Expanded and Strengthened
Initially created in FY99, the Mentoring Matching Grant line item is the only state investment solely dedicated to expanding quality mentoring across Massachusetts. In FY24, the Mentoring Matching Grants line item (7061-9634) was increased by the Governor and State Legislature to $1,800,000. This year we are requesting that the Legislature allocate $1.8 Million for the Mentoring Matching Grant line item to support empowering youth-adult mentoring relationships facilitated by mentoring programs across Massachusetts. This funding enables MMP to provide grants to youth-serving organizations to establish high-quality mentoring relationships as a valuable support system for youth amid the stresses of everyday life, exacerbated by the pandemic.
This money is awarded through a competitive RFP process and community review administered by the Mass Mentoring Partnership. Funded programs are supported with training and capacity building, based on the latest research and effective practices, and must meet high levels of quality to ensure that outcomes are maximized.
Last year’s funding allowed MMP to fund and train 44 mentoring programs serving 4,529 new and existing mentor matches. In the most recent report, 91% of these programs reported that they reached their intended goals. A few examples of programmatic goals include increasing youth’s connection to schools, improving attendance rates, developing post-secondary education plans, decreasing loneliness in foster youth, and building self-esteem and academic confidence.
With the increased dollars, MMP was able to continue working to lower the number of young people on waiting lists by supporting additional mentoring programs, and leveraging $1,800,000 from the private sector through a dollar-for-dollar match requirement.