News and Insights 2

Boston Foundation Funds

From time to time the Boston Foundation, often in partnership with other funders, establishes a fund to address specific, pressing issues.

Donating to the Boston Foundation and Our Funds

In addition to our opportunities to open Donor Advised Funds at the Boston Foundation, the Foundation hosts a number of funds in support of our own work, or that have been established in partnership with donors for specific purposes.

The Fund for Boston's Future and Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership support our endowment and operations. In addition, the Boston Foundation holds other funds that address specific areas, populations or initiatives, or have been created by donors to support specific purposes or in honor of specific individuals.  Most of our funds that are currently accepting donations from the public are listed below. To support a fund not listed below, use the contact information at the bottom of the page.

The Fund for Boston's Future and the Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership support the Foundation’s discretionary grant making and operations.

Permanent Fund for Boston
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The Fund for Boston's Future

At the heart of everything the Boston Foundation has done over the last century is our endowment, the Fund for Boston's Future. Established through bequests left by hundreds of forward-thinking Bostonians since 1917, it is now valued at some $1 billion. The Fund is endowed for generating funds in perpetuity;it fuels the work of the Foundation and provides the resources that have sparked positive change and enabled new ideas. 

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CLF
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The Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership

The Boston Foundation has become a major civic leader for our region—with crucial support from the Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership. The Campaign raises funds annually that allow the Foundation to sponsor research, host panels and engage across the community with donors, nonprofits, policy makers and thought leaders for real impact on issues critical to the economic competitiveness and civic health of Greater Boston.

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The following funds were established by the Foundation in partnership with donors or committees in pursuit of particular goals.

In addition to the above, donors and committees have created a number of other funds supporting specific areas of focus or overarching needs that have been identified by residents and leaders as central to the vitality of the Greater Boston community. These funds also accept individual donations.

Equity and Justice Funds

Family selfie for ACF cover
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Asian Community Fund

The goal of the Asian Community Fund is to increase the visibility of the Asian American community and expand resources for nonprofits that serve disadvantaged Asian Americans.

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Equality Fund
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The Equality Fund

Established at the Boston Foundation in 2012, the Equality Fund is a permanent, committee-advised, field of interest fund with two primary goals: making high-impact grants to nonprofits serving the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community.

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Latino Legacy Fund
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The Latino Equity Fund

The first Latino-focused fund in Greater Boston is a unique partnership of Latino philanthropists and leaders, the Boston Foundation and Hispanics in Philanthropy. 

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A woman stands in a warehouse, behind her are large shelving units filled with boxes.
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Business Equity Fund

The Business Equity Fund at the Boston Foundation is designed to address longstanding barriers to growth financing and technical assistance that have historically limited opportunity for entrepreneurs of color.

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For Arts and Artists

Free for All Concert Fund
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Free for All Fund at the Boston Foundation

The Free For All Endowment Fund was established to ensure the permanent legacy of Charles Ansbacher's vision to enhance the lives of all Bostonians through the common language of music.  The late conductor's passion lives in the fund's mission "to ensure that everyone  from the Boston region—children, adults, families—will have regular and permanent access to the rich world of classical, orchestral music and related cultural events."

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Brother Thomas Fund
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Brother Thomas Fund

The Brother Thomas Fund was established at the Boston Foundation in 2007 to honor the legacy of Brother Thomas Bezanson, a Benedictine monk and world-renowned ceramic artist, who wanted the sale of his work to support “struggling artists.”

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Note to fundraisers:

Planning a fundraiser for a fund held at the Boston Foundation? Please contact us at donorservices@tbf.org to let us know, so we can ensure any funds you raise are credited to the correct fund.

Many platforms, such as Facebook, will not share information about specific fundraisers, even those which are raising money for Boston Foundation funds.

The following funds have been created by donors at the Boston Foundation so that others who wish to support the fund’s purpose or honor the fund’s namesake could easily do so. These are (in alphabetical order):

Make a Gift

If you’re so moved, we welcome donations directly. If you’d like more information about partnering with the Foundation on your philanthropy, contact our Donor Services team.

Check

You can make a donation by sending a check to:

The Boston Foundation
PO Box 843027
Boston, MA 02284-3027

Checks should be made out to the Boston Foundation with the name of the fund or initiative in the memo field.

Publicly traded securities

For questions or to make a gift of publicly traded securities, cash wire or mutual funds, please contact the Fund Administration office at (617) 338-2213.

Complex assets

For non-traditional gifts such as real estate or privately-owned securities of LLC/LLP interests, please contact Kate Guedj, Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, at 617-338-2670.

Credit Card

Credit card donations can be made using Visa, Master Card, Discover and American Express to any of the funds listed above. Contributions to a Donor Advised Fund, Designated Fund or other funds not listed below can be made using the General Form.

Connect with the Philanthropy Group at the Boston Foundation to learn more about our funds and other giving opportunities.
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