Waterfront Initiative

Locals rest in the grass during a meditation event along the Boston waterfront.

Special Initiatives

The Boston Waterfront Initiative aims to create a waterfront that welcomes and reflects the diversity of all Boston neighborhoods.

Established in 1866, Massachusetts’ Chapter 91 law made public access to the waterfront a legal right. Unfortunately, inconsistent application of the law and little coordination among different developments means there many gaps along Boston’s 47-mile waterfront – places that are hard to access, where certain people don’t feel welcome, and that are increasingly vulnerable to climate change.

In 2016, Barr launched its Waterfront Initiative to promote equitable waterfront access and climate resilient development. Recognizing many points of alignment and opportunities for collaboration, the Waterfront Initiative became part of Barr’s Climate Team in 2024.

Our Vision for the Harbor

Building a Waterfront for Everyone

Our Waterfront Initiative supports a group of partners and residents dedicated to building a waterfront that is:

Welcoming

We actively support our grantees to create an inviting and accessible space for everyone, particularly for communities with limited experience enjoying the waterfront.  

Fun

We love supporting grantees with bold, creative ideas for exciting, joyful, accessible experiences that everyone can participate in. 

Productive

The waterfront is a huge driver of Boston’s thriving economy. We support bold efforts that create jobs and economic opportunities for all. 

Resilient

We support grantees leading work to help Boston’s waterfront and inland neighborhoods be better prepared for, and recover from climate impacts like storm surges, flooding, and extreme heat. 

Grantmaking Priorities

Our goal is to ensure that people in every neighborhood along Boston’s 47-mile waterfront can access, enjoy, and benefit from this incredible resource. We work to keep the waterfront at the center of policy and planning discussions about resiliency, inclusion, equity, and waterfront-based industries. 

Driving Public Engagement

We believe the best solutions result from robust public processes, and we support solutions that are community-driven.  

Strengthening Policy Making

We support leaders and change agents working to update regulations and policies that address present-day climate challenges with care and comprehensiveness. 

Advancing Breakthrough Ideas

We invest in research and pilot projects to advance and share promising resilient strategies at the local and state level. 

Grants awarded by the Barr Foundation originate in different ways. The majority are initiated by our staff or through a request for proposals (RFP) process.

We welcome inquiries from those who feel their work may align with Barr’s Boston Waterfront Initiative goals and who wish to introduce themselves to us.

The best approach is to email Jill Valdés Horwood, Director of the Boston Waterfront Initiative, with a brief description (we suggest 300–400 words) of your organization and the funding opportunity you would like us to consider. Given the high volume of inquiries we receive, it may take a couple weeks to hear back.