The Boston Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $175,374,000 (FY2023)
Total Assets: $1.9 billion
Grant Range: $5,000 - $500,000 (varies by program)
Geographic Focus: Greater Boston (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties)
Major Programs: Safety Net Grants ($50,000), Live Arts Boston ($1M+ annually), Brother Thomas Fellowship ($20,000)
Total Grants Awarded (2023): 2,058 grants

Contact Details

Website: https://www.tbf.org
Phone: 617-338-1700
Email: safetynetgrants@tbf.org (for Safety Net Grants program)
Grants Portal: https://bostonfoundation.smartsimple.com/

Overview

Founded in 1915 as the Permanent Charity Fund for Boston, The Boston Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation with net assets of approximately $1.9 billion. The Foundation awarded $175.4 million in grants in FY2023 across 2,058 awards. Under President and CEO M. Lee Pelton's leadership since June 2021, the Foundation has centered equity in its programs, grantmaking, and civic leadership with the defining ambition to eliminate structural causes of outcome disparities for historically marginalized communities—summarized in the phrase "Move Equity, Move Boston." The Foundation fulfills its mission through three principal approaches: making grants and designing special funding initiatives; working in partnership with donors for high-impact philanthropy; and serving as a civic hub where ideas are shared and common agendas developed. With a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the Foundation operates with 75.6% of its giving distributed through donor-advised funds while maintaining discretionary grantmaking focused on equity and justice.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Safety Net Grants

Amount: $50,000 general operating support (payable over two years)
Frequency: Twice yearly (spring and fall cycles)
Focus: Social service organizations serving essential needs (childcare, cash assistance, food security, housing support, legal/mental health services) for marginalized communities
Application Method: Rolling deadlines (e.g., March 11 deadline with mid-April decisions)
Special Feature: 100% community-led review process

Live Arts Boston

Amount: Over $1 million annually in grants and professional support
Focus: Performing and visual artists, creators, and cultural practitioners
Priority: BIPOC and immigrant artists
Application Method: Fixed application cycles

Brother Thomas Fellowship

Amount: $20,000 unrestricted grants
Frequency: Biennial program
Focus: Greater Boston artists working at high levels of excellence across diverse disciplines
Application Method: Fixed application cycles

Next Steps for Boston Dance

Amount: $5,000-$6,000 per project
Focus: Dance artists and organizations

Asian Community Fund

Focus: Asian American nonprofits serving disadvantaged populations
Purpose: Increase visibility and expand resources for Asian American community

Equality Fund

Established: 2012 (endowed fund)
Focus: LGBTQ+ community nonprofits in Greater Boston
Application Method: Annual cycles (e.g., FY24 applications)

Latino Equity Fund

Established: 2013
Total Awarded: Over $2.4 million to date
Focus: Systemic change, economic prosperity, and well-being for Latino community

Discretionary Grants

Amount: Up to $500,000
Focus: Various strategic initiatives aligned with Foundation priorities

Priority Areas

The Foundation organizes its work around four interconnected pathways:

Nurturing Strong Beginnings (Child Well-Being)

Equitable early education and care systems
Maternal health equity addressing racial disparities
Mental health integration in early childhood services

Building Economic Opportunity

Career pathways and education-to-career continuum
Workforce development for marginalized communities

Advancing Community Wealth

Affordable housing and community preservation
Business equity for BIPOC entrepreneurs
Wealth-building initiatives

Amplifying Community Leadership

Supporting historically excluded communities
BIPOC and immigrant community leadership development

What They Don't Fund

The Boston Foundation does not make grants for:

Capital construction costs
Endowments
Medical or academic research
Scholarships to individuals
Sectarian or religious purposes
Support for political candidates
Individual persons

Ineligible Organizations:

Private non-operating foundations
501(c)(4) organizations
Section 501(a)(3) Type III Non-functionally Integrated organizations
Parent Teacher Associations
Tuition-based schools (K-12 and post-secondary institutions)
Small businesses
CDCs certified under MGL Chapter 40H

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Chair: Dwight Poler (Term expires June 30, 2028)

Board Members (as of 2024):

Dr. Charles Anderson
Andrew Arnott
Raja Bobbili
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado
Elyse Cherry
Gerald Chertavian
Brian Conway
Pam Y. Eddinger, Ph.D.
Betty Francisco
Petrina Martin Cherry
Tracy Palandjian
Adrienne Penta
Audrey Epstein Reny
Raj Sharma
Jane Steinmetz
Rob Waldron
C.A. Webb
Rabbi Elaine Zecher
M. Lee Pelton (President & CEO, ex officio)

Directors serve up to two five-year terms.

