Name of Foundation:The Boston Foundation
Location: Boston
Contact info: www.tbf.org Phone: 617-338-1700
Coverage Area: The Greater Boston area
Subject Area: Philanthropy, Education/Work Readiness, Health and Wellness, Jobs and Housing, Community Safety, Civic and Cultural Vitality
Assets: $804,221 (2012)
Last Year Total Giving: $116,585 (2012)
In a nutshell: The Boston Foundation was established in 1915 by Charles E. and Charles M. Rogerson, who were father and son. Originally called the Permanent Charity Fund, it was the third community foundation in the United States. The foundation was created to serve the needs of the Greater Boston area. The foundation’s objectives and strategies are designed to encourage “thriving people and vibrant places”. The foundation focuses on improving community life around education and health, safe and vibrant neighborhoods, robust arts and cultural opportunities, and economic growth.
In 1985, the foundation was renamed The Boston Foundation, and Anna Faith Jones became the President—the first African-American woman to lead a major foundation in the United States. In 2012, the Boston Foundation and The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) merged, with TPI operating as a distinct unit of the Boston Foundation. TPI helps corporations, foundations and individual donors develop a philanthropic strategy to maximize social impact.
The foundation partners with numerous organizations serving the city’s youth. Specifically, the foundation targets initiatives from K-12 education in Boston’s public schools through college completion and entry into the adult workforce. On the k-12 level, they seek out programs that increase the number of seats in autonomous schools, including seats in new charter, pilot and innovation schools. The foundation also targets programs that work towards increasing 2 and 4 year degrees for students of color and first generation college bound students from Boston’s public schools. Additionally, the foundation focuses on “cradle to career” approaches to education, which increase student’s readiness for the workforce.
The foundation funds programs that target health and wellness for children and adults. These include, encouraging healthy behaviors for Boston residents, increasing access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.
Within their Community Safety program area, the foundation has created a five-year, $18 million special initiative called StreetSafe Boston. The program focuses on urban areas with high crime rates, to curb youth violence and help young people. The Foundation also funds programs within the arts sector. They invest in statewide advocacy and research for the creative sector and in arts education to foster creative thinking and arts learning in public schools.
Major Programs:
Increasing Philanthropic Resources
Education to Career
Health and Wellness
Jobs and Housing
Community Safety
Special Initiatives
How to Apply:
All requests for a competitive grant begin with the submission of an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The organization generally funds proven or promising organizations that are closely aligned with their priority strategies.
In light of the Foundation’s limited ability to make new grants, organizations interested in exploring potential financial support should first contact a member of the Program Staff before completing an online Letter of Inquiry. Click here for a list of Program Staff names and contact information.
For more information on grantmaking, click here.
Recent News and Grantmaking:
Grants, 2013