Boston Resiliency Fund
We're helping coordinate the City's fundraising efforts to support City of Boston residents most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Funds raised to date: $34.6 million
Funds DISTRIBUTED to date: $34.6 million
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS to date: 7,338
see our IMPACT and grant recipients
Please note: The Boston Resiliency Fund is not currently accepting donations or applications. To be added to our email list, please fill out this form. For information, please email brf@boston.gov.
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Have questions about the fund? Contact:
Mayor's Office -
For press inquiries, contact:
Press Office
About the fund
The Boston Resiliency Fund is the City of Boston’s effort to help coordinate fundraising and philanthropic efforts. Our goal is to provide essential services to Boston residents whose health and well-being are most immediately impacted by COVID-19. Initially, the Fund focused on food and other basic needs, technology for remote learning, and promoting public health in Boston neighborhoods. Want more information about the formation of the fund and our past grantmaking? Please read our press release and check out our previous grants.
Who the fund is forAs of December 2021, the updated priorities of the Boston Resiliency Fund are to:
- Ensure Boston's children, families, seniors and other vulnerable populations have ongoing access to food and other basic needs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Other basic needs may include items like diapers, formula, cleaning supplies, and hygiene products. These items include, but are not limited to:
- distribution of fresh and non-perishable food and other basic needs through programs that are accepting referrals and/or open to the public
- technical help and outreach for SNAP, WIC, CACFP, and other Federal and State safety net programs, and
- strategies that leverage existing services (curbside pick up, internet ordering) to increase the accessibility of food. Please note: Organizations seeking PPE should instead email this form to mic@bphc.org to receive supplies free of cost.
- Promote public health in Boston’s neighborhoods through community-based outreach and engagement on COVID-19 prevention strategies and vaccine-related efforts. These include:
- public education efforts that are population-specific, including specific ethnic groups, age groups and others in at-risk categories
- strategies to create greater access and remove barriers to getting the vaccine, and
- strategies to build community-based "information hubs" or "resident ambassador programs" to support vaccine education. This would be in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission.
Acting with urgency and transparency. We want to support immediate and basic needs.
Simplifying the grantmaking process.
Directing 100% of all donations to organizations providing critical, essential services. We're helping Boston residents most immediately affected by COVID-19.
Applying a lens of equity. We want to ensure we help people and families most in need. These populations include:
- elders and children
- people experiencing homelessness
- persons with disabilities
- low-income families
- communities of color
- undocumented immigrants
- survivors of domestic violence
- residents with limited English proficiency
- first responders
- essential front-line workers, and
- healthcare workers
Grantmaking
Please note: The Boston Resiliency Fund is not currently accepting applications. Updates on future rounds of grantmaking will be posted to this page. To be added to our email list, please fill out this form. For information, please email brf@boston.gov.
To see a full list of grants made to date, please visit our grantees website.
Thank you to Boston’s incredible non-profit community for your continued support of Boston residents during these incredibly challenging times When the pandemic hit our city in 2020, our non-profit partners quickly mobilized to serve our community, intentionally focusing on our most vulnerable and at-risk neighbors. With your leadership and assistance, the Boston Resiliency Fund has been able to positively impact thousands of Boston families through expanded access to testing, healthy food, essential items, and technology tools for remote learning.
After the most recent round of grants were awarded in February 2021, the Fund has a remaining balance of approximately $400,000. The Boston Resiliency Fund, while not actively fundraising since the spring of 2020, has continued to receive donations from generous residents and groups around Boston. This will be the final round of Fund grants under Mayor Walsh’s leadership, and grantmaking will pause in anticipation of the mayoral transition. Grantmaking may resume in the future in order to equitably allocate any remaining balance. The Fund is hosted by the Boston Charitable Trust Fund, an existing 501(c)(3) designated trust fund managed by the City of Boston's Treasury Department.
Grants awarded to date
- $19.88 million to ensure Boston's children, families, and seniors have access to food and other basic needs
- $10.23 million to support first responders, front-line workers, and healthcare workers so they can effectively do their jobs and promote public health
- $4.04 million to provide technology to Boston students for remote learning
By the numbers
- $34.5 million raised for COVID-19 relief efforts (of that, $34.1 million has already supported 377 nonprofits and more than 250,000 Boston families)
- 55% of grantees identify as led by a person of color
- 60% of grantees identify as woman-led
- 649,000 prepared meals
- Food for 3.7 million meals through Greater Boston Food Bank and Lovin' Spoonfuls
- 368,000 bags of groceries and produce
- 15,580 gift cards for families to use at their local grocery store
- 55 unemployed workers hired for food distribution
- 20 local, minority-owned restaurants cooking meals
- 8,000 Chromebooks purchased for Boston Public Schools students
- More than 1000 families provided with a one-month supply of diapers and formula
- 960 emergency childcare seats for essential workers
- 18 community health centers with COVID-19 testing and 21 with expanded telehealth services
Fund criteria
Organizations were selected based on the following criteria:
- Fits within one of the two updated priorities of the Resiliency Fund outlined above
- Focuses on the neighborhoods and populations that are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 (based on Boston Public Health Commission’s data)
- Approach for serving Boston’s most vulnerable residents is an impactful and efficient use of remaining BRF funds
- Prioritizes organizations or collaboratives led by women or people of color, or both, that have authentic connections to the communities that they serve
- Operates a program or service that is open to the public or is accepting referrals, or both (if relevant)
- Has a track record of serving the needs of Boston residents historically and during this crisis
- Has a plan in place to implement and deliver services safely (ensuring social distance, for example)
- Ability to sustain services for up to 6 months (or the length of grant)
- Collaboratives and multiple organizations working in partnership across neighborhoods is encouraged
Please note: The Boston Resiliency Fund is not currently accepting new applications. Want more information about the formation of the fund and our past grantmaking? Please read our press release and check out our previous grants.