Senior Management Team

M. Lee Pelton - President and CEO
Joined June 2021, bringing a commitment to equity and civic leadership. Former president of Emerson College (2011-2021) and Willamette University (1998-2011).

Key Leadership:

Orlando C. Watkins - Vice President and Chief Program Officer
Kate Guedj - Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer
Brian Douglas - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
George Wilson - Chief Investment Officer
Keith Mahoney - Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs
Todd Sperry - Chief Marketing Officer
Leigh Gaspar - Vice President and Special Assistant to the President and CEO
Jane Dixon - Vice President, Human Resources, Culture and Talent
Naila Bolus - Vice President and Director, Campaign for a Greater Boston

Leadership Philosophy

M. Lee Pelton's Approach: "We're different than most foundations in the breadth of what we do. Grantmaking is a part of what we do, but it's only a tiny fraction. We convene, we bring people together. We advocate, and we spend a lot of time in the community meeting community needs and listening to the community."

During the pandemic, Pelton led the Foundation to eliminate or streamline reporting requirements, convert grants to general operating support, release payments earlier, stop requiring continuous new proposals, and increase investment sizes in small nonprofits. His approach emphasizes "leading these nonprofits from behind, rather than ahead, and to lead with some humility."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application System: Most programs use the online portal at https://bostonfoundation.smartsimple.com/

Program-Specific Processes: Each of the Foundation's nine core funds maintains independent grantmaking protocols, so application requirements vary by program.

Pre-Application Consultation:

Not required for most programs
Applicants may email program-specific contacts with questions (e.g., safetynetgrants@tbf.org for Safety Net Grants)
Staff cannot review draft applications before submission due to capacity constraints, but will address specific questions

Eligibility Requirements:

Must hold 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS or operate under fiscal sponsorship of a qualifying nonprofit
Organizations need not be headquartered in the Greater Boston area, but work must serve communities primarily within the Foundation's catchment area (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties)

Application Completion: Over half of applicants complete applications within three hours due to streamlined processes.

Decision Timeline

Safety Net Grants Example:

Application deadline: March 11
Decision notifications: Mid-April
Timeline: Approximately 4-5 weeks from submission to decision

General Timeline: Varies by program; most programs have fixed cycles with decisions made within 4-8 weeks of deadline.

Notification Method: Email notifications to all applicants with decisions.

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the Foundation awarded 2,058 grants in 2023, 2,425 in 2022, and 2,275 in 2021, indicating consistent high-volume grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation welcomes reapplications from unsuccessful applicants. Following each grant cycle, the Foundation:

Distributes anonymous applicant surveys
Holds feedback discussions with unsuccessful candidates
Offers all applicants the opportunity to reach out for feedback on application strengths and improvement opportunities

No specific waiting period for reapplication is documented; applicants should contact program staff for clarification on specific program policies.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Stated Priorities

General Operating vs. Project Support: The Foundation genuinely supports general operating support applications and encourages organizations to apply for either type. Notably, they receive about twice as many project support applications, suggesting applicants may underutilize GOS opportunities.

True Cost Funding: "It's very important for organizations to ask for the support they need, as people and systems run programs." The Foundation is interested in funding the true costs of programs, not artificially reduced budgets.

Community-Led Review: The Safety Net Grants program uses a 100% community-led review process, with applications evaluated by teams of Foundation staff using standardized rubrics.

