To “invest in leaders” is a core value that spans Barr’s program areas and special initiatives. In 2005, the Barr Fellowship was launched and it has since helped to recognize, support, and connect 80 exemplary leaders from diverse backgrounds, organizations, and fields in and around Massachusetts. Recognizing the unprecedented impact of a global pandemic, national racial reckoning, and a more visible climate emergency, along with federal turbulence and a constantly changing world context, Barr paused to reflect on its nearly two decades of leadership investments via the Barr Fellowship and other programs across our region.

It is with this backdrop of deeper listening and lessons learned about what leaders need today that we began to re-imagine our Social Change Leaders portfolio and are pleased to introduce our new initiatives. Our Social Change Leaders portfolio is evolving to reflect a few inter-related but distinct offerings that will expand access to both opportunities and resources for broader groups of individuals and organizations. Our aim is to design a collection of programs to reach more leaders with resources and supports as they need them to help contribute to healthier operating cultures and the advancement of a flourishing ecosystem for leadership.

Inspiration and Opportunity

During this period of reflection, we had the opportunity to talk with Fellows, funding partners and other trusted stakeholders, including potential applicants to gather their views on leadership, wellness, and resilience across the sector.  They cited critical outcomes of Barr’s leadership investments over the last 20 years that have helped to:

• Normalize sabbaticals and investment in leadership (not just programs).  

• Elevate social capital and networks as critical to healthy leadership, organizations, and communities.  
• Increase attention to diverse leaders, including those who may have been overlooked. 

With their input we explored how Barr might adapt to be even more responsive to an evolving leadership landscape against the backdrop of unprecedented global and national circumstances that contribute to a rapidly emergent new normal. 

Where Are We Going from Here 

 The following underpinnings to a new normal further supported the re-envisioning of our Social Change Leaders portfolio:

• Sea changes to external environments are leading to new ways of working and leading.  

• A paradigm shift in leadership is needed in order to address the challenges of a new normal.  

• Gaps in current leadership development offerings exist — in particular, the “missing middle” is too often overlooked and under resourced.
• New, diverse leadership is emerging in Greater Boston and needs to be supported.  

What we heard loud and clear is that Barr should build on what we have learned to advance more aspirational goals.  Attention to supporting the resilience of leaders and to building strong, compassionate, and more sustainable organizations and networks is critical.  With this in mind, we developed new initiatives to resource and support social change leaders to sustain their leadership and effectively tackle the challenges and opportunities in their communities: 

• Resilient Leaders – Includes two tracks uniquely designed for organizations and leaders. One track enables social change leaders in the sector to take time away from their roles to reflect on strategy, hone skills, and recharge for sustained engagement. The other supports entire organizations to shift practices and policies to better integrate resilience, wellness, and new ways of operating so that staff are effective and thriving.  
• Barr Fellowship (re-imagined) – Convenes social change leaders across the sector in small cohorts to deepen relationships, promote well-being, and build capacities to prepare and energize leaders.  

These Barr operated programs are complemented by a portfolio of grants guided by the same values and goals, collectively contributing toward Barr’s leadership goals. We believe these updates will contribute positively to the growth of a flourishing ecosystem where networks of cross-sector, intergenerational change-makers representative of the diverse communities across our region can work together to create a more equitable, vibrant, and thriving Massachusetts. We look forward to expanding into each of these new initiatives throughout 2026 and into 2027.