Boston College Trustees - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately $75,000-100,000 through Community Fund; additional NIF grants variable
• Success Rate: Approximately 80-85% (based on recent cycles)
• Decision Time: 4-6 weeks after deadline
• Grant Range: $3,000 (Community Fund) to $250,000 (Neighbourhood Improvement Fund)
• Geographic Focus: Allston-Brighton neighbourhoods (Boston, MA)

Contact Details

Boston College Neighbourhood Centre

• Email: bcneighborhoodcenter@gmail.com
• Community Fund Contacts: Anabela Gomes (bela@mail.com) or Jeanne Levesque (jeanne.levesque@bc.edu)
• Website: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/sites/neighborhood-center/community-programs.html

Office of Governmental & Community Affairs

• Programmes Website: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/office-of-governmental-community-affairs/programs.html

Overview

Boston College Trustees is the governing body of Boston College, a Jesuit, Catholic university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, founded in 1863. As part of its commitment to community engagement and Jesuit values of service to others, the university operates grant programmes specifically designed to support organisations and initiatives in the neighbouring Allston-Brighton communities. These programmes reflect the university's mission "to learn, to search for truth, and to live in service to others." The primary grant-making vehicles are the Allston Brighton/Boston College Community Fund, established to support local programmes and services with grants of $3,000, and the Neighbourhood Improvement Fund (NIF), a $2.564 million fund established in 2015 to support public realm improvements. The university has total assets exceeding $5 billion and annual revenues of approximately $1.6 billion. President William P. Leahy, S.J., leads the institution, which is governed by a Board of Trustees of 52 members, predominantly comprised of business and finance leaders.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Allston Brighton/Boston College Community Fund

• Amount: $3,000 per award
• Frequency: Twice yearly (Autumn and Spring cycles)
• Application Method: Online application form with specific deadlines
• Total Annual Distribution: Approximately $75,000-80,000 annually
• Recent Statistics: Autumn 2024 distributed $35,554 to 13 organisations; Spring 2025 distributed $42,178 to 18 organisations

Neighbourhood Improvement Fund (NIF)

• Total Fund: $2,564,000 (established 2015 as part of Institutional Master Plan)
• Grant Range: Variable; recent awards from $24,825 to $250,000
• Application Method: Proposal submission with demonstration of broad community support
• Focus: Capital improvements to public realm
• 2023 Awards: $274,825 distributed to multiple projects

Priority Areas

Community Fund Priorities:

• Programmes benefiting youth in Allston-Brighton
• Services for senior citizens
• Support for economically disadvantaged residents
• Neighbourhood beautification projects
• Holiday programmes and community celebrations
• Educational enrichment programmes
• Food security and basic needs assistance
• Community safety initiatives

Neighbourhood Improvement Fund Priorities:

• Public parks and open space improvements
• Neighbourhood beautification
• Transportation and roadway improvements
• Public safety projects
• Public art installations
• Projects enhancing the public realm

Geographic Priority: Strong preference for areas closest to Boston College campus, including Lake Street, Foster Street, Cleveland Circle, Commonwealth Avenue, and Brighton Centre.

What They Don't Fund

• Organisations outside of Allston-Brighton neighbourhoods
• Individual requests (programmes must serve the broader community)
• Fully funded programmes (grants intended to supplement existing budgets)
• Private property improvements (NIF restricted to public realm)
• Multiple grants to same organisation within same year

Governance and Leadership

University Leadership

President: William P. Leahy, S.J. - 25th President of Boston College

Provost: David Quigley - Oversees academic life and faculty

Board of Trustees

The Board consists of 52 members, with approximately 35% working in finance, 35% in business, and others representing nonprofits, academia, law, and the Society of Jesus.

Notable Trustees include:

• Robert B. Ford '94 - Chairman and CEO, Abbott Laboratories
• René F. Jones '86 - Chairman and CEO, M&T Bank
• Philip W. Schiller '82 - Apple Fellow, Apple Computer, Inc.
• Mark C. Reed - President, Loyola University Chicago
• Yolanda Lyle - Pfizer executive

Governance Philosophy: As stated in the Board of Regents description, the university is "rooted in the ideals of Jesuit higher education and the mission of Boston College," emphasising the value of the university in the world today and service to the broader community.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Allston Brighton/Boston College Community Fund:

1. Access Application: Visit the Boston College Neighbourhood Centre website during application periods
2. Submit Online Form: Complete the online application form with project details
3. Application Windows: Autumn cycle (typically due early December) and Spring cycle (typically due early May)
4. Required Information:
   • Organisation details and contact information
   • Project description
   • Community benefit statement
   • Budget information
   • Demonstration that organisation is based in Allston-Brighton

Neighbourhood Improvement Fund:

