The Boston Foundation

On Oct. 21st, hundreds of nonprofit and business professionals will gather to learn, connect and be inspired in these uniquely challenging times.

Each year, the Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits’ Annual Conference convenes one of the largest gatherings of nonprofit professionals in the state. The day-long event includes a keynote session, 25+ workshops and expert roundtables, and networking opportunities.

The 2026 Conference will take place on 10/21 at the DCU Center in Worcester, and includes a conversation with Congressman Jim McGovern. This year’s theme, ‘Community & Connection,' will provide valuable opportunities for nonprofits to learn from nonprofit experts, attend valuable workshops, connect with peers, and gain new insights to advance their organization’s mission. Register: https://macouncilofnonprofits.org/events/annual-conference/

Over the summer we were thrilled to install a new art exhibit alongside our land acknowledgment statement. Featuring a collection by Wampanoag artist Quincy Harding, the exhibit showcases Indigenous stories, communities, culture, voices, and creativity. The land acknowledgement grounds us in our space, offering our staff and all the community members we welcome here the chance to reflect and share our respect for the land and Indigenous communities of Massachusetts.

We're looking forward to a busy fall events season at the TBF office and hope you'll all have the opportunity to join us here and see the installation for yourselves soon! Register for an upcoming event and join us in our space: https://www.tbf.org/events

About Quincy Harding, the artist whose work is featured in the exhibit: Quincy is a Black and Native Wampanoag illustrator and designer originally from Massachusetts. Inspired by culture, emotion, nature and fashion, and focusing on women of color, her work spans digital illustrations, fashion illustrations, textile design, and clothing design. She also often weaves themes from her Wampanoag heritage into her work, incorporating elements of nature such as plants and water, reflecting the meaning of her Native name, Spring Breeze.

About the design of the land acknowledgment: Franklin Marval designed and produced the wall cling with the land acknowledgment.

Thank you to Quincy and Franklin for partnering with TBF on this display and Meclina Gomes for bringing it all to life!

The Safety Net Grants program at TBF is accepting applications!

For the FY27 Fall Safety Net Grants round, we are focused on organizations responding to urgent basic needs across Greater Boston, particularly in the areas of food security, health and behavioral health, direct cash assistance, and housing stabilization. Grants will provide $50,000 in general operating support through a two-year funding commitment. Organizations that received a Safety Net Grant in 2026 will not be eligible for this round as we work to spread funds across the safety net ecosystem.

The application deadline is Friday, October 30th 2026.

Details and resources including a recording and slides from our recent info session are available on our website. Learn more and apply: https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/safety-net-grants

Curious about planned giving and bequests in strengthening your philanthropic impact and legacy?

OutStandingLife, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ aging adults in Greater Boston and grantee of the Equality Fund at TBF, is hosting a virtual event tomorrow, September 22nd at noon. The event will feature a special presentation on legacy planning from Scott Squillace Esq. followed by a Q&A with TBF's Elisa Pasche and M. Scott Knox.

Thank you to OutStandingLife for convening this session on such a powerful way to leave a lasting impact.

With today marking the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Latino Equity Fund at TBF is opening grant applications!

For their FY27 grant cycle, LEF is committing $500,000 to support Latinx-serving nonprofits and will award one-time, $50,000 general operating grants to 10 organizations within TBF's catchment area.

Guided by recent data highlighting Latinos' persistent economic barriers and their increasing difficulties in obtaining health services, LEF is seeking proposals from community-based nonprofits providing access to trusted community health services and advancing equitable economic opportunities for Latinx residents.

Deadline to apply: October 30, 2026.

Learn more about priority areas for these grants and apply: https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/latino-equity-fund/latino-equity-fund-fy27-applications

Just over two months after northern Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes that caused catastrophic damage, the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund has announced $192,500 in grants and commitments to support recovering communities.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the Latino Equity Fund at TBF joined local Venezuelan organizations, Venezuelan-owned businesses, community leaders and partners on the ground in Venezuela to establish the Fund. After two months of listening, asking questions, vetting organizations, and looking closely at where these resources could have the greatest impact, these grantees were selected with a focus on emergency services, children and health.

