Key Points
- Massachusetts awarded $5,998,069 through 12 Donnelly Workforce Success Grants.
- Greater New Bedford funding trains 122 unemployed and underemployed nursing assistants.
- Eligibility depends on location, work status, and training commitment.
Find Free or Low-Cost CNA Training Grants in Massachusetts
Your step-by-step guide to Massachusetts workforce grants covering CNA training costs.
Pay $1,200 to $2,500 out of pocket for CNA programs in Massachusetts, or enter a funded cohort through a state workforce grant. In August 2026, the Donnelly Workforce Success Grant program awarded $499,865 to the Greater New Bedford Workforce Board to train 122 unemployed and underemployed residents as nursing assistants. That award sits within $5,998,069 spread across 12 grants statewide.
The real constraint is timing and eligibility. Funded seats often require unemployed or underemployed status, a career center referral, or specific provider enrollment; private pay offers faster entry with fewer conditions. CNA training cohorts fill quickly and launch on set schedules, so applicants who wait for an announcement can miss the current cycle.
Massachusetts CNA Workforce Grants: What's Available in 2026
Massachusetts CNA funding in 2026 spans state workforce grants, community college programs, and employer training funds. The table below compares active programs by administering agency, typical award, target population, and notes. Contact the listed administrator to confirm current availability and application status.
| Grant Program | Administered By | Typical Award | Target Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant (2026) | Commonwealth Corporation | up to $500,000 | unemployed and underemployed participants | Funded by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund; one awardee received $499,610 for CNA training and placement services for 60 participants |
| Community College Nursing Grant (2026) | Healey-Driscoll Administration / Massachusetts state government | $9.7 million total | noncredit CNA and Medical Assistant trainees at Massachusetts public community colleges | Supports training at all 15 state public community colleges; expected to serve approximately 1,125 students |
| Community Workforce Partnerships Grant (2026) | Massachusetts state government / Mass.gov | $75,000 to $150,000 | workforce development and career pathway participants in local community partnerships | Applications closed May 6, 2026 |
| MassHire Greater New Bedford CNA Workforce Pipeline Grant (2026) | MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce Board as lead applicant for MassHire Southeast Region 6 Workforce Boards | $499,865 | CNA trainees in Southeastern Massachusetts | Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund grant to sustain CNA training throughout Southeastern Massachusetts |
| Middlesex Community College CNA Training Grant (2026) | Middlesex Community College | $498,160 | 104 unemployed or underemployed Massachusetts residents | Training to become Certified Nurse Assistants |
| Certified Nursing Assistant Training (2026) | Massachusetts Board of Higher Education / Massachusetts public community colleges | $75,445 | 20 students, including an ESOL-contextualized cohort for an underserved population in North Central Massachusetts | Two cohorts totaling 20 students; 259 hours of training including academic coursework, occupational training, career development counseling, and on-site clinical placement |
| Workforce Training Fund Program (2026) | Commonwealth Corporation | $10,000 to $125,000 | Massachusetts employers contributing to the Workforce Training Fund | Business training grants for current and newly hired employees; not CNA-specific but an active employer training pathway |
| HCBS and Human Services Workforce Grant (2026) | Massachusetts state government / Mass.gov | $42.5 million total | HCBS and human services workforce in Massachusetts | Training, recruiting, or retaining workforce; relevant to CNA-adjacent care roles but not a CNA-only grant |
Eligibility Requirements for CNA Training Grants
Massachusetts CNA training grants now work less as a single statewide entitlement and more as a set of eligibility tracks, so your best route depends on where you live, how much you work, and whether you can commit to an employer after certification.
Community college grants
Most community-college CNA grants start with Massachusetts residency and an unemployed or underemployed status. Middlesex Community College, for example, requires both. Bunker Hill Community College's TRAIN Grant accepts unemployed, underemployed, or people working fewer than 20 hours per week, and uses federal poverty guidelines. Bunker Hill also opens the door to new entrants, including recent high school graduates and new immigrants who can work in the U.S. Holyoke Community College requires you to be 18 or older, pass CORI/SORI and drug screening, complete a medical clearance, and pass WorkKeys English and math assessments. Free tuition at Holyoke is limited to people receiving SNAP, TAFDC, or other eligible benefits.
MassHire and WIOA
MassHire CNA programs generally require Massachusetts residency, unemployed or underemployed status, CORI/SORI clearance, and registration with a MassHire Career Center. You also agree to seek CNA or home health aide employment after the course. Through WIOA, workers are typically at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, at least 18, and authorized to work in the U.S. ESOL learners may qualify through special tracks that combine English instruction with CNA training.
Employer-sponsored training
Employer-sponsored programs skip the income test but require a work commitment. Southcoast Health, for example, asks for a high school diploma or GED, an application, resume, references, transportation, full availability for about six weeks, and a one-year commitment after completion.