1. Contact: Reach out to Anabela Gomes or Jeanne Levesque to discuss project concept
2. Demonstrate Support: Gather and document broad community support for the project
3. Submit Proposal: Submit detailed proposal including project scope, budget, and community benefit
4. Review Process: Projects evaluated for public realm impact and community support

Decision Timeline

Community Fund:

• Deadline: Typically first week of December (Autumn) and early May (Spring)
• Review Period: 4-6 weeks
• Notification: Winners announced approximately 6-8 weeks after deadline
• Award Distribution: Shortly after announcement

Neighbourhood Improvement Fund:

• Timeline varies by project scope
• More extensive review process due to larger grant amounts
• Requires demonstration of community support as part of review

Success Rates

Based on recent cycles, success rates are relatively high:

• Autumn 2024: 13 organisations funded (estimated 15-20 applications, ~70-85% success rate)
• Spring 2025: 18 organisations funded (estimated 20-25 applications, ~70-85% success rate)
• Autumn 2023: 12 organisations funded
• Spring 2023: 15 organisations funded

The Community Fund appears to fund the majority of eligible applications that meet the geographic and mission requirements, suggesting a relatively accessible funding opportunity for qualifying organisations.

Reapplication Policy

• Organisations may apply in both Autumn and Spring cycles
• Restriction: Only one grant per organisation per year will be awarded
• Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent cycles
• Previous recipients are eligible to reapply in future years (after the one-year restriction period)

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of funded projects and programme priorities:

Strong Alignment with Jesuit Values: Projects that demonstrate service to vulnerable populations (youth, seniors, economically disadvantaged) align with Boston College's Jesuit mission. As the university states, it is "rooted in a world view that calls us to learn, to search for truth, and to live in service to others."

Clear Community Benefit: Successful applications clearly articulate how programmes and services are "available to the people of Allston and Brighton" and serve community members' needs.

Types of Projects That Succeed:

• Holiday programmes and celebrations (Allston Village Holiday Lights, Shop with a Cop, Holiday Gift Drives)
• Youth development and education (Swim Lesson Enrichment, Youth Leadership Development, tutoring programmes)
• Basic needs assistance (Diaper Pantry, food programmes, immigrant support)
• Community beautification and public realm improvements (bike racks, park restoration, holiday lights)
• Cultural and recreational programmes (youth hockey, rowing programmes, community events)

Budget Supplementation Focus: The programme explicitly seeks "to supplement existing budgets of established organisations and agencies in order to promote a programme or service for which financial support is not otherwise available." Applications should clearly show how the $3,000 grant fills a specific gap.

Geographic Requirement: Being based in Allston-Brighton is essential. Organisations must demonstrate they are located in and serve these specific neighbourhoods.

Broad Community Support (for NIF): Larger Neighbourhood Improvement Fund grants require applicants to "garner and demonstrate broad community support" as part of the application and review process.

Established Organisations Preferred: While independent groups may apply, the programme shows preference for "established organisations and agencies" with track records in the community.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic restriction is absolute: Your organisation must be based in Allston-Brighton neighbourhoods to be eligible; this is not negotiable
• The $3,000 amount is fixed: All Community Fund grants are exactly $3,000; don't propose projects requiring more funding without other sources identified
• One grant per year maximum: Plan strategically about which cycle (Autumn or Spring) best aligns with your project timeline since you can only receive one award per year
• Emphasise vulnerable populations: Projects serving youth, seniors, or economically disadvantaged residents receive special consideration per the programme guidelines
• Supplement, don't replace: Frame your grant request as supplementing existing work where other funding is unavailable, not replacing current funding sources
• High success rates make this accessible: With 70-85% estimated success rates, this is a relatively accessible funding source for qualifying Allston-Brighton organisations
• For larger projects, explore NIF: If your project involves public realm improvements and you can demonstrate broad community support, the Neighbourhood Improvement Fund offers grants up to $250,000
• Jesuit values matter: Connection to BC's mission of service, justice, and community engagement strengthens applications

References

1. Boston College Neighbourhood Centre - Community Programmes. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/sites/neighborhood-center/community-programs.html (Accessed November 2025)

2. Boston College Office of Governmental & Community Affairs - Programmes & Services. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/office-of-governmental-community-affairs/programs.html (Accessed November 2025)

3. Boston College - Mission & History. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/about/mission.html (Accessed November 2025)

4. Boston College - Board of Trustees & Leadership. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/about/trustees.html (Accessed November 2025)

5. Boston College - Autumn 2024 Grant Winners. https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/sites/neighborhood-center/about/news/fall-2020-grant-winners.html (Accessed November 2025)

6. Boston College - Jesuit, Catholic Mission. https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/jesuit-catholic.html (Accessed November 2025)

7. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Boston College Trustees (EIN: 04-2103545). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42103545 (Accessed November 2025)

8. Boston College NIF Grant 2023 (PDF). https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/bc1/offices/govt-comm-aff/pdfs/Boston College NIF Grant 2023.pdf (Accessed November 2025)