Barr Awards $13.7 Million in Fourth Quarter of 2018

At its final board meeting of 2018, the Barr Foundation Board of Trustees approved grants totaling $10.6 million, in addition to $3 million approved since the September board meeting. We are pleased to highlight a few of our partners and their work below.

In Arts & Creativity, Barr awarded four grants totaling $925,000. A $725,000 grant to National Arts Strategies (NAS) will build on the successful pilot year of Creative Community Fellows: New England, a program serving a cohort of 25 emerging to mid-career changemakers from across New England to drive physical and social transformations in their communities using arts and culture-based approaches. NAS will enrich the program with new, advanced curriculum and the creation of an alumni program to promote networking among the fellows. A $100,000 grant to the North Shore Community Development Coalition will support strategic planning for the agency and for the Punto Urban Art Museum, a public art and social justice program in Salem’s predominantly Latino neighborhood, The Point. This free outdoor museum celebrates the diversity of its surrounding neighborhood and aims to increase economic opportunities for local businesses.

In Education, Barr awarded fourteen grants totaling $5.9 million. The program supports young people to thrive in high school and as they pursue post-secondary education. Two grants this quarter support student success after high school. A $750,000 grant to Complete College America will continue the implementation of a New England regional initiative to improve postsecondary education outcomes for underprepared students in New England. A $750,000 grant to College Bound Dorchester will provide general operations support for “Boston Uncornered,” a program working to transform cities by engaging and supporting gang-involved youth (called “core influencers”) on the path to college. This grant will support recruitment of core influencers and scaling of a replicable, sustainable model for Boston and beyond. The Education program is committed to investing in educators as who strive to bring new learning models to life for students. Two grants this quarter focus on strengthening teacher pipelines in MA. A $400,000 grant to The Teacher Collaborative will support its growing staff, expanded programming, and the development of a communications and recruitment plan. After the successful pilot of three programs this year, this community "by educators and for educators" is in a position to grow and increase impact. A $250,000 grant to Teach Western Mass, an organization focused on improving the volume, quality, and diversity of teacher candidates in Western Massachusetts, will support its strategic planning process and build internal capacity.

In Climate, Barr awarded fourteen grants totaling $5.2 million. In Clean Energy, a $300,000 grant to the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. will support the coordination of a network of municipalities working to accelerate zero energy building in Massachusetts; and a $900,000 to Health Care Without Harm will support Massachusetts health care sector leadership on promoting clean energy and climate resilience. In Mobility, a $500,000 grant to Transportation for America (fiscal sponsor Smart Growth America) will provide technical assistance to inform transportation policy in Massachusetts. A $850,000 grant to The Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Foundation, Inc. will continue its “A Greener Greater Boston” re-granting and technical assistance program for greenways. In Resilience, a $1 million grant to the University of Massachusetts Foundation, Inc. will support the Sustainable Solutions Lab's climate resilience work through research, convenings, and pilot projects to tackle challenges at the intersection of climate change and social equity.

In Sector Effectiveness, Barr awarded four grants totaling $585,000. A $100,000 grant to Philanthropy Massachusetts (formerly Associated Grant Makers, Inc.) will support the implementation of a new strategic plan to foster more networked and collaborative philanthropy across the state. A $35,000 grant to Open Impact (fiscal sponsor is Tides Center) will produce a practical guide for foundations, conveners, and facilitators to develop and sustain cross-sector leadership networks in support of community goals.