Each year, the Boston Foundation distributes more than $16 million in grants and other support from the Permanent Fund for Boston, an endowed pool of funds built over the last 100 years by contributors who want to see the Greater Boston community thrive. Discretionary grants are largely awarded through a competitive process open to all nonprofits serving the Foundation’s catchment area, stewarded by the Foundation’s Program Department staff and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
We encourage new and existing nonprofit organizations in Greater Boston that are not currently aligned with the strategies, goals and approaches pursued in the Foundation’s five impact areas to pursue Open Door Grants for support of their efforts to meet existing needs or test new ideas and innovations that address the most critical challenges and opportunities facing our community.
The Boston Foundation invests the majority of its discretionary resources in five impact areas and two crosscutting strategies. Nonprofits fitting within the defined goals of those areas and strategies are invited to apply for support after conversation with a program officer from their respective field.
As a complement to our program area–targeted approach, the Boston Foundation also distributes a portion of its resources via its Open Door Grants program, which responds to the expressed opportunities and needs of the communities we serve.
The Foundation makes grants and strategic investments through a number of special issue-focused programs and initiatives. These activities have varying purposes, some of which are open to application.
Each year, the Boston Foundation devotes a portion of its discretionary grant-making resources to help support the fundraising events of nonprofits in the Greater Boston community.