Press Release  AG's Office Seeks Applicants For Statewide Local Consumer Grant Program

BOSTON — The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has announced that it is seeking applicants for its 2026 Local Consumer Program, which provides funding to support local consumer programs that assist residents across Massachusetts in addressing a wide range of consumer issues. The Program is funded by the AGO’s Local Consumer Aid Fund (LCAF) and grant recipients will work closely with the AGO’s Consumer Advocacy and Response Division to provide assistance to consumers within their communities and greater region.   

Grant awards will likely range from $40,000 to $125,000 and will be awarded for fiscal year 2027, which covers July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The deadline to apply for a Local Consumer Program grant is 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2026. 

The grant program utilizes funds received through the AGO’s consumer protection settlements to support local programs that help consumers address a wide range of consumer issues by providing direct assistance to help resolve disputes with businesses, including issues related to retail sales, housing, and more. Grant recipients leverage local expertise and community engagement to deliver effective services to help consumers resolve disputes with businesses, including through voluntary advocacy or mediation, and consumer education.   

In 2025, local consumer programs handled approximately 8,690 of the 24,000 consumer complaints received by the AGO regarding unfair or deceptive business practices. Collectively, the local consumer programs and AGO helped Massachusetts consumers save or recover more than $11 million in 2025. 

Eligible applicants who are encouraged to apply for the grant program include:   

• 501(c)(3) organizations in good standing with both the Non-Profit/Public Charities Division of the AGO and the Internal Revenue Service  
• Local government entities providing consumer assistance, including District Attorneys’ Offices, Mayor’s Offices, and other municipal offices  
• Colleges and universities operating or interested in operating consumer programs  

Interested applicants may find further details about the application process and download necessary materials by visiting the Attorney General’s website at www.mass.gov/ago/grants. All questions regarding the LCAF and grant application process may be submitted to LCP@mass.gov by April 24, 2026, at 5 p.m. 

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