Jim Canales was appointed president and trustee of the Barr Foundation in May 2014. Prior to joining Barr, he spent two decades in a variety of roles at The James Irvine Foundation in California, including president and chief executive officer from 2003 through 2014. His writing on a range of topics has appeared in The Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and The Huffington Post, among other outlets.
Speak Out and Stand Up Against Anti-Asian Racism
Denouncing rising anti-Asian hate crimes and the recent murders in Atlanta.
Barr Commits Over $2 Million for Vaccine Equity Efforts
The Foundation joins local funders in supporting equitable access to the vaccine.
Time to Reimagine What Can Be, Not Rebuild What Was
On a sobering anniversary, Barr’s president reflects on lessons from a challenging year and new opportunities as we look to the future.
In Conversation: Ford Foundation President Darren Walker
Full recording of a recent discussion between Darren Walker and Jim Canales on the role of philanthropy in creating a just future and much more.
Mariella Puerto Named Barr Foundation Climate Program Director
A Barr veteran and field leader, Mariella will oversee continued growth of the Foundation’s Clean Energy, Mobility, and Resilience focus areas.
To Advance Racial Equity, Foundation Boards Need to Take an Active Role
Reflections from Barr's board chair and president amidst the Foundation's continuing equity journey.
We Should Not Be Surprised
In the aftermath of insurrection in Washington D.C., reflections from Barr’s president on what enabled yesterday’s violence and what it demands of each of us.
A Year That Changed Us All
Final reflections on 2020 and announcing plans to increase grant dollars by 25% in 2021.
Barr Announces $4.15 Million in New Grantmaking Centered on Racial Equity
New and extended support for over 30 organizations to advance racial equity and support communities hit hardest by COVID-19 in Greater Boston and across Massachusetts.
Barr and Ford Foundations Together Commit $10 Million to Support BIPOC-Focused Arts in Massachusetts
Massachusetts named one of seven regions in Ford Foundation’s “America’s Cultural Treasures” initiative. Regional grants to be awarded in 2021.