United Way issues request for partnerships
GREENFIELD — United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region has issued its 2026 request for partnerships (RFP), with two opportunities for local nonprofits to apply.
The first opportunity is focused on driving aligned impact and collaboration around health and social connectedness, which has been identified as a key area of concern by United Way as well as area hospitals’ Community Health Needs Assessments and the Franklin Regional Council of Governments’ Community Health Improvement Plan. The second opportunity is focused on general partnerships that address healthy communities more broadly.
These three-year partnerships (from July 2026 to June 2029), in the form of general operating support, are available to programs of nonprofits serving Hampshire County (with the exceptions of South Hadley and Granby) and Franklin County. All grant applications will be reviewed by a team of community volunteers.
Anyone who is interested in applying can visit uw-fh.org/2026rfp for more information. Details are available to download in English or Spanish and in Word or PDF formats.
To receive access to the online applications, which will be live at the end of January, the United Way requires program staff or a direct supervisor from the applicant program to attend one of two information sessions. The first session is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Community Room at the Hadley Public Library, located at 50 Middle St. in Hadley. The second will be held on Friday, Jan. 16, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Allen Room at John W. Olver Transit Center, located at 12 Olive St. in Greenfield.
Applicants are asked to register for one of these sessions by Jan. 14 using the RSVP Form
link on the RFP page (uw-fh.org/2026rfp).
Safe Routes to School Program’s annual Yard Sign Design Contest underway
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, through its Safe Routes to School Program, has announced the launch of the 2026 Yard Sign Design Contest.
The annual contest raises awareness for transportation-related themes that help support school safety for walking and biking to school and is open to students in second through eighth grade who attend participating partner schools. To become a Safe Routes to School Program partner, school administrators can connect with their outreach coordinator or fill out the form at gis.massdot.state.ma.us/forms/srts_partner.
“Massachusetts schools are ranked No. 1 in the nation and, under Gov. [Maura] Healey, safety for all will always be our top priority. As MassDOT launches this year’s Safe Routes to School contest, we take great pride in partnering with schools, communities and today’s youth to promote safety across all modes of travel to and from school,” interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said in a statement. “By making it fun for students and adults of all ages, it reminds us all that no matter what age we are, we can all participate, teach and learn. Watching the next generation help shape a safer, healthier transportation system for everyone who walks, bikes, rides and drives or takes transit across our state demonstrates the importance of education and that the future is bright.”
This year’s theme is centered around “no idling.” Students are tasked with creating original designs that highlight the importance of turning off vehicle engines to promote a healthy environment for nearby pedestrians. Multilingual designs are highly encouraged.
Contest materials, including a blank template, are available at mass.gov/info-details/safe-routes-to-school-encouragement. Designs must be submitted by Monday, Feb. 23.
The Safe Routes to School Program, sponsored by MassDOT and with funding from the Federal Highway Administration, promotes safer routes for students to actively get to and from school by fostering partnerships between community-led organizations, local law enforcement, education leaders and public health departments. The program serves more than 1,290 schools in more than 285 communities across the state.
Apply for Local Farmer Awards by Jan. 31
Western Massachusetts farmers are invited to apply for the 12th year of the Local Farmer Awards, which provide grants of up to $2,500 to support critical capital improvement projects on local farms. The application deadline is Jan. 31.
The awards help farmers invest in equipment and infrastructure related to planting, growing, harvesting and processing — tools that strengthen farm operations, improve efficiency and enhance competitiveness in the marketplace.
The Local Farmer Awards is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in partnership with Big Y, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, and other funders. Now in its 12th year, the program has supported more than 320 farmers and funded 788 projects across the region.
Funding is available to farms located in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties. Eligible farms must also have gross annual sales of at least $10,000. A full list of eligibility requirements and application details can be found at farmerawards.org.
DA’s office participates in DCF’s Holiday Program
NORTHAMPTON — By participating in the Department of Children and Families’ Holiday Program, staff from the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office supported a total of 24 children ranging in age from 16 months to 10 years old.
Participating employees received a child’s first name, age and a personalized holiday wish list. These lists reflected each child’s individual interests and needs, including toys, creative activities, warm clothing, winter essentials and other items.
