Barr Awards $13.9 Million in First Quarter of 2021

The Barr Foundation Board of Trustees met virtually this March and approved grants totaling $5.7 million, in addition to $8.2 million in new grants approved since the December 2020 board meeting. Learn more about some of our partners and their work below.

In Arts & Creativity, Barr awarded ten grants totaling $1.4 million. A $200,000 grant to The Record Company will support expansion of its performance and recording facility, providing local musicians with a state-of-the-art venue to gather and create – filling an urgent need in Boston. A grant of $525,000 was awarded to EdVestors to provide continued funding for the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative, a public-private collaborative that supports arts education programs, professional development for teaching artists, and youth arts workforce initiatives.

In Climate, Barr awarded 12 grants totaling $7 million. In Clean Energy, a $175,000 grant to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) will support the development of equity metrics for ACEEE scorecards, in partnership with equity-centered and community-based organizations. In Mobility, a $100,000 grant to Caribe Communications & Publications will share relevant transportation news and information with El Mundo Boston’s print and digital readers. El Mundo Boston is the leading Latino media outlet in Greater Boston with a mission to inform, engage, and serve the Spanish-speaking population. In Resilience, a $20,000 grant to Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, Inc. (MassCOSH) will support racial equity training for its staff and board. MassCOSH supports workers fighting for justice, and these trainings will deepen its commitment to create workplaces and communities free from systems of racism. A $25,000 grant to Mystic River Watershed Association, Inc. will support racial equity training for staff and board and the integration of racial equity into strategic planning.

In Education, Barr awarded 12 grants totaling $2.7 million. A $200,000 grant to Educators for Excellence, Inc. (E4E) will provide core support for its Connecticut Chapter. E4E ensures teachers have a leading voice in the policies that impact their students and profession by building a movement of educators leading change. A $300,000 grant to FaithActs for Education, Inc. will support its general operations as a growing, Black-led and parent-powered organization on the front lines of education advocacy in Connecticut. A $500,000 grant to Hartford Public Schools will continue implementation of its Planning for Postsecondary Success work, which includes creating new student experiences that address barriers to graduation and establish a clear path to success for students after high school.

In Sector Effectiveness, Barr awarded five grants totaling $900,000. A $300,000 grant to Borealis Philanthropy will provide additional rounds of funding for the Racial Equity to Accelerate Change (REACH) Fund, a funder collaborative to advance racial and intersectional equity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector. A $100,000 grant to Philanthropy Massachusetts will provide general operating support to promote the practice and expansion of effective and responsible philanthropy in our state. A $100,000 grant to United Philanthropy Forum will support general operations for its continued work to lead and strengthen a national network of organizations that will advance philanthropy’s impact for the common good.