Recent Successful Grants (2024 Examples)

Understanding what the Foundation funds provides insight into their values:

African Cultural Services, Inc. - Holistic approach lifting African immigrant youth through safe spaces, education, mental health, arts, and cultural connections
Brazilian Worker Center, Inc. - Assisting immigrant workers with workplace rights, immigration, and health equity
Crispus Attucks Children's Center - Comprehensive Early Childhood Education Program promoting holistic child development
Dignity Matters, Inc. - Providing menstrual care and underwear to women and girls experiencing homelessness or poverty
Political Asylum Immigration Representation Project (PAIR) - Ensuring due process rights for asylum seekers through pro bono legal programs

These examples reveal the Foundation's commitment to serving historically marginalized communities, immigrant populations, and addressing fundamental human needs.

Strategic Alignment Tips

Equity-Centered Approach: All applications should demonstrate how the work eliminates structural causes of disparities for historically marginalized communities. Use language that centers equity, justice, and systemic change.

Community-Centered Language: Emphasize community leadership, participatory approaches, and authentic community partnerships. Pelton's philosophy of "leading from behind" suggests the Foundation values grantee autonomy and community wisdom.

Research-Informed: The Foundation conducts extensive research on Boston issues and uses findings to inform grantmaking. Referencing Foundation research or data in applications demonstrates alignment.

Beyond Grantmaking: The Foundation offers technical assistance, leadership development, and communications support. Applications could mention openness to these forms of partnership beyond funding.

Streamlined Reporting: The Foundation values trust-based philanthropy with reduced reporting burdens. Applications emphasizing impact over bureaucracy align with their philosophy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Prioritize Equity: Every application should explicitly address how the work eliminates structural barriers and advances equity for historically marginalized communities—this is the Foundation's defining ambition under Pelton's leadership.
Consider General Operating Support: Don't default to project funding—the Foundation genuinely welcomes and encourages GOS applications, which may be less competitive given they receive fewer of them.
Ask for True Costs: Budget conservatively hurts your application. The Foundation wants to fund the actual cost of doing good work, including people and systems, not artificially reduced amounts.
Geographic Focus Matters: Work must serve communities in the five Greater Boston counties (Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk), with particular emphasis on communities of greatest need and those historically excluded from institutional philanthropy.
Leverage Feedback Opportunities: Whether successful or not, take advantage of the Foundation's offer to provide feedback on applications—this demonstrates learning orientation and builds relationships for future applications.
Multiple Pathways to Funding: With nine independent funds and various special initiatives, if one program isn't the right fit, explore others. The decentralized structure creates multiple entry points.
Build Relationships Beyond Grants: The Foundation sees itself as more than a grantmaker—a civic hub, convener, and advocate. Engage with their research, attend their events, and see them as a partner rather than just a funder.

References

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Boston Foundation Inc Profile. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42104021. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Grant-Making Initiatives. https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Apply for a Grant. https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/funding-opportunities. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Safety Net Grants. https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/safety-net-grants. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Safety Net Grants FAQs and Funding Considerations. https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/safety-net-grants/safety-net-grants-faqs-and-funding-considerations. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Senior Management. https://www.tbf.org/who-we-are/people/senior-management. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Board of Directors. https://www.tbf.org/who-we-are/people/board-of-directors. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Geographic Area Served. https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/geographic-area-served. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation Press Release - "$1 million in grants to 20 organizations" (January 2024). https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2024/january/safety-net-grants-grantee-announcement-20240129. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation Press Release - "Four new Directors" (June 2023). https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/press-releases/2023/june/board-of-directors-announcement. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation Blog - "This is our promise to you. There is no other way." https://www.tbf.org/blog/2024/november/our-promise-to-you. Accessed December 2024.
Development Guild DDI - Interview with Lee Pelton of The Boston Foundation. https://www.developmentguild.com/at-the-helm/lee-pelton-boston-foundation-interview/. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation Blog - "Our Journey to Community-Based Philanthropy" (May 2024). https://www.tbf.org/blog/2024/may/our-community-based-philanthropy-journey. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation Blog - "Opening the door to greater opportunity" (November 2018). https://www.tbf.org/blog/2018/november/open-door-grants-q-and-a. Accessed December 2024.
Inside Philanthropy - Boston Foundation. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/massachusetts-grants/boston-foundation-boston-area-grants-html. Accessed December 2024.
Charity Navigator - Rating for The Boston Foundation. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/042104021. Accessed December 2024.
The Boston Foundation - Financials. https://www.tbf.org/who-we-are/financial-information. Accessed December 2024.