The Boston Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $175,374,000 (2023)
Number of Grants: 2,058 (2023)
Success Rate: 14-20% (varies by program)
Decision Time: 4-6 weeks to 4.5 months (varies by program)
Grant Range: $5,000 - $50,000 (competitive programs)
Geographic Focus: Greater Boston (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk Counties, MA)

Contact Details

Address: 75 Arlington Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 617.338.1700

Email:

General inquiries: info@tbf.org
Grant information: grantsinfo@tbf.org
Donor services: donorservices@tbf.org
Safety Net Grants: safetynetgrants@tbf.org

Website: www.tbf.org

Grants Portal: bostonfoundation.smartsimple.com

Overview

Established in 1915, The Boston Foundation is Greater Boston's community foundation and one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation. With assets supporting over $175 million in annual grantmaking through 2,058 awards in 2023, the Foundation devotes its resources to building and sustaining a vital, prosperous city and region where justice and opportunity are extended to everyone. Under the leadership of President & CEO M. Lee Pelton since 2021, the Foundation has centered equity in its programs, grantmaking, and civic leadership, making closing the racial wealth gap a top strategic priority. The Foundation has earned a 4/4 Star rating from Charity Navigator and fulfills its mission through three principal ways: making grants to nonprofit organizations and designing special funding initiatives; working in partnership with donors to achieve high-impact philanthropy; and serving as a civic hub and center of information. The Foundation's 2024 annual report described it as a "record-breaking year" for civic leadership, including passage of legislation on wage equity, maternal health improvements, and the largest housing bond bill in Massachusetts history.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Safety Net Grants: $50,000 (two-year general operating support)

Offered twice yearly (spring and fall)
Provides general operating support to social service organizations
Serves marginalized communities and vulnerable residents
Applications reviewed approximately 4-6 weeks after deadline

Open Door Grants: $50,000 (two-year general operating support, paid in two $25,000 annual installments)

Annual application cycle
General operating support for organizations serving communities historically excluded from institutional philanthropy
Organizations can apply once per 12-month period
Limit of two consecutive years of support, followed by 12-month waiting period
14% success rate in FY21
Approximately 450 applications received annually; historically 15-20% receive funding
Decision timeline approximately 4.5 months from application deadline

Asian Community Fund: $5,000 - $10,000

Annual competitive grant cycle
Supports nonprofits serving disadvantaged Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
Awarded $450,000 to 52 organizations in 2024

Equality Fund: $7,000 - $15,000

Annual grant cycle
Supports LGBTQ+-serving nonprofits in Greater Boston
Since 2012, awarded more than $2.8 million in grants
Awarded $552,875 to 50 organizations in its largest single slate (2025)

Latino Equity Fund: $25,000

One-time grants to 20 Latinx-serving organizations annually
Since founding in 2013, awarded over $1.8 million
$692,000 distributed in 2023 (largest giving year)

Arts & Culture Programs:

Live Arts Boston: Over $1 million annually for performing/visual artists (focus on BIPOC and immigrant creators)
Brother Thomas Fellows: $20,000 biennial grants for diverse artists
Next Steps for Boston Dance: Grants for choreographers and circus artists

Impact Areas Grants: $10,000 - $50,000

Tied to the Foundation's four strategic pathways
Average grant request: $40,000
Average award: $25,000 (partial funding common)
Applications accepted for both general operating and project support
Foundation receives approximately twice as many project support applications, but welcomes either type

Priority Areas

The Foundation organizes its work around four interconnected pathways established in 2024:

Child Well-Being (Nurturing Strong Beginnings):

Quality and access to health care and early education
Addressing racial disparities in health care
Advancing high-quality education
Mental and behavioral health care

Economic Opportunity (Building Economic Opportunity):

Strengthening the education-to-career continuum
Engaging high school and postsecondary students
Job training partnerships
Adult workforce re-entry programs

Community Wealth (Advancing Community Wealth):

Affordable housing preservation
Pathways to homeownership
Thriving cultural spaces
Support for Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latino-owned small businesses

Community Leadership (Amplifying Community Leadership):

Beyond-the-grant support for movement leaders
Community-led grantmaking
Strengthening the safety net
Empowering nonprofit leaders

Special Priority Populations: Immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and seniors

Equity Focus: The Foundation prioritizes racial equity, particularly supporting organizations whose leadership reflects the demographic composition and lived experiences of the communities they serve.

