HOLYOKE — The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts have secured a three-year, $165,000 grant from the Women’s Foundation of Boston that will help the organization expand “It’s a Girls World” program to Holyoke and several other communities in Hampden County.

“It’s a Girls World” focuses on encouraging young women to become involved in STEM, providing financial literacy and promoting healthy living and mental health wellness programs.

The Women’s Foundation of Boston has awarded 10 grants to nonprofits in Massachusetts, and the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts is one of three grantees that serve women and girls in Massachusetts gateway cities, which are defined as midsize urban centers that anchor regional economies around the state.

Christina Gordon, co-founder and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Boston, said that “as a society, we have not done enough to build women and girls’ confidence in their academic, athletic, leadership and financial abilities, all of which are priorities for the organizations we support.”

She added that the investment in gateway cities specifically is “crucial” to furthering the support of women and girls in these communities.

Jamie Mahon, the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts fund development and marketing manager, said that the award “enables us to expand what we’ve been doing ... and allows us to serve more girls, meeting them where they are, in communities that may experience gaps in access to resources and programming.”

In addition to Holyoke, the Girl Scouts will bring “It’s a Girls World” program to Chicopee, Pittsfield, Springfield and Westfield. The program was previously offered in Springfield.

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