With crucial support from our Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership, we work with partners in the business and nonprofit communities, as well as numerous public officials, to have a real impact on issues that are critical to the economic competitiveness and civic health of Greater Boston. We consider this civic leadership—especially bringing together analysts, problem solvers and funders to understand and act on matters of local concern—to be core to our mission.
Each year, generous donors make this civic leadership work possible through their donations to the Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership. In 2020-2021, more than 500 individuals, companies and organizations donated to the Annual Campaign, supporting our research, convenings and communications, informing our grantmaking, and helping us better utilize the Permanent Fund for Boston to provide funds, meeting space, and other resources to Greater Boston nonprofits.
Click below and join the hundreds of committed donors supporting our roster of research, events, and advocacy efforts.
On November 19, the Boston Foundation was proud to welcome Ford Foundation President Darren Walker as the special guest for the 2020 Civic Leadership Forum. Mr. Walker joined TBF President and CEO Paul Grogan for a wide-ranging discussion on how philanthropy can expand its work to improve social justice.
In June, Dr. M. Lee Pelton began his tenure as President and CEO at the Boston Foundation, stewarding the Annual Campaign.
"The Boston Foundation has a major role to play in the city and beyond, not only through its endowment, the Permanent Fund for Boston, and the generosity of its fabulous donors, but through its civic leadership—the role that it plays in bringing together nonprofit organizations, the business community and civic leaders to seek ways to address and confront the most pressing issues of our communities."
To learn more about Dr. Pelton and his vision for TBF, you can find a full article here.
Our COVID-19 Response Fund was among the first in the nation, and has provided millions of dollars in general support to more than 200 grantees, the majority of which are led by people of color.
Even as we set up our fund, we have worked closely with both the Boston Resiliency Fund and MA COVID-19 Relief Fund, and partnered to support the needs of minority-owned businesses in the region.
Boston Indicators, the research center of the Boston Foundation, has established the COVID-19 Community Data Lab, to improve access to current data and analysis of equity, housing, economic issues.
With our offices closed, we have moved our Understanding Boston series online, with a virtual calendar of events exploring issues from foreclosure to education, health, and business equity.
195
Reports published since 2001, including well over 100 "Understanding Boston" series reports
255
Public Understanding Boston forums held since 2001
55,000
People have attended Understanding Boston forums since the series inception
The Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership has raised funds for more than a decade of research, advocacy and policy work that has driven significant changes in the Massachusetts criminal justice system, including CORI Reform and improved equity and justice in sentencing.
"The Boston Foundation's clear and focused civic leadership is more important than ever to solving our local and regional challenges."
The Boston Foundation also sponsors Boston Indicators, which provides a comprehensive, constantly-updated body of information about key aspects of life in Greater Boston through groundbreaking reports and a dynamic website.
Recent reports on economic mobility, the status of the state's LGBTQ community and explorations of Latinos and millennials in Greater Boston have received extensive coverage and informed the discussion of critical issues.
In fiscal year 2019, the Boston Foundation released some of the most influential reports in nearly two decades of civic leadership, presented at Understanding Boston forums, covered widely in local media and read and referenced by civic leaders across the state.
Recent reports and videos are listed below. You can access all of the Foundation’s reports and watch archived videos of forums at News + Insights.
We invite you to join us for upcoming events and forums.
The Annual Campaign for Civic Leadership is a recipient of a $100k for 100 grant from the Cummings Foundation.