What They Don't Fund

Capital construction costs
Endowments
Medical or academic research
Scholarships
Sectarian or religious purposes
Support for candidates for political office
Grants to individuals
Private non-operating foundations
501(c)(4) organizations
Parent-teacher organizations
Tuition-based schools (K-12 and post-secondary)

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO

M. Lee Pelton - Appointed December 2020; officially started June 1, 2021. Pelton has positioned The Boston Foundation as an agent for social change by centering equity in its programs. He has stated the Foundation's defining ambition is "to achieve equity, which first involves acknowledging and then seeking to eliminate the structural and underlying causes of outcome disparities for historically marginalized communities." A common theme in his work has been asking people "to share our talents and resources with those who have not had the good fortune to participate in the bounty of life."

Board Leadership

Dwight Poler - Chair (as of July 1, 2024), Founder and CEO of AccelR8 Ventures

Senior Management

Kate Guedj - Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer
Orlando Watkins - Vice President and Chief Program Officer
Brian Douglas - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
George C. Wilson - Chief Investment Officer
Keith Mahoney - Vice President of Public Affairs
Leigh Gaspar - Vice President and Special Assistant to the President & CEO

Fund Directors

Soni Gupta - Community Wealth
Antoniya Marinova - Economic Opportunity and Child Well-Being
Danielle Kim - Asian Community Fund
Javier Juarez - Latino Equity Fund
M. Scott Knox - The Equality Fund

Board of Directors

The Board represents the broad diversity of the community's interests and needs. All grants are approved by the Board, which also sets policy. Current members include:

Dr. Charles Anderson
Andrew Arnott
Raja Bobbili (Managing Director, Abrams Capital)
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado
Elyse Cherry
Gerald Chertavian
Brian Conway
Dr. Pam Y. Eddinger
Betty Francisco
Petrina Martin Cherry
Tracy Palandjian
Adrienne Penta
Audrey Epstein Reny
Raj Sharma
Jane Steinmetz
Rob Waldron
C.A. Webb
Rabbi Elaine Zecher (Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel of Boston)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Boston Foundation operates multiple grant programs, each with its own application process. Most programs accept applications through the online Grants Portal at bostonfoundation.smartsimple.com. The Foundation encourages organizations to create and verify their user account well in advance of submitting a grant application.

Pre-Application Consultation: The Foundation encourages grant seekers to contact staff members with questions. Email addresses for the entire staff are available on their website. Direct general questions to grantsinfo@tbf.org or call 617.338.1700.

Important Note: Each of the Foundation's nine core funds or initiatives maintains its own grantmaking strategies, protocols, guidelines, and due dates.

Eligibility Requirements (General)

Must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status OR operate under fiscal sponsorship of a tax-exempt nonprofit
Organizations must primarily serve communities within the Foundation's catchment area (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Suffolk Counties), though the organization itself doesn't need to be located there
Organizations serving historically marginalized communities are prioritized

Decision Timeline

Safety Net Grants: Approximately 4-6 weeks after submission deadline (e.g., mid-April for March 11 deadline)

Open Door Grants: Approximately 4.5 months from application deadline to decision

Other Programs: Timelines vary by program; check specific program guidelines

Notification Methods: Organizations are notified through the grants portal and via email

Success Rates

Open Door Grants: 14% success rate in FY21; historically 15-20% of approximately 450 annual applications receive funding

General Context: The Foundation's competitive programs are highly selective, reflecting the quality of applicants and limited available funding

Reapplication Policy

Open Door Grants:

Organizations can apply once per 12-month period
Limit of two consecutive years of support
After receiving two consecutive grants, organizations must wait 12 months following completion of their second year grant period before reapplying

Unsuccessful Applicants: The Foundation offers all applicants the opportunity to reach out to someone on their team for feedback on the strengths of their applications and opportunities to improve. This demonstrates the Foundation's commitment to supporting organizations even when funding isn't awarded.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Strategic Pathways: The Boston Foundation emphasizes that organizations should explore their four strategic pathways (Child Well-Being, Economic Opportunity, Community Wealth, and Community Leadership) and reach out to pathway team leaders to discuss grants and opportunities before applying. This suggests that early engagement and alignment with specific pathways is valued.

