Having an Impact Initiatives
Initiatives

In addition to our competitive grantmaking, the Boston Foundation also supports and raises resources for a series of ambitious special initiatives aimed at solving Greater Boston’s most serious and demanding challenges. These initiatives are developed when the Foundation, often in partnership with government, business and other funders, sets aside resources to address particular issues, frequently over a multi-year period. All of our special initiatives are informed by data and their success is tracked by the Boston Indicators Project.

Initiatives

  • StreetSafe Boston

    Antwann street photo
    StreetSafe Boston is a multi-year, $18 million youth development and safety initiative designed to dramatically reduce youth violence in a subset of Boston neighborhoods disproportionately and persistently affected by high rates of violent crime.  StreetSafe is based on the concept that effective street level intervention is the key to connecting the chronically isolated proven-risk youth populations in these areas to much needed programs and services. 

  • CHAMPS Boston

    Girls softball photo
    CHAMPS (Coaches Helping Athletes through Mentoring and Positive Sports) aims to ensure that every child in Boston has access to high quality athletic opportunities beyond school hours. CHAMPS is focused on training all youth coaches to understand the fundamentals of youth development through sports. In addition to offering increased sports activities, CHAMPS also provides resources for new equipment and safe and clean fields.

  • Culture for Change

    Culture for Change 224
    The Boston Foundation, in partnership with Barr Foundation, supports and operates a special initiative called Culture for Change, which engages artists to work with out-of-school time youth development programs to develop young people to be effective change agents for racial justice. It encourages lasting relationships with young people, intergenerational dialogue, the use of circles of influence to reinforce learning and community performance opportunities that spark dialogue and enhance civic engagement

  • Healthy People/Healthy Economy

    Healthy boy photo
    Healthy People/Healthy Economy is a coalition launched by the Boston Foundation and the national health institute NEHI with the ambitious goal of making Massachusetts the national leader in health and wellness. The Coalition was formed in response to the stunning findings of reports published by the Foundation and NEHI that showed that an epidemic of obesity and a rising tide of chronic disease are crowding out spending for all important determinants of health, such as education and recreation.

  • Success Boston

    Success Boston grad photo
    The Success Boston College Completion Initiative was launched in 2008 following a study finding that, while the Boston Public Schools had one of the highest college enrollment rates in the country, only 35.5% of the students who enrolled in college earned an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree within seven years.  Success Boston supports academic programming and college advising activities at the high school level, so that students and their families are better positioned to make informed choices.

  • Boston Opportunity Agenda

    BOA photo
    The Boston Opportunity Agenda marks the first time that the City of Boston and the Boston Public Schools and the city’s leading public charities and many of our foundations have come together to ensure all residents have access to the education necessary for the upward economic mobility, civic engagement, and lifelong learning for themselves and their families.

  • SkillWorks

    Man computer job training photo
    SkillWorks is a multiyear initiative, launched by the Boston Foundation in 2003 to improve workforce development in Boston and across Massachusetts.  SkillWorks brings together philanthropy, government, community organizations and employers to address the twin goals of helping low-income individuals attain family supporting jobs and helping businesses find skilled workers.

  • The Giving Common

    Giving Common Mom photo
    The Giving Common is an innovative, web-based technology platform designed to provide comprehensive and current information about nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth—and to make online charitable giving easy and quick.  More than 300 nonprofits were represented on the site at the launch in May 2012, and hundreds more are developing profiles. 

  • The Catalyst Fund

    Woman talking photo
    The Catalyst Fund is organized around the notion that formal nonprofit collaborations are a viable and important strategic option for delivering increased social impact to the Boston area community.  The Fund was developed in response to continued economic challenges and ongoing inquiries made by local nonprofits to funders for assistance with proposed collaborative ventures. 
Back to Top