The Boston Foundation

The Boston Foundation Greater Boston's Community Foundation https://tbf.org Ultimately, we aim to support, contribute and create well-being and opportunity within our communities.

The Boston Foundation is one of the nation’s first and most impactful community foundations, with $1.9 billion in assets. Partnering with community members, donors, the public sector, businesses and nonprofits, we exist to close the gaps caused by our city’s greatest disparities, to advance economic justice, and to help build a better Boston. We collect data, commission research, share knowledge,

develop dynamic programs, fuel new ideas and fund change. Our work informs public policy, catalyzes conversations and advocates not only for change, but for repair of the historical harms of inequity. TBF is also one of New England’s largest grantmakers, supporting nonprofits in Greater Boston through our endowment and working closely with our donors to support nonprofits locally, nationally and internationally. To learn more about TBF and our work, visit TBF.org.

Building equity means increasing resources for the nonprofit sector so that organizations can better serve their communi...
08/27/2026

Building equity means increasing resources for the nonprofit sector so that organizations can better serve their communities while strengthening the wellbeing of the people who make that work possible.

We're spotlighting an opportunity to expand access to affordable health insurance for nonprofits across Massachusetts. The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NCB) has launched the Commonwealth Benefits Collaborative (CBC), a statewide health insurance initiative that enables nonprofits to pool their collective purchasing power. By joining together, organizations can access more affordable premiums, enhanced plan options, and streamlined administration, creating the kind of buying power typically available only to much larger employers.

Supporting nonprofit workers with affordable, high-quality health coverage is an important step toward strengthening the workforce and the organizations that are essential to thriving communities.

NCB is encouraging nonprofits across the state to complete the CBC Census by September 1. Through a secure, encrypted upload system, organizations can submit basic information about the employees who would be covered. Learn more and complete the CBC Census here: https://npcberkshires.org/commonwealth-benefits-collaborative/

On Sept. 15th, TBF and Boston Indicators with Boston Society for Architecture are hosting a morning conference on Housin...
08/26/2026

On Sept. 15th, TBF and Boston Indicators with Boston Society for Architecture are hosting a morning conference on Housing, Land Use, and Building Reform.

Regulatory barriers have been blocking the construction of homes that Massachusetts needs, especially small multifamily buildings like triple-deckers and townhouses. For generations, these were the homes that gave families a first foothold, a place to raise kids, save money, and lay down roots in our region. Please join Boston Indicators for a morning forum on how today’s regulatory problems evolved over time, and what to do about it.

Hear from leading experts making the case for reform including Jonathan Berk on permitting reform, briefing us on his new Boston Indicators report, Delayed by Design: How the Permitting Process Stalls Housing in Massachusetts, to be released at the event; Sam Naylor on building code reform, including his recommendations for small multifamily housing in Massachusetts, drawn from two reports he released with Boston Indicators over the past two years; and Amy Dain on comprehensive regulatory reform, including comparison of state reform efforts across time.

Massachusetts has no shortage of people working to fix these systems, and policymakers have been making progress in recent years. The morning conference will include plenty of time for discussion and networking with policymakers, advocates, architects, builders, planners, real estate professionals, and academics—anyone working toward better rules for small multifamily housing construction.

Register here: https://www.tbf.org/Events/2026/September/Housing-Land-Use-and-Building-Reform

Tens of thousands of immigrants in Massachusetts, primarily Haitians, are at risk as a result of federal rulings allowin...
08/21/2026

Tens of thousands of immigrants in Massachusetts, primarily Haitians, are at risk as a result of federal rulings allowing the Trump Administration to eliminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations. The demand for support has never been more urgent as these families across our region are facing mounting pressure, the loss of thousands of jobs, and the threat of displacement to countries many of them have not seen in well over a decade.

We are responding by standing alongside the organizations supporting these communities: TBF is distributing $376,000 in grants from Meeting the Moment: Supporting Our Immigrant Neighbors to nine organizations that are providing critical supports and helping TPS holders navigate the legal process, meet their basic needs, protect their families, and defend their legal and human rights.

