June 2025: Scharfman Grants Awarded to Four Leagues

LWV Franklin County: LWV Franklin County received a grant to host a Legislative Coffee public event held at a local music venue where state legislators give brief statements and answer questions from attendees. Open to all and held downtown in the county’s largest town, it provides rural residents a valuable chance to engage directly with their elected officials and share concerns on local issues.

LWV Greater Brockton: LWV Greater Brockton received a grant to print and distribute yard signs in advance of this year’s election. The signs will include critical nonpartisan voting information such as mail-in ballot request deadlines, early voting periods, and Election Day. 

LWV Billerica: LWV Billerica received a grant for their Community Engagement Launch Series which seeks to increase civic participation through voter registration, education, and outreach at high-traffic community events like the Billerica Farmers Market and Yankee Doodle Homecoming. In partnership with local organizations, the series will include informational sessions, registration drives, and a special event on Women’s Suffrage to connect historical context with modern civic duty. This initiative aims to create lasting community engagement, especially among underrepresented groups and first-time voters.

LWV Salem: The League of Women Voters of Salem received a grant to host candidate forums for local elections to help voters understand key issues and candidate positions. To improve accessibility, the League plans to offer live Spanish interpretation and produce bilingual recordings of the forums, addressing Salem’s growing need for elections information in both English and Spanish. With support from community partners and the Lotte Scharfman Memorial Fund, the initiative aims to engage Spanish-speaking voters—who have historically had lower turnout—by making election information more inclusive and accessible.