June 2026. The GMA Funder Community has awarded two $80,000 grants through its GMA Housing Solutions Fund to support housing stability in Eastern Massachusetts.

The grants were awarded to BAY-CASH (Boston Area Youth – Cash Assistance or Stable Housing) and EDEN (Empowered and Dedicated to Edify the Nation) following a five-month pooled giving and learning experience. Thirteen foundations and individual donors interested in housing, education, workforce development, family well-being, and community development participated.

Launched in January 2026 by GMA Foundations, the Housing Solutions Fund invited funders to explore a pressing question:

What role can philanthropy play in building housing stability in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets?

Through four learning sessions, participants heard from leaders at: Boston Indicators, Homes for All MA, FamilyAid Boston, Heading Home, Haley House, the Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network, Housing Navigator Massachusetts, and CHAPA.

Together, these conversations explored the drivers of housing instability and a range of responses. Topics included family stabilization, homelessness prevention, community land ownership, tenant organizing, housing data infrastructure, and policy reform. Funders considered how philanthropy can prevent displacement, build community power, and support innovative models for housing stability.

2026 Grant Recipients

Fund participants selected BAY-CASH and EDEN from a competitive pool of 16 applicants.

BAY-CASH provides flexible cash assistance and housing supports to young adults experiencing housing instability. The organization, and innovator in guaranteed income, seeks to prevent homelessness and support long-term stability by helping participants address immediate financial challenges before they become larger crises.

EDEN helps families and individuals maintain stable housing and avoid returns to homelessness. Its approach employs a combination of case management, workforce development, financial coaching, and individualized supports. After all, housing stability depends on more than housing alone. Families often need employment, financial coaching, and other supports to remain securely housed.

While the two organizations employ different strategies, both focus on preventing housing crises before they deepen.  As a result, people remain connected to their communities.

“One of the clearest lessons from the Housing Solutions Fund is that philanthropy cannot solve the housing crisis on its own,” said Rachel Rifkin, GMA’s Director of Grantmaking. “What it can do is fund early intervention, support community power, and invest in the ideas and organizations needed for larger-scale change.”

For additional reflections on what this year’s Fund revealed about philanthropy’s role in addressing housing instability, read Rachel Rifkin’s blog post, What the Housing Crisis Is Teaching Philanthropy.

The Housing Solutions Fund is the seventh pooled giving and learning initiative organized by the GMA Funder Community. Participants learn alongside peers, deepen their understanding of community challenges, and make grant decisions together.

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