The Boston Foundation’s competitive grantmaking is supported by the Permanent Fund for Boston, which has been built by hundreds of donors since 1915 to meet the changing needs of our community. The Permanent Fund for Boston continues to receive gifts and bequests from those who want to ensure that Greater Boston has a permanent endowment.
In September of 2009, the Boston Foundation announced a newly articulated set of goals and objectives that place a strategic focus on the people and places of Greater Boston. Through these goals and objectives we seek to have a profound impact on important areas of community life – including dramatic improvements in education and wellness; safe and vibrant neighborhoods; robust arts and cultural opportunities; and a regional economy that enables everyone to thrive.
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The Boston Foundation is two years into implementing its new strategic framework – Thriving People/Vibrant Places. This strategic framework has focused the Foundation’s grantmaking, research, convening and public policy capacity on eight strategies to impact major issues facing Greater Boston’s people and places. The Foundation has invested the majority of its discretionary grantmaking resources in partners and initiatives across these major impact strategies. In light of the Foundation’s limited ability to make new grants during FY12 (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012), organizations interested in exploring potential financial support should first contact a member of our Program Staff before completing an online Letter of Inquiry.
Click here for list of Program Staff names and contact information.
Giving Common Profiles Now Required for Discretionary Grant Applicants
The Boston Foundation is pleased to announce that effective December 1, 2011 the Giving Common will become a central part of our grantmaking process. As part of this enhancement to our work, a completed Giving Common profile will be required of all discretionary grant applicants.
To learn more about the Giving Common, including information about the benefits to participating nonprofit organizations, please visit the site which is currently under development and scheduled to be launched in May 2012 at www.thegivingcommon.org or review some Frequently Asked Questions.
All discretionary funding applicants starting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) on or after 12/1/11 will need to complete a Giving Common profile as part of the LOI process. All LOIs started after this date and submitted prior to the completion of a Giving Common profile will be held for consideration until a profile has been completed.
Please note that while the Giving Common is open to all nonprofit organizations serving or located in Massachusetts, a profile is not required for a Vision Fund grant or most other special grantmaking initiatives; the initiative description will indicate if a Giving Common profile is required.
To get started, you can request a profile by visiting www.thegivingcommon.org. We are available to support you throughout the process via email and over the phone, or should you prefer to attend a live training session you can register for one at http://givingcommon.guidestar.org/CustomPage1.aspx.
A Strategic Focus on People and Place
The Foundation focuses its efforts on two overarching goals, five related objectives and eight specific strategies:
Greater Boston residents are successful and thriving:
- Improve outcomes for Boston’s residents across the education pipeline;
- Increase the health and wellness of Greater Boston residents.
Greater Boston neighborhoods and communities are vibrant, safe and affordable:
- Increase the livability, affordability and safety of Greater Boston neighborhoods;
- Enhance civic and cultural vibrancy in Greater Boston;
- Increase job growth and economic equity and competitiveness in Greater Boston.