Leadership Representation: While not an eligibility requirement, the Foundation is "especially focused on supporting organizations whose leadership reflects the demographic composition and lived experiences of the communities they serve." This is particularly important for Open Door Grants and Safety Net Grants.

General Operating vs. Project Support: The Foundation states they "truly invite people to apply for either" general operating or project support. While they currently provide more project support than operating support, this is simply because they receive about twice as many project support applications. Don't avoid applying for general operating support based on assumptions.

Partial Funding: Average grant requests are around $40,000, but average awards are around $25,000. Organizations should be prepared for the possibility of partial funding and demonstrate flexibility in their budgets.

Rubric-Based Evaluation: Applications are reviewed using a transparent rubric available online. The Foundation emphasizes they "want to be transparent and let applicants know what they're considering during evaluation." Review the rubric carefully before applying.

Community-Led Review: Safety Net Grants undergo a 100% community-led review process, with community reviewers representing diverse nonprofit leaders in Greater Boston making final grant recommendations. This means applications should speak to community needs and demonstrate community connection.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Safety Net Grants are "especially focused on supporting organizations whose leadership reflects the communities they serve, and organizations engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion practices, programs and/or initiatives."

Collaboration: The Foundation encourages collaboration between organizations and provides beyond-the-grant support to movement leaders, suggesting that partnerships and collaborative approaches are valued.

Communication and Transparency: The Foundation strongly encourages direct communication with staff. They emphasize transparency throughout their process, suggesting that organizations should not hesitate to reach out with questions about alignment with the Foundation's mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Early engagement matters: Contact pathway team leaders before applying to discuss alignment and opportunities. The Foundation explicitly encourages this outreach and emphasizes transparency.
Choose your program strategically: With nine different funds and initiatives, each with distinct strategies, selecting the right program is crucial. Don't assume you know which fits best—ask.
Leadership composition is significant: While not always required, having leadership that reflects the communities you serve is a strong priority, particularly for community-focused grants.
Be prepared for partial funding: With average awards ($25,000) lower than average requests ($40,000), build flexibility into your budget and clearly prioritize activities.
Leverage feedback opportunities: All applicants can request feedback after decisions. Use this to strengthen future applications, even if your organization received funding.
Don't rule out general operating support: Despite receiving fewer general operating applications, the Foundation welcomes them equally and is committed to flexible funding.
Success is competitive but not impossible: While 14-20% success rates are challenging, this reflects high-quality applicant pools rather than insurmountable barriers. Strong alignment and clear community impact matter most.

References

The Boston Foundation Official Website - www.tbf.org (Accessed January 2025)
The Boston Foundation Grants Portal - bostonfoundation.smartsimple.com (Accessed January 2025)
"Grant-Making Initiatives" - The Boston Foundation, https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives (Accessed January 2025)
"Safety Net Grants FAQs and Funding Considerations" - The Boston Foundation, https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/safety-net-grants/safety-net-grants-faqs-and-funding-considerations (Accessed January 2025)
"People - Board of Directors and Senior Management" - The Boston Foundation, https://www.tbf.org/who-we-are/people (Accessed January 2025)
"Powering a Culture of Philanthropy: The 2024 Annual Report" - The Boston Foundation, https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/reports/2024/november/2024-annual-report (Accessed January 2025)
"Pathways to Equity: The 2023 Annual Report" - The Boston Foundation, https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/reports/2023/november/2023-annual-report (Accessed January 2025)
"Opening the door to greater opportunity" - The Boston Foundation Blog (November 2018), https://www.tbf.org/blog/2018/november/open-door-grants-q-and-a (Accessed January 2025)
"What's New with Open Door Grants at the Boston Foundation" - The Boston Foundation Blog (June 2018), https://www.tbf.org/blog/2018/june/odgs (Accessed January 2025)
"The Boston Foundation names Dr. M. Lee Pelton as next President and CEO" - Press Release (December 2020), https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2020/december/pelton-announced-as-president-ceo-20201201 (Accessed January 2025)
Inside Philanthropy - Boston Foundation Profile, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/massachusetts-grants/boston-foundation (Accessed January 2025)
Charity Navigator - Rating for The Boston Foundation, https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/042104021 (Accessed January 2025)
"TBF names Dwight Poler Chair of the Board of Directors" - Press Release (June 2024), https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2024/june/zecher-bobbili-board-announcements (Accessed January 2025)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Boston Foundation Inc, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42104021 (Accessed January 2025)