Common questions
Common questionsThis fund can only make grants to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or those groups with a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor. Organizations were selected based on the following criteria:
- Fits within one of the two updated priorities of the Resiliency Fund outlined above
- Focuses on the neighborhoods and populations that are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 (based on Boston Public Health Commission’s data)
- Approach for serving Boston’s most vulnerable residents is an impactful and efficient use of remaining BRF funds
- Prioritizes organizations and collaboratives led by women or people of color, or both, that have authentic connections to the communities that they serve
- Operates a program or service that is open to the public or is accepting referrals, or both (if relevant)
- Has a track record of serving the needs of Boston residents historically and during this crisis
- Has a plan in place to implement and deliver services safely (ensuring social distance, for example)
- Ability to sustain services for up to 6 months (or the length of grant)
- Collaboratives and multiple organizations working in partnership across neighborhoods is encouraged.
Please note: The Boston Resiliency Fund grant application form closed on Monday, January 25, 2021. To be added to our email list, please fill out this form.
Want more information about the formation of the fund and our past grantmaking? Please read our press release and check out our previous grants.
To learn more about other nonprofit support efforts and funding, visit the Boston Foundation's COVID-19 Response Fund page.
A Steering Committee for the Boston Resiliency Fund was established. The committee provides direct oversight and funding recommendations for the Boston Resiliency Fund. The three-member committee includes:
- Jack Connors, Jr.
- Anne Klibanski, MD, President and CEO of Mass General Brigham, and
- Jeffrey Leiden, MD, PhD, Chairman, President and CEO of Vertex.
Goodwin Law serves as pro bono legal counsel to the Fund.
The next round of grants from this Fund will be announced in early February. Please note: The Boston Resiliency Fund grant application form closed on Monday, January 25, at noon.
The City intends to use the Fund as a part of a strategic plan to address impacts of the coronavirus. Further, the City is obligated to ensure that all expenditures are for allowable purposes under the IRS code. While we appreciate that donors may have specific areas of concern, the City prefers that specific purposes not be designated.
The Boston Resiliency Fund will be limited to organizations supporting communities, families, and individuals in the City of Boston.
As with all City transactions, whether online or in person, the use of credit and debit cards are subject to a 2.75 percent processing fee. The systems that support this process do not allow for this charge to be turned off in specific instances.
No charge will be incurred when using an e-check through the online payment process or when mailing a donation via check.
If you are a person or business looking to donate physical in-kind donations, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), medical, cleaning, or sanitation supplies, please fill out this intake form.
We recognize that COVID-19 is causing all manners of personal inconvenience and economic hardship. At this time, the purpose of the fund is to address the most critical, immediate needs of the Boston community through our nonprofit partners.
The review committee that reviews applications and provides recommendations to the Steering Committee. The review committee is composed of more than 25 representatives from diverse City Departments.
Supporters and contributors
Contributors- 617 Media Group
- Abrams Capital
- Abrams Foundation Inc
- Advent International
- Aecom Technology Corp.
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
- American Endowment Foundation
- American Tower Foundation
- Ameriprise Financial
- Andrew and Mariann Youniss
- Arnold Hiatt
- Bain Capital
- Bank of America
- Barbara and Amos Hostetter
- Barr Foundation
- Baupost Charitable Group
- Becky Kidder Smith
- Berkshire Bank Foundation
- Berkshire Partners
- Beth Terrana
- Bilal Haleem
- Bill O'Malley
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
- Boston Athletic Association
- Boston Bruins
- Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation
- Boston Center for Blind Children
- Boston Teachers Union
- Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall Charity Fund
- Butcher Box
- Butler's Hole North
- Cabot Family Charitable Trust
- Cambridge Trust
- Carl & Judy Ferenbach
- Carl Martignetti
- Challenger Foundation
- Charles River Labs
- Chestnut Hill Realty Corporation
- Chiesi USA
- Chris and Mary Beth Gordon
- Christine and Davis Letts
- Christine Kromer
- Christmas in the City, Inc.
