Sudbury Foundation Spring Newsletter

Congratulations to our 2026 Atkinson Scholars!

The Sudbury Foundation is delighted to announce this year’s Atkinson Scholars, an inspiring group of high school seniors, who will be honored at a breakfast reception on May 8.

Top Row: Zach Arkin, Iyana Cedeno, Caleb Elenbaas, Kaylynn Ellison, Arianna Figueroa

Middle row: Bridget Fosnot, Vama Gandhi, Jenny Korol, Aluel Mayen, Naomi Mostoslavsky

Bottom Row: Sophie Moynihan, Kalle Nikula-Gill, Lyla Palmer, Ben Stewart, Ava Whitebone

For more than three decades, the Atkinson Scholarship Program has supported local students who show financial need, academic promise, and a genuine desire to make a difference. This year, we are proud to continue that tradition by welcoming 15 outstanding students as our 2026 scholarship recipients.

This year’s recipients include 13 students graduating from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, along with Kalle Nikula-Gill from Cambridge Rindge & Latin School and Ben Stewart from Maynard High School.

Each student has been awarded $7,500 and may reapply annually throughout their undergraduate years, for a total of up to $30,000 in support.

The scholarship reflects the legacy of Herbert and Esther Atkinson, former Sudbury residents who established the Foundation in 1952. Their belief in helping young people—and in giving back quietly but meaningfully—continues to guide the program today.

“This year’s recipients are truly inspiring,” said Scholarship Director Tricia Brunner. “They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and they care deeply about their communities. It’s exciting to see their potential, and we’re honored to support them as they take the next steps in their education.”

Selecting this year’s class was no easy task. With a record number of applications, the selection committee had the difficult job of narrowing down an incredibly strong group of candidates.

“We had so many exceptional students apply,” Brunner shared. “We were inspired by the resilience, compassion, and commitment to growth and service shown across this year’s applicants, qualities that are reflected in this group of recipients.

Over $280,000 in Grants Awarded

The Sudbury Foundation has awarded over $280,000 in its first round of grants in 2026. We are pleased to be continuing multi-year support through our Children, Youth & Families Invitation grant program and maintaining our commitment to hunger relief through grants to local nonprofit farms.

Hunger Relief Grants

• Gaining Ground: $17,000
• Aurelia's Garden: $6,000
• Mass Audubon - Drumlin Farm: $3,500

Children, Youth, and Families Invitation Grants

(Multi-Year General Operating Support)

• Hoops and Homework: $40,000, first installment of $120,000 over 3 years
• Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley: $33,000, third installment of $100,000 over 3 years
• Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest: $100,000, second installment of $300,000 over 3 years
• Gems @ the Arts: $25,000, second installment of $75,000 over 3 years
• Literations: $33,000, third installment of $100,000 over 3 years
• SMILE Mass: $25,000, second installment of $50,000 over 2 years

Sudbury Doing Good Nonprofit Coffee

On Wednesday, April 15, Sudbury Doing Good hosted our first of two Nonprofit Coffees of the year for local nonprofit and community groups to gather and share. We had a robust discussion about the Nuts and Bolts of nonprofit operations with a focus on IT tools and AI.

Our next coffee will be in October.

Sudbury Program 2026 Grant Calendar

As a reminder, the next chance to apply for the Sudbury Program this year will be this fall. The application will be due on Friday, September 25th at 5:00 pm. We encourage all organizations to talk with staff about ideas prior to applying.

The Sudbury Program is designed to enhance the quality of community life in Sudbury. The program is open to Sudbury’s public and nonprofit institutions, and to organizations located outside of Sudbury for projects that substantially benefit Sudbury residents. If your nonprofit is based outside of Sudbury, you must speak to staff before applying for a Sudbury Program Grant.

Rent the Grange Meeting Room

Are you looking for a place to hold a meeting?

We are pleased to offer the 2nd floor Meeting Room of The Grange Hall for rental. The room holds 60 people seated or 100 standing. The facility includes a kitchen, elevator, Wi-Fi, easels, a projector and screen, and a podium and microphone.

Sudbury nonprofit organizations and community groups, Sudbury Town Departments, as well as Sudbury Foundation grant recipients are eligible to rent the space for educational, charitable, or civic purposes.

The Meeting Room is not available for private or social functions, for-profit organizations, political organizations, or fundraising events.

The easiest way to request the room is to use our online form. For more information, including policies and fees, click here.

The Sudbury Foundation is a private foundation working to transform lives and strengthen communities, both human and natural, through grant-making and scholarship programs in Sudbury, MA and surrounding communities.