homebuying 101: This workshop, sponsored by Member Advantage Mortgage, takes a step-by-step approach to home buying.
■Understanding Credit: Learn about what is included in your credit report, how credit scores are calculated, what they are used for, and how you can have an impact on yours.
To view all of UMassFive’s current financial wellness webinar offerings, and to register to attend, visit: umassfive.coop/resources/workshops
PALMER — The Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce, the nonprofit organization that promotes business, development and tourism within surrounding communities of Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties, is seeking nominations for its 2025 Choice Awards.
Award categories include: Community Hero and Educator of the Year, as well as Food/Drink and Retail Establishment of the Year.
The Chamber will also be recognizing a member Business and Volunteer of the Year at a special event on May 1 at Teresa’s Restaurant in Ware honoring this year’s recipients.
Nominations can be submitted on the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce official website, qhma.com, through Jan. 31.
Online voting for this year’s winners will be conducted from Feb. 1 through March 16. Visit the Chamber’s website for specific criteria for each award.
Hampshire County communities served by the chamber include Belchertown.