- Citizen's Bank
- Coca Cola
- Colin's Joy Project
- Committee of Charity of the Lodge of St. Andrew
- Commodore Builders Charitable Foundation
- Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
- David and Julie McKenna
- Deloitte
- Delta Dental
- Diamon Generating Corporation
- Donahue Family Foundation
- Drs. Peter and Susan Workum
- DTCC
- Dunkin' Joy In Childhood Foundation Inc
- Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
- Elaine Mann
- Elaine Schuster
- Empower Retirement
- Enbridge
- Energy & Environment Club at Harvard Business School
- Ernst & Young
- Eversource Energy Foundation, Inc.
- Feinberg Family Foundation
- Fidelity Charitable
- First Church of Christ, Scientist
- First Republic Bank
- Foundation For Metrowest
- Foundation Medicine
- GE Foundation
- Gordon and Marjorie Osborne Foundation
- Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association and The Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 Labor Management Cooperation Trust
- Gross Family Foundation
- Harmonix Music Systems
- Harvard Business School Student Association
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation
- Harvard University Employees Credit Union
- Hawk Foundation
- Hazeldean Foundation
- HBS Healthcare Club
- HBS Middle East and North Africa Club
- HBS Venture Capital Club
- Highland Street Foundation
- Hyams Foundation
- Income Research and Management Charitable Fund
- Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals
- J & M Brown Company
- Jack Connors
- Jane’s Trust Foundation
- Jeffrey and Stephanie Schwartz
- Jeffrey Choney & Pamela Dippel Choney
- Jim and Cathy Stone
- John and Cyndy Fish / Suffolk
- John and Mary Ann Begley
- John DeCiccio
- John Hancock
- John Moriarty & Assoc., Inc.
- John Rosenthal
- John W. Henry Family Foundation
- John Worrall and Cynthia Bakon
- Jon Hirschtick and Randy Gollub
- Karen Benoit
- Karp Family Foundation
- Kathleen and John McLaughlin Family
- Kathleen Riesing
- Katie Kidder and Tom Kent
- Keel Foundation
- Klarman Family Foundation
- Kollol Pal and Janice Klunder
- KPMG
- Liberty Mutual
- Linda and Jay Hooley
- Linde Family Foundation
- Lovett-Woodsum Foundation, Inc.
- Mabel Louise Riley Foundation
- Mannheim Family Foundation
- Marcus Partners, Inc.
- Maria Carmella Benjamin Fund
- Marion and Davis Mussafer
- Marjorie and Dan Sullivan
- Mary Ford
- Mass Mutual
- MFS Investment Management
- Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
- Michelle and Bob Atchinson
- Morby Family Charitable Foundation
- Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Greenberg
- Ms. Jean C. Tempel
- National Grid
- New Balance Foundation
- Nolan Sheehan Patten LLP
- Northern Trust
- O'Reilly Family Foundation
- Ocean Spray
- One Step Forward Education Foundation
- One8 Foundation
- OneBeacon Insurance Group
- Orchard Foundation
- Overbrook Foundation
- Pamela and Alan Trefler
- Partners HealthCare
- Parviz Tayebati
- Patrick Nixon
- Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
- Paul & Sandy Edgerly
- Paul and Sylvia Zurlow
- Paul Cormier
- People's United Bank
- Peter Palandjian
- Phil and Ellie Loughlin
- Phil and Nancy Lotane
- Procter & Gamble
- PWC
- Red Sox Foundation
- Reynolds Family Foundation
- Richard & Janet Martini
- Robert Davoli and Eileen McDonagh
- Robert Kraft
- Robert Travaglini
- Safety Insurance Charitable Foundation, Inc.
- Samuels and Associates Management
- Santander
- Sarepta Therapeutics
- Sasaki Asscociates Inc.
- Saul Pannell and Sally Currier
- Scott and Kelly Requadt
- Scott Webster & Peter Black
- Servier Pharmaceuticals
- Shah Family Foundation
- Silversmith Capital Partners
- Sixty-Nine Roses Charitable Foundation
- State Street Foundation
- Stephen Klar and Janice Gross
- Steve and Roberta Weiner
- SunLife
- Suzanne Norris
- Symphony Church
- T Mobile
- TA Associates
- TD Charitable Foundation
- Terry and Carolyn McGuire
- The Beker Foundation
- The Boston Foundation
- The Claddagh Fund Charities
- The Committee to Elect Martin J. Walsh
- The Debbie & Lee Simpson Fund
- The Galakatos Family Fund
- The Highfield Foundation
- The Lynch Foundation
- The Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation
- The Mugar Foundation
- The Spector Fund
- The Stephen & Taylor West Family Fund
- Thomas E. and Barbara B. Leggat Fund
- Thomas Family Foundation
- Thomas H. Lee Partners
- Tom and Lisa Blumenthal Family Foundation
- Tricia Erin Walsh
- Trustees of the HD & JU Fund
- Turner Construction
- Tuukka Rask Foundation
- United Way
- US Charitable Gift Trust
- Vertex Foundation
- Vineyard Wind
- Water Cove Charitable Foundation
- Wellington Management
- Whale Rock Capital
- WilmerHale
- Yufen Shi and Feng Zhang, and
- more than 6,680 additional supporters!
Other response resources
Other resources
Who's Involved:
-
Have questions about the fund? Contact:
Mayor's Office -
For press inquiries, contact:
Press Office