Read about the grants and grantee organizations: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2026/august/meeting-the-moment-grants-tps-revocation-20260820

In a time when state legislatures have introduced thousands of bills attacking the rights and wellbeing of transgender, ...
08/20/2026

In a time when state legislatures have introduced thousands of bills attacking the rights and wellbeing of transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary communities, what does this moment require of philanthropy?

The latest issue brief by Funders for LGBTQ+ Issues, ‘Anti-Trans Legislation: A Tool to Erode U.S. Democracy,’ shares the scale of the challenge by presenting data on transgender health, legislative trends, and where philanthropic investment is most needed. But data alone won’t determine what happens next: the brief's call to action – co-written by Scott Knox, Executive Director of The Equality Fund at TBF, along with Tre'Andre Carmel Valentine, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition – was informed by the data in the brief and shaped by a January 2026 convening by the Equality Fund of 35 leaders from transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse communities and organizations serving them. Scott and Tre’Andre’s call to action urges funders to support our trans communities during this time of crisis to ensure they have the resources, power, and partnerships they need to thrive.

Together we can protect communities, build movement power, and shape the future.

For a look at the data and actionable steps for grantmakers to center these issues in your strategies, read the brief here: https://lgbtfunders.org/research-item/anti-trans-legislation/

TBF has been a longtime member of Funders for LGBTQ+ Issues and this issue brief was sponsored by the Equality Fund at TBF.

“Since Jim and I don’t have children, we want to leave a legacy to the places that have played major roles in our lives....
08/19/2026

“Since Jim and I don’t have children, we want to leave a legacy to the places that have played major roles in our lives. It was very important to us that we work with a trusted institution that would discharge our wishes in perpetuity. That was why we chose the Boston Foundation.”

Randal Rucker and Jim Becker have established a legacy fund at TBF that will support the Maine institutions they love as well as nonprofits in Boston, the city that played such a major role in their lives.

Creating or updating a legacy fund is one of the most powerful ways to reflect your values and build enduring impact. It’s also an opportunity to leave a lasting gift to a nonprofit that’s meaningful to you with a team you trust. Hear from Randal and Jim about their own story and why they chose TBF to steward their legacy giving and honor their philanthropic wishes in perpetuity: https://www.tbf.org/blog/2026/august/planned-giving-spotlight-randal-rucker-and-jim-becker

In recognition of August as National Make-A-Will Month, we're spotlighting their story and a reminder to take this important step for the people and causes you care about. Learn more about the many ways that you can leave a gift through TBF: https://www.tbf.org/donors/planned-giving

"Organizations are responding to the loss of federal arts funding and other challenges with renewed determination to bro...
08/17/2026

"Organizations are responding to the loss of federal arts funding and other challenges with renewed determination to broaden both who is represented in classical music and where and how audiences can experience it. We are excited to amplify and support these organizations and ensembles, celebrate their remarkable programming, and recognize their commitment to their communities they serve," Catherine T. Morris, Director for Arts and Creativity at TBF.

The Free for All Endowment Fund at TBF has awarded $330,000 to twenty-one organizations, expanding community access to classical music and cultural experiences. Since its inception in 2016, the Fund has granted over $1.6 million to organizations of all sizes to ensure that everyone in Greater Boston has regular and permanent access to classical, orchestral music and related cultural programming.

Read the announcement for the full list of grantees in the 2026 cycle: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2026/july/free-for-all-grants-2026

Massachusetts is experiencing another record-breaking year of heat and long heat waves, and we've all seen the strain th...
08/14/2026

Massachusetts is experiencing another record-breaking year of heat and long heat waves, and we've all seen the strain that this form of weather puts on our health, well-being, and wallets.

Marking a milestone in MA's efforts to proactively prepare and respond to heat extremes, yesterday the Healey Administration welcomed Katie Schlick as the state's first-ever Heat Resilience Officer. Massachusetts is now just the second state in the country to create a position dedicated to confronting extreme heat.

TBF is proud to support the Healey Administration in funding this position which will coordinate across the state government to strengthen critical efforts to protect residents, support communities, and prepare Massachusetts for extreme heat.

With some of the greatest toll on the communities least prepared to cope, Katie emphasized how “equity, affordability and attention to the most vulnerable will be the cornerstones of this work” that aims to not just bring down costs, but bring up the economy and social net that protects people.

