GreenLight Fund Boston

05/29/2026

As we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to celebrate the incredible work that Youth Guidance's BAM and WOW programs are doing to help support youth mental health, by creating school-based spaces built on trust, reflection, and consistent adult guidance.

Read more in our latest blog post: https://greenlightfund.org/infocus-mental-health-well-being/

05/27/2026

Last week, GreenLight Boston's Executive Director, Zac Rich, helped facilitate Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Leading with Impact Collaborative, pairing students from the Executive MBA program with leadership from 22 local non-profit organizations around Boston. Two of GreenLight Boston's portfolio organizations, The Fountain Fund and Youth Guidance Boston were invited to participate and strategize with students on solutions to the challenges that they're currently facing.

05/21/2026

On Tuesday, GreenLight Boston's portfolio organizations, Per Scholas Greater Boston, Friends of the Children-Boston, PATH Advising Program - Boston University, and Youth Guidance Boston, participated in Bain Capital's community impact sessions.

During these sessions, organizations brought in problem statements and spent time in breakout rooms with Bain Capital Managers to discuss strategies and solutions to the challenges portfolio organizations are experiencing. Thank you to our partners at Bain Capital for this incredible opportunity and for helping to support nonprofits during these challenging times.

05/14/2026

In a new article for Youth Today, GreenLight Fund CEO Ali Knight explores what it will take to ensure young people aging out of foster care are not left behind — and highlights the work of Youth Villages LifeSet right here in Boston as a model for what's possible.

LifeSet, a program of Youth Villages, pairs young people transitioning out of foster care with trained specialists who help them secure housing, continue their education, find stable employment, and build support networks. And it's working: in Boston, one year after leaving the program, 88% of participants were living independently or with family, and 91% were in school or employed — proof that when we invest in real relationships and real support, young people thrive.

Read more of Ali's reflections here: https://bit.ly/4dFzx6V

05/01/2026

Congratulations to GreenLight Boston's 10th investment, CareMessage, who was named by TIME to the 2026 TIME100 Most Influential Companies list as the sole Impact in Equality Awardee.

CareMessage's work — reaching 22 million people across 45 states through text-message-based health education and care coordination — represents the kind of measurable, equity-focused impact our organization is built to support.

Read TIME's full tribute: https://msg.care/8GlHb

04/30/2026

What does it look like to move from listening to action in philanthropy? In this piece by Ben Gose for The Chronicle of Philanthropy our model comes into focus as a way to translate community insight into action - supporting the spread of proven programs and driving locally rooted, scalable impact across its network of cities.

For GreenLight Fund, this process starts with communities themselves – local leaders identifying where gaps exist and what’s needed most. From there, the work is about finding solutions that have already demonstrated impact and partnering to bring them to where they’re needed with the support they need to take root and grow.

As shared by our CEO, Ali Knight, “We are in these cities to stay. We’re not going to bring some things and leave. We really intend to be a core part of the social fabric — the service fabric — of each city. And that’s a core tenet of place-based philanthropy.”

Read more here: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/lilly-gose-greenlight-0426/

04/28/2026

April is Second Chance Month!

A big shoutout to GreenLight Boston's 15th investment, The Fountain Fund, which continues to provide lasting support to recently incarcerated individuals, by removing barriers for individuals to access low-interest loans and supporting them on the path to economic growth.

April is Second Chance Month, and we’re recognizing the work of The Fountain Fund in advancing economic mobility and removing barriers for individuals returning home from incarceration.

A GreenLight Fund Boston and GreenLight Fund Philadelphia portfolio organization, The Fountain Fund supports returning citizens with low-interest loans and financial coaching. These loans are often used to reinstate a driver’s license, secure employment, or access stable housing - tools that help build credit and open pathways to long-term opportunity. The organization’s goal is to help Client Partners access capital in ways that strengthen their financial stability and expand economic mobility.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4jynn00

04/17/2026

On Wednesday, we convened our Selection Advisory Council (SAC) for the second meeting of our 17th selection cycle. Thank you to SAC member, Pam Leins, for hosting us in her beautiful space in the heart of Nubian Square! ✨

During our time together, we presented six organizations across our three focus areas — food insecurity, housing instability, and adolescents in foster care — and had a great discussion that centered around assessing local fit, impact, and sustainability.

Our next step of the process is meeting with our Boston Community Council to get their feedback and then deciding on the three orgs to bring full diligence. Big things ahead! 🎉

03/25/2026

Congrats to Raising a Reader MA on getting the chance to share more about their incredible work and beautiful mission on NBC Boston and Telemundo!

Promoting early literacy is crucial for young minds, and ‘Raising a Reader’ is a non-profit making books accessible for all communities. Follow NBC10 Boston’s The Hub Today:https://instagram.com/thehubtodayhttps://facebook.com/TheHubTodayhttps://twitter.com/TheHubTodayhttps://tiktok.com/...

03/20/2026

Congratulations to Team Philly!

Just announced! GreenLight Fund Philadelphia launches its latest portfolio organization investment, bringing Project Basta (Basta) to Philadelphia. Basta’s AI-enabled career navigation platform, paired with personalized support, will accelerate access to high-quality jobs for first-generation college students and help unlock pathways to long-term career success.

Beginning this year and over the next four years, Basta aims to reach 11,000 learners across Philadelphia, connecting students to meaningful career opportunities and strengthening the city’s workforce.

Read the full press release: https://greenlightfund.org/greenlight-fund-invests-600000-to-launch-bastas-career-navigation-model-in-philadelphia/