Charity Nonprofit Organizations Across Massachusetts

Massachusetts has one of the densest nonprofit sectors in the country, and this directory reflects that. The 431 listings range from national health charities with a local office to small family foundations and neighborhood service agencies. They sit in 148 cities and towns, but the spread is uneven. Boston alone accounts for 95 listings, while many towns have only one or two.

This page explains how the sector is organised, who oversees it, and how to match a need with the right organization. Use it alongside the individual listings, which carry addresses and phone numbers.

Who Regulates Charities in Massachusetts

Three offices handle most of the paperwork behind a Massachusetts charity, and each does something different. Knowing which is which saves time when you are verifying a group or setting one up.

The Attorney General's Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division is the main regulator. Charities that solicit donations in the state generally must register with it and file annual financial reports. The division also oversees professional fundraisers and can look into complaints about misused charitable funds.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division handles incorporation. Most Massachusetts nonprofits are organized as corporations under Chapter 180 of the General Laws, and they file annual reports there. Incorporating does not make a group a registered charity. Neither step, on its own, grants tax exemption.

Tax status comes from two more places. The IRS recognizes 501(c)(3) organizations for federal purposes. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue deals with state matters such as sales tax exemption for qualifying charitable organizations. A group can hold one status without the others. That is why checking each record separately is worth the few minutes it takes.

Greater Boston: Where Most Massachusetts Charities Cluster

The eastern third of the state holds most of the listings. In Suffolk County, activity centers on Boston, where Aids Walk is listed at 75 Amory Street (617-424-9255). Across the Charles River, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center is listed at 99 Bishop Allen Drive in Cambridge (617-492-7273). The MBTA network makes many offices in this core reachable without a car, though you should confirm access and parking before you travel.

Middlesex County has the largest count of any county, with 100 listings spread across Cambridge, Newton, Lowell, Concord, Waltham, Lexington, Framingham and Acton. Examples include:

Norfolk County wraps around Boston to the south and west. It includes the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America at 109 Highland Avenue in Needham (781-444-7778) and Choice Community Supports at 1147 Hancock Street in Quincy (617-657-0002). You will also find the Yad Chessed Charity Fund in Brookline, Cans For Charity in Wellesley, and the Association of Independent Schools In New England in Braintree.

One practical point applies to this whole region. Many Greater Boston listings are administrative offices, foundations or advocacy groups rather than walk-in service counters. Call first, ask whether the office serves the public directly, and ask which location handles your request.

Charity Nonprofit Services Beyond Route 128

Outside the Boston area, nonprofits tend to be regional. One agency covers many towns, and the office address may be in a city that is a drive away. Cities such as Worcester, Springfield, Lowell and Lawrence act as hubs for their surrounding areas.

Elder services show this model well. Massachusetts divides the state among regional nonprofit agencies, known as Aging Services Access Points, that coordinate in-home help for older adults. Two appear in our listings: Elder Services of Worcester at 411 Chandler Street in Worcester (508-756-1545), and Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley at 280 Merrimack Street in Lawrence (978-946-1200). Community action agencies work the same way. Community Action in Haverhill, at 145 Essex Street (978-373-1971), serves a multi-town area, and agencies of this type often handle applications for programs such as fuel assistance.

In the north, Essex County mixes older industrial cities with coastal communities. Catholic Charities is listed at 55 Lynn Shore Drive in Lynn (781-593-2312). The Progeria Research Foundation is in Peabody, and the Robert I Lappin Charitable Foundation is in Salem. In Lowell, the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell at 465 School Street (978-454-6200) serves one of the largest Cambodian-American communities in the country.

South of Boston, Plymouth County listings include the Pilgrim Foundation in Brockton and the Hingham Education Foundation. Barnstable County on Cape Cod has 12 listings, and demand there shifts with the seasons, so hours and volunteer needs can change between summer and winter.

In the west, Hampden County is anchored by Springfield, where the American Lung Association is listed at 393 Maple Street (413-737-3506). Neighboring Hampshire County includes Northampton, home to the United Republic Education Fund at 296 Nonotuck Street (413-585-8110). Berkshire and Franklin counties have far fewer listings. Residents there often rely on regional agencies based in a larger town.

Types of Organizations in the Massachusetts Listings

The word charity covers a wide range of groups. Knowing the category tells you what to expect when you call.

