Supporting civil rights protections and a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.
Special Initiative aims to respond to threats to communities and democratic institutions.
Please note: This was a time-limited initiative with no new grantmaking after 2018.
Announced with a blog post from Barr’s president and trustee, Jim Canales, this Special Initiative built on a 2017 effort to be responsive to dramatic shifts in federal policymaking, increased polarization, and explicit discrimination and marginalization. Barr’s $3-million commitment in 2018 focused on two priorities informed by our partners and what we learned during our first year:
Support civil rights protections for communities in New England threatened by the current political and social environment.
Ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.
Civil Rights and Census 2020 Strategies
Learn more about our support for civil rights protections and a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.
Learn more about Civil Rights and Census 2020 Strategies
Center to Support Immigrant Organizing
New England Civil Rights Fund RFP
Learn more about the (now closed) request for proposals (RFP) issued for New England organizations supporting civil rights.
Learn more about New England Civil Rights Fund RFPGrantmaking
As of August, 2018, Barr awarded 27 grants totaling $3.76 million through this special initiative.
Information on these grants is available below.
To see all recent Special Initiatives grantmaking activity, visit our grants database.
Priority One: Support civil rights protections for communities in New England threatened by the current political and social environment
African Community Education
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $80,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Boston Alliance of Gay & Lesbian Youth, Inc.
To support the statewide Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (AGLY) Network.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Catholic Charities of New Hampshire
To support the Immigration Legal Services program.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.
To support its Immigration Law Education & Advocacy Project (ILEAP).
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $80,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, Inc.
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $60,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
To support the Immigration Strategic Funders Collaborative of Connecticut.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Legal Aid, Inc.
To support its Central West Justice Center program.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
East Boston Ecumenical Community Council
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Maine Immigration Advocacy Project
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Justice at Work, Inc.
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $80,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
KIND, Inc.
To support New England activities.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Maine Initiatives, Inc.
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc.
To support its Berkshire Immigrant Center program.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $80,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Inc.
To support its Civil Rights Program.
- Award Date: 8/22/2018
- Amount: $80,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Centro Presente, Inc.
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 24 months
Lenny Fund, Inc.
To provide financial support and technical assistance to grassroots organizations addressing social and economic injustice.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $300,000
- Term: 36 months
Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
To support the Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 24 months
Muslim Justice League, Inc.
To provide core support.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 36 months
Proteus Fund, Inc.
To support the Security and Rights Collaborative.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 24 months
Third Sector New England, Inc.
To support the Center for Immigrant Organizing.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 36 months
Priority Two: Ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England
Associated Grant Makers, Inc.
To support the Massachusetts Census Equity Fund.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $400,000
- Term: 24 months
Leadership Conference Education Fund, Inc.
For education, policy, and communications activities to promote a fair and accurate 2020 Census.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 24 months
Massachusetts Voter Education Network, Inc.
To support Census education and outreach.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 24 months
New Venture Fund
To support the Census 2020 Project.
- Award Date: 5/30/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 24 months
Family Separation Crisis
National Domestic Workers Alliance
To support the End Family Separation Campaign.
- Award Date: 7/9/2018
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
NEO Philanthropy
To support the Four Freedom Fund's Rapid Response Fund.
- Award Date: 7/9/2018
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association, Inc.
To support services to reunite immigrant children with their parents.
- Award Date: 7/9/2018
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
2017 Grantmaking
In the first year of this Special Initiative, Barr awarded more than $3 million to support investigative journalism and frontline organizations promoting and protecting civil rights in New England communities under threat.
Learn more about 2017 GrantmakingCivil Rights and Democracy on Our Blog
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Blog Post
Everyone Counts: How Nonprofits Can Help Ensure a Full 2020 Census Count
Data from the 2020 Census will have long-term implications for Massachusetts in the next decade. Nonprofits can play an active role in Census outreach to help ensure an accurate count.
Read the blog post
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Blog Post
We All Must Stand Up
Stand up. Stand with. Stand for. Do.
Read the blog post
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Blog Post
Barr Awards $1.26 Million for New England Civil Rights Fund
Fourteen organizations supported as part of 2018 Special Initiative.
Read the blog post