“This program reminds us that even small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact,” Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement. “Our staff’s generosity reflects the heart of public service, showing up for children and families in our community and letting them know they are seen, valued and cared for, especially during the holidays.”
DA’s office awarded $60K for violence prevention
NORTHAMPTON — The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office was awarded a $60,000 grant through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program.
Administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research, the grant assists with a wide range of public safety efforts, from officer training and community-based violence prevention programs to technology upgrades and forensic improvements. The $60,000 awarded to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, which serves Hampshire and Franklin counties as well as the town of Athol, will support several critical initiatives, including:
- Proactive Investigations: The Massachusetts State Police Hampshire/Franklin Detective Unit and the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force, in partnership with DA’s office prosecutors, will continue efforts to identify and disrupt online criminal activity involving exploitation of minors and vulnerable adults.
- Technology & Evidence Management: The Anti-Crime Task Force will acquire secure storage equipment to preserve seized mobile devices during long-term investigations.
- Domestic Violence & Coercive Control Training: The DA’s office will train law enforcement on recognizing and responding to reports of coercive control and other non-physical abuse in intimate partner relationships.
- Emergency Medical Professional Training: Funding will support training for emergency medical personnel on intimate partner violence and non-fatal strangulation.
- Public Awareness Campaign: The DA’s office will develop and distribute intimate partner violence awareness posters on local bus routes, ensuring that victims and survivors have access to resources and support information in the community.
“Online exploitation and domestic violence occur at an alarming rate, often out of public view and behind closed doors,” Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement. “This funding is critical to our efforts to address these serious issues and strengthen the community safety net for our most vulnerable residents.”
Franklin County students named to HCC dean’s list
HOLYOKE — The following Franklin County students were named to the dean’s list at Holyoke Community College for the fall semester:
Katrina Lynn Chasse of Ashfield; Timothy S. Rice and Kelly Diane Trudeau, both of Bernardston; Samantha Ann Melnik of Deerfield; Ashley B. Benedetti, Sarah Coulsey, Alexander Gary Knapp, Christopher Rowell, Elizabeth Sanchez, Jennifer A. Stiles and Jazmine Marie Torres, all of Greenfield; Gina Anne Barnhart of Hawley; Diana Bella of Leverett; Daiva Warren-Pukis of Millers Falls; Felicia Ann Curtis of New Salem; Nathan Michael Jacques of Shelburne Falls; Hunter Schieding of Shutesbury; Gabriel Louis Chevalier, Samual Patrick Chevalier, Isabel DeCoursy and Terri Nicole Lindsey, all of South Deerfield; Michelle Colon, Natalie Denoronha, Micaela Foster and Jeronimo Monsalve, all of Sunderland; and Brooklee Alexis Pierce of Whately.
A student is named to the dean’s list if their grade point average is 3.2 or higher.
Cooley Dickinson marks 10 years of cancer care in collaboration with Mass General Brigham
NORTHAMPTON — Among the milestones of 2025, Cooley Dickinson Hospital marked 10 years since welcoming the first patient to its cancer center and a decade of providing cancer care in the Pioneer Valley in collaboration with Mass General Brigham.
Cooley Dickinson caregivers participate in monthly updates with specialists from across the Mass General Brigham system, sharing innovations in care and treatment as well as research advances emerging from national meetings. Liaison roles have been created in breast cancer, gastrointestinal oncology, hematology, thoracic oncology and urologic oncology to enable Cooley Dickinson providers to have expert support in managing complex treatment plans. Through this relationship, patients also have access to clinical trials where novel therapies are emerging for the treatment of various malignancies.
Ahmad Daniyal Siddiqui, medical director of medical oncology at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, explained that the majority of cancer care is provided in the community setting.
“Patients who need chemotherapy or radiation therapy have access to Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute experts, right here in the community, who follow the same treatment regimens, protocols and safety guidelines as the experts in Boston,” he said in a statement. “Treatment is coordinated by a collaborative Mass General Brigham cancer team that enables patients to remain close to home, surrounded by family and friends, and in a familiar environment.
“In some cases, it does make sense for people to go to Boston for care, and in those instances, we make sure that patients receive the right treatment in the right place,” he continued. “We coordinate their care with subspecialty physicians at Mass General Brigham and provide local support as seamlessly as possible.”