Join us in welcoming Katie!

Read the announcement: https://bit.ly/4bQdJUY

“Mass ECHOS gives us something unprecedented: an honest, region-specific accounting of where Massachusetts families stan...
08/13/2026

“Mass ECHOS gives us something unprecedented: an honest, region-specific accounting of where Massachusetts families stand today, and a shared foundation of evidence for building something more equitable tomorrow.”

Yesterday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston published Family Wealth in Massachusetts, drawn from the 2025 MA Economic Conditions and Household Opportunity Survey, known as Mass ECHOS. On our blog, TBF President and CEO Lee Pelton looks at some of the key findings, and why facing these numbers is so important in our work to change them, and change outcomes for the economic well-being of all Massachusetts residents.

And while the numbers shared are sobering, they are not surprising. Among the key findings: overall median family wealth in MA is roughly $374,000, yet one in six families here have zero or negative wealth. White families reported median net wealth of $549,200. This dips to $305,000 for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families. For Black families, median wealth was $7,800 and for Hispanic families, it was just $1,200.

These disparities weren't created by accident, and they won't be dismantled by accident either. They require perseverance and collaboration by partners committed to advocating for change and advocating for repair – and making philanthropy an effective vehicle for social change. This reliable, granular data on wealth by race, education, and geography in the report provide us unprecedented insights into wealth gaps in the state to spark these informed conversations, and the sustained, cross-sector work, that leads to the collaborative solutions needed to shape a more equitable Massachusetts. Read Lee Pelton's blog here: https://bit.ly/4xyZZGs

The Boston Foundation helped fund, steer and launch this independent study with the Eastern Bank Foundation, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the Barr Foundation, with about 5,000 Massachusetts households sharing detailed information about their wealth, not just their income.

While a recent survey affirmed the significant benefits of homeownership for financial stability and wealth building, it...
08/10/2026

While a recent survey affirmed the significant benefits of homeownership for financial stability and wealth building, it also highlighted that too many of our families are struggling to stay in their homes after buying them. In Courtney Brunson's op ed published in CommonWealth Beacon, she explains why sustaining a homeowner, and not just creating one, is an important next investment for MA.

A coalition of partners, including TBF, worked with The MassINC Polling Group to ask 850 homeowners across MA about the benefits and challenges of homeownership. Nearly everyone was satisfied with owning their home, and the survey data validate what those in the housing ecosystem have bet on: Decreasing the cost and financial barriers to home buying gives homeowners greater stability and opportunities to build wealth.

Yet while Massachusetts has done a lot to help residents buy homes, families are facing challenges in keeping them. Almost half of homeowners in the survey reported that it has been at least somewhat difficult to afford their housing costs over the past year. Nearly a third say they have had to skip or delay paying for food, utilities, or medical bills to cover their mortgage. And more than a third have deferred urgent home repairs. For Black homeowners, 48% have skipped basic needs and 47% have delayed urgent repairs. And Gateway City residents say they face compounding hardship across nearly every indicator.

Read more from Courtney and the recommendations she makes to ensure that the low- and moderate-income households we support in purchasing homes have the resources and programs needed to keep them here: https://bit.ly/4q9M1bG

Don't forget to get your bids in: There are only a few hours left in the auction of customized New England Revolution cl...
08/05/2026

Don't forget to get your bids in: There are only a few hours left in the auction of customized New England Revolution cleats! Proceeds from every pair sold will go to TBF to power our Equity Funds and support the communities that call Greater Boston home.

This initiative combines so much of what we love about our city: sports uniting us, art reflecting our experiences, showcasing diversity through storytelling, driving impact through partnership, and fueling community-centered philanthropy.

Help us invest across our region, in the diversity that makes Greater Boston what it is. Lifelong sports fans, art or memorabilia collectors, and all of us who see beauty in the diversity that defines Greater Boston: place you bids now to own a singular tribute to our Boston sports history while fueling meaningful work today.

Support TBF's mission and the communities that define our region. Browse the boots and bid before noon: https://auction.biddingforgood.com/auction/341832767

Photos courtesy of The New England Revolution.

Address

75 Arlington Street
Boston, MA
02116

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Boston Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category