TBF meets the moment with $2.625 million in grants to 77 Greater Boston organizations in Safety Net Grants special round

April 28, 2025

Boston—The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, today announced a special round of $2.625 million in grants to 77 organizations through the Foundation’s Safety Net Grants program. The special round was originally intended to distribute $2 million, but it was expanded with extra support and commitments from TBF’s community of donors.

“I am both humbled by the generous commitments from our donors to expand the pool for this special round of grants and sobered by the level of unmet need during this unprecedented moment in history,” said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “This is just the latest piece of our continuing commitment to use all of our tools – advocacy, research, convening, grantmaking, and more – to improve lives, strengthen communities, and nurture a city and region where opportunity, justice and equity are extended to everyone.”

More than 500 nonprofit organizations applied for grants during the special round. The grantees were selected by a dedicated group of 57 community reviewers, whose tireless effort made it possible to complete the evaluation process in just six weeks. Community reviewers, who represented a broad cross-section of Massachusetts nonprofits and were compensated for their time and effort, were guided by an established set of funding considerations established for the Safety Net Grants program and adapted for this special round.

“The Safety Net Grants program would not be what it is without the wisdom and commitment of the community leaders who make this a 100% community-led process, coordinated by Candace Burton and Quynh Nguyen of our Safety Net Grants team,” said Orlando Watkins, Vice President and Chief Program Officer at the Boston Foundation. “The best decisions about what Greater Boston needs are informed and made by local leaders who understand the issues, challenges, and opportunities woven into the diversity of every community.”

The new grants are part of the Boston Foundation’s overall strategy to “Meet the Moment” at this critical time, supporting organizations that are responding to the essential needs of marginalized communities and vulnerable residents. TBF plans to offer another round of grants through the Safety Net Grants program in the second half of 2025, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.

Below is an alphabetical list of the grantees and grant amounts in this round. Grantees were eligible to receive awards ranging from $25,000 to $75,000. Where noted by an asterisk, grant payments will be made over two years.

Safety Net Spring 2025 Special Round Grantees

High Spirit East Community, Inc.: $25,000

Interfaith Social Services Inc.: $25,000

International Institute of New England, Inc.: $25,000

La Alianza Hispana, Inc.: $50,000*

LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc.: $50,000*

Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly: $25,000

MAB Community Services, Inc.: $75,000

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc. (MIRA): $50,000*

Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative: $50,000*

Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition: $25,000

Merrimack Valley Dream Center: $25,000

Metrowest Worker Center - Casa Do Trabalhador - Casa Del Trabajador: $25,000

Minuteman Senior Services: $25,000

New England Equity Collective: $25,000

New England Innocence Project: $25,000

Next Leadership Development: $25,000

North American Indian Center of Boston, Inc.: $25,000

North Shore Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth (nAGLY): $50,000*

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church: $25,000

Philippine American Mainstream Advocacy for Nonpartisan Associations (PAMANA): $25,000

Pine Street Inn, Inc.: $50,000*

Play Brigade, Inc.: $75,000

Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust, Inc.: $25,000

Political Asylum Immigration Representation Project, Inc.: $25,000

Quincy Asian Resources, Inc.: $25,000

Saheli: $25,000

Saint Francis House, Inc.: $50,000*

Silver Lining Mentoring: $25,000

Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education (SPACE): $25,000

Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice, Inc.: $50,000*

The Innocent Convicts: $25,000

Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts: $50,000*

United South End Settlements: $25,000

Volunteering for Seniors, Inc.: $25,000

Walker, Inc.: $25,000

Waltham Partnership for Youth: $50,000*

Youth Advocacy Foundation, Inc.: $25,000