How to Vet a Massachusetts Charity Before You Give or Apply

Start with the legal name. Many organizations use a public name that differs from the name on file with the state, so ask for it and for the federal Employer Identification Number.

Next, look the group up with the Attorney General's public charities records. Those records show whether it is registered and what it has reported. Then run the name through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm federal status.

Finally, ask how the group spends its money and what share reaches programs. A reputable charity answers plainly and can send annual reports. If you are seeking help rather than giving it, ask about eligibility, documents to bring and wait times before you travel. Doing this first saves a second trip.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Massachusetts must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Massachusetts's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 148 cities across Massachusetts. They are spread across 14 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Boston, Cambridge, Newton, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in Massachusetts can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Massachusetts Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

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Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Massachusetts should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Massachusetts Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Massachusetts foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across Massachusetts to find the nearest location.

Practical Notes for Using Charity Listings in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns, and charitable help is organised around regions more than individual municipalities. A food program, fuel assistance office or elder services agency often covers a dozen or more towns. The closest office to your home may therefore sit in a neighboring city, and a town with no listing is not necessarily left out.

Start with the kind of help you need, then narrow by county. In Worcester County, for example, Elder Services of Worcester at 411 Chandler Street is a regional contact for older adults. Check a listing's phone number before traveling, because many nonprofit offices work by appointment.

If you are applying for means-tested help, bring photo ID, proof of your address and recent income documents. Donors should ask for the charity's legal name and request a written receipt. For a gift of $250 or more, the IRS requires written acknowledgment from the charity before you can claim a deduction. Volunteers working with children, older adults or people with disabilities should expect a CORI background check, which is common among Massachusetts organizations.

Massachusetts Charity Nonprofit FAQs

Start with the Attorney General's Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division, which keeps public records of registered charities and their annual filings. Search by exact legal name, since many groups operate under a different public name. Then confirm federal status with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, and check the Corporations Division record at the Secretary of the Commonwealth for good standing. If a group asking for money appears in none of these, call the Attorney General's office before donating. Some religious organizations are exempt from registration, so a missing record is a reason to ask questions, not proof of wrongdoing.

No. Forming a nonprofit corporation under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws is a state-level step handled by the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division. It creates the legal entity but does not by itself make donations tax-deductible. Federal exemption requires recognition from the IRS, typically as a 501(c)(3). A charity that solicits the public also generally needs to register with the Attorney General's public charities division. Sales tax matters are handled separately through the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Anyone starting a group should plan for all of these filings and keep copies of each approval.

Massachusetts routes much of this help through regional nonprofit agencies called Aging Services Access Points, which work with the state's aging agency. Two appear in our listings. Elder Services of Worcester is at 411 Chandler Street in Worcester (508-756-1545). Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley is at 280 Merrimack Street in Lawrence (978-946-1200). Which agency serves you depends on your town, not on the nearest office. Call the one covering your area, describe the need, and ask what an assessment involves and which documents to prepare.

Population, universities, hospitals and philanthropic wealth are concentrated around Boston, so more charities are headquartered there. Middlesex County has 100 listings and Suffolk County has 97, compared with 19 in Hampden County and 18 in Hampshire County. Western Massachusetts is not without services. Regional agencies in Springfield and Northampton often cover many small towns, so fewer offices serve a wide area. In Berkshire and Franklin counties, expect to phone ahead and possibly travel to the nearest hub town.

Qualifying charitable organizations can generally make exempt purchases in Massachusetts, but federal tax-exempt status does not automatically carry over to state sales tax. The organization typically needs to be recognized by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and give vendors an exempt purchaser certificate. Purchases must also relate to the organization's exempt purpose. Rules and forms change, so check the Department of Revenue's current guidance or ask an accountant familiar with Massachusetts nonprofits before relying on an exemption. Keep copies of every certificate you hand to a vendor.

Not always. Some listings are public service offices, but others are administrative, research or grantmaking addresses. The Robert I Lappin Charitable Foundation in Salem (978-740-4410) and the Progeria Research Foundation in Peabody (978-535-2594) are examples of organizations that mainly fund or support work rather than run a service counter. Foundations typically publish grant guidelines and prefer written applications to drop-in visits. Before you go anywhere, phone the number in the listing, ask whether the office serves the public, and confirm hours and any documents you need to bring.