Special Programs for ESOL Learners, Unemployed, and Underemployed Workers
Massachusetts now supports free CNA training for residents who face language, income, or employment barriers, not only for traditional students.
Four Donnelly-Funded Programs Include ESOL Instruction
Of the current Donnelly Workforce Success Grant awards, four pair CNA training with English support. Quinsigamond Community College received $499,610 for 60 unemployed and underemployed participants.1 Northern Essex Community College was awarded $137,000 for two CNA cohorts plus an ESOL companion class, targeting roughly 100 adult learners with limited English, including many recent immigrants.2 North Shore Community Action Programs offers free CNA training with English support for non-native speakers who are authorized to work in the U.S. and have strong English skills.3 Mt. Wachusett Community College runs an ESOL-contextualized CNA cohort for underserved learners.4
Additional ESOL-CNA Options Across the State
Several other programs reach similar learners. Cambridge accepts English language learners at intermediate level or higher, with work authorization, and no high school diploma is required.5 JVS Boston offers a 14-week option with 100 hours of ESOL for intermediate speakers and a 6-week option for proficient speakers.6 The International Institute of New England's free 200-hour CNA training Lowell MA program serves English language learners with basic English screening.7 UMass Dartmouth's ESOL for CNA is funded by Massachusetts DESE,8 and MassSTEP supports ESOL-linked CNA training through planning and implementation grants.9
Support Goes Beyond Tuition
These pathways typically combine CNA coursework with structured English instruction, job skills training, and cohort models that keep learners moving toward certification together. Some programs, such as Worcester Adult Learning Center's MassSTEP CNA, offer CNA classes in Worcester MA and outline health and background requirements upfront, helping students gather immunizations, a physical, a TB test, and CORI screening before clinical training begins.10
CNA Salary Outlook in Massachusetts: Metro Comparison
Nursing assistants in Massachusetts earn the strongest wages in the Boston metro, where the 2024 median annual salary was $46,110. Barnstable Town and Pittsfield follow at $45,600 and $44,800 respectively, while employment is concentrated in Boston with 25,870 jobs. The table below shows full wage ranges and employment across six metro areas.
| Metro area | Total employment | Median annual wage | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 25,870 | $46,110 | $41,890 | $48,830 |
| Worcester, MA | 5,490 | $44,080 | $40,480 | $46,850 |
| Springfield, MA | 2,960 | $41,220 | $38,730 | $45,630 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1,000 | $45,600 | $38,790 | $48,650 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 770 | $44,800 | $39,370 | $46,780 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 600 | $43,630 | $37,830 | $46,790 |
What Do These Grants Cover? Costs and Support Services
Coverage varies by program. Some Massachusetts CNA training options cover tuition, books, fees, transportation, and exam costs, while others focus on tuition only or require a job commitment after certification.
| Grant Program | Tuition Covered? | Books & Fees | Transportation | Exam Costs | Work Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MassEducate / MassReconnect | Full tuition and fees for all eligible students | Up to $1,200 for books and supplies based on income; up to $1,200 for other college costs | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| TRAIN Grant Program at Bunker Hill Community College | Free tuition for spring term 2026 | Books, fees, and materials | Travel vouchers | Not specified | Career coaching, work experience, job placement, and job support |
| Northern Essex Community College CNA Program | Yes, $1,525 program cost | Books and scrubs included | Not specified | Testing fees included | Not specified |
| Catholic Charities Boston CNA Program | Free | Textbooks and uniforms covered | Not specified | Exam fees covered | Not specified |
| Employer-sponsored CNA training | Free | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Requires a job commitment |
Application Deadlines and Required Documents
Massachusetts CNA funding flows through several separate programs, so there is no single statewide application deadline. Treat every grant pathway as its own cycle and confirm dates directly.
- Check MassHire and college portals firstMassHire career centers and community college CNA program pages publish the only current, program-specific 2026 deadlines and document checklists. Dates vary by region and training provider.
- Confirm with financial aid and state labor officesCall the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the college financial aid office. They can verify whether deadlines are open, closed, or rolling. For example, the Nursing Apprenticeship Planning Grant closed March 23, 2026, and MASSGrant's published deadline was June 30, 2026, but always reconfirm.
- Ask professional associations about typical timelinesThe Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association and MA Senior Care Association can describe common grant cycles and requirements. Use BLS.gov only for certification and employment context, not deadline data.
- Build a master document checklistGather photo ID, proof of Massachusetts residency, high school diploma or GED, immunization records, and background check documentation. Requirements vary, so confirm every item with the program coordinator before submitting.
Did you know? Since January 2023, the Healey-Driscoll administration has awarded nearly $77 million through Commonwealth Corporation to train more than 10,500 workers. That’s a statewide training pipeline, not a one-time pilot, and funded CNA programs are part of it.
