Northern Berkshire United Way Community Needs Grant

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Northern Berkshire United Way's 2026 Community Needs and Special Grants (CNSG) grant applications are now available.
 
Community Needs and Special Grants are intended to support one-time, short-term projects that address current community issues with the goal of positively impacting the community. Collaborations are valued.
 
Applications must be received at Northern Berkshire United Way by April 30, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced in June.
 
Applicants do not need to be member agencies of Northern Berkshire United Way, but must be designated by the IRS as a charitable organization. Grants are for initiatives in towns served by Northern Berkshire United Way: Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, North Adams, Savoy, Williamstown, and Stamford, VT.
 
Projects must support safety net services, low to moderate-income populations, and support a diverse, inclusive population. Projects that have not been previously funded are given priority.
 
The Community Needs and Special Grants Committee of Northern Berkshire United Way reviews community priorities each year. The committee takes into account the unique assets and needs in Northern Berkshire and evaluates all applications with the available funding.
 
Application form is available online or by contacting Patti Messina, Executive Director at pmessina@nbunitedway.org or 413-663-9062.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

McCann Committee Gets First Look at $17M Renovation Progress

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

The project is in the home stretch with roofing and some windows and doors still to be installed. Superintendent James Brosnan also pointed above to HVAC improvements in the Guidance Office. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee got a first look at the final stretch of a $17 million overhaul aimed at making the 64-year-old vocational school safer, quieter and more energy-efficient.

After a brief School Committee meeting Thursday, Superintendent James Brosnan led the members through the school, highlighting some of the changes made in the 64-year-old building.

"Just seeing this gives you a magnitude of the amount of work that goes on," he said.

The upgrades are being funded through the Massachusetts School Building Authority's Accelerated Repair Program and the Northern Berkshire Vocational School District's member towns.

Work was supposed to be completed before the start of the school year, but weather and the removal of materials caused a delay.

The tour was all indoors, and Brosnan told a disappointed committee that he was hesitant to take them onto the roof at night, but said the new roof is near 80 percent down.

"We have another 10, and 10 percent of that missing 20 is in the AVB [air and vapor barrier] and removal phase," Brosnan said. "That particular area is across the front, down the post-secondary ... we are going to pick up from guidance. So we have that plan going through next week. Fingers crossed, within two weeks we will have that piece down."

He said the roof has been built up and insulated for more efficiency.

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