By combining thoughtful philanthropy with deep knowledge and relationships of the Venezuelan community, these grants demonstrate how the Fund is turning compassion into action and ensuring resources reach those who need them most. Recovery will take years, but our community in MA has shown that Venezuela will not have to face that road alone.

The Fund will continue working with trusted organizations and partners to identify needs and direct resources toward communities affected by the earthquakes. Read more about the grants and how to support the Fund here: https://bit.ly/4xmZQ8w

A quarter century after the September 11, 2001 attacks, we honor the lives lost and those irreparably changed by this devastating tragedy for our nation.

We honor the first responders whose bravery saved lives while putting their own on the line, and are reminded of the remarkable strength and perseverance of a community uniting to support one another.

In moments of crisis, community is our greatest strength.

How can Boston, as a coordinated community, ensure that every student reaches adulthood with genuine opportunity?

With the start of a new school year comes renewed focus on education and outcomes for our students. As we reflect on journeys for our youth, we're uplifting 'Cradle to Career Outcomes Report: Partnerships Driving Progress.' This report from our colleagues at Opportunity Boston explores the system by tracking key data at milestones from kindergarten readiness through early grade reading, middle grade math, and secondary and postsecondary measures of success.

The report also highlights key partnerships and efforts that support and unlock opportunities for our students, exploring the steps that can continue or accelerate the progress of Boston students. The work ahead is to ensure that every Boston student experiences the coordinated support needed to thrive, connecting each individual with pathways that can lead to post-secondary, career, and life success. With continued investment, sustained partnerships, and a collective commitment to equity, Boston can ensure that every child reaches adulthood prepared for college, career, and civic life.

Explore the report here: https://bit.ly/3SUMKRU

About Opportunity Boston: Opportunity Boston is a public/private partnership that works urgently and strategically to transform the Boston education landscape from cradle to career.

Yesterday marked an important date in our own history: the papers that founded the Boston Foundation were signed on September 7, 1915.

Initially called The Permanent Charity Fund, Greater Boston’s community foundation was founded 111 years ago, reflective of a turbulent era in history. Against this backdrop, TBF became the first major philanthropy in Boston and one of the first community foundations in the nation.

Reflecting on 111 years of serving as the primary philanthropy for Greater Boston, deep dedication to social justice connects everything the Boston Foundation has done — from our earliest days of responding to the human needs of immigrants and vulnerable communities, to seeding innovation through “there at the beginning” grants for new nonprofits and fresh ideas, to helping change the very systems that affect the lives of everyone in our region.

Rooted in the very same principles TBF was founded on and has remained committed to for over a century, today we're building on our foundation and shaping Boston's future for good.

As TBF’s history tells us, a spirit of innovation has always existed in Boston’s social sector: in health care, education, housing, the arts and the social services. Bostonians from all walks of life have imagined ways to build a better city. 'The Boston Foundation in the City of Ideas, 1915-2015,' captures the responsive evolution of TBF in its first century. Reflect on some of our history and our city's history here: https://bit.ly/4h0d9pq

The most enduring solutions emerge when civic leaders, nonprofits and philanthropy work in partnership with, and are representative of, the community members whose lives they aim to benefit.

United by a shared vision, community leaders gathered this summer at the former Forbes Lithograph Company site in Chelsea. Looking out over sweeping views of Boston, we celebrated a remarkable achievement: the acquisition of what will become the Chelsea Creek Sanctuary. This milestone follows years of community organizing and advocacy and its acquisition will begin a transformational project.

Led by three nonprofits — GreenRoots, Mass Audubon, and The Neighborhood Developers (TND) — the site will include a nature center, outdoor classroom, permanently protected and public green space, waterfront access, up to 225 affordable homes, and restored wetlands to enhance climate resilience.

Realizing this vision for Chelsea will require more of this kind of deep collaboration with each partner bringing their distinct strengths to the effort. Looking ahead to what the site could become, perseverance and civic leadership have made this moment possible. Now, just $10 million stands between this community and long-awaited waterfront access.

Read more in a blog post by TBF's Ava Buchanan: https://bit.ly/4A6HjjA

Photos from Mass Audubon.