Our Approach
This page offers information about the Barr Foundation’s response to COVID-19.
COVID-19 has laid bare the inequities in our modern world. Everyone is being impacted by the virus and its implications. Yet, we acknowledge that some communities are suffering far more than others and that reality has guided Barr’s immediate response to the pandemic.
Our immediate COVID-19-related grantmaking has focused on urgent needs in communities in Massachusetts as well as support for immigrant communities that have been disproportionately impacted. In deciding where to grant funds, we have invested in organizations closest to those communities and most in touch with their needs.
On April 2, we announced $2.6 million in grants to community foundations and pooled funds that had been established in response to the pandemic. This blog post describes those grants in more detail. On April 16, we announced a second round of grants: $2 million to immigrant-serving organizations. This blog post outlines those grants. On July 14, we announced the third round of grants: $1.36 million to organizations serving Black communities. This blog post outlines those grants.
As we have undertaken this emergency response grantmaking, we also remain committed to our existing partners and our core programs of Arts & Creativity, Climate, and Education. The bulk of our resources will focus on the needs of those partners, building on the flexibility we are already offering to them, as outlined here. Those grants can be found in our grants database.
Below we include links to relevant posts from our blog as well as links to joint statements where Barr has added its name in solidarity with others.
Blog Posts About Our COVID-19 Response
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Blog Post
Glimmers of a Future We Need
Today's solutions to our public health crisis are also long-term solutions for transportation and climate.
Read the blog post
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Blog Post
An Enduring Commitment to Racial Equity
Foundation trustees outline key principles for Barr’s racial equity work.
Read the blog post
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Blog Post
Adapting to a Pandemic: Barr’s Climate Program
An update on actions, learnings, and priorities from Barr’s Climate team amid the pandemic.
Read the blog post
COVID-19 Grantmaking
Barr has awarded approximately $6M in response to COVID-19 as of July 14.
Boston Emergency Response Funds
We contributed to pooled funds created by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and The Boston Foundation that provide aid to Boston residents and organizations serving frontline communities in Boston.
Boston Charitable Trust Fund
To support the Boston Resiliency Fund in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Award Date: 3/31/2020
- Amount: $500,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Boston Foundation, Inc.
To support the Boston Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Community Foundations
We partnered with a set of community foundations in an effort to get resources to work as quickly as possible across the Commonwealth. We believe the leaders working in greatest proximity to communities deserve our trust, support, and investment.
The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Inc.
To support the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
The Cape Cod Foundation
To support the Cape Cod Community Foundation’s Strategic Emergency Response Fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Foundation for Nantucket
To support the Community Foundation for Nantucket’s Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts
To support the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts’ COVID-19 response fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, Inc.
To support the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts’ Southcoast Emergency Fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
To support the Community Foundation for Western Massachusetts’ COVID-19 response fund for the Pioneer Valley.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Essex County Community Foundation, Inc.
To support the Essex County Community Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Foundation for MetroWest
To support the Foundation for MetroWest’s MetroWest Emergency Relief Fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Inc.
To support the Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Inc.
To support the Greater Worcester Community Foundation’s Worcester Together: Central Massachusetts COVID-19 fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $250,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Permanent Endowment for Martha's Vineyard
To support the Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard’s Emergency Response Fund.
- Award Date: 4/6/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 6 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Organizations Serving Immigrant Communities in Massachusetts
So many of those on the front lines of COVID-19 are immigrants. And they are bearing the risks of COVID-19 in disproportionate numbers. We awarded unrestricted resources to help these critical organizations remain stable at a time when they are needed most.
African Community Education Program
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Brazilian Immigrant Center, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Centro Presente, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Chelsea Collaborative, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $125,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
East Boston Ecumenical Community Council
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
GreenRoots, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $125,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Immigrant Family Services Institute, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
The Islamic Society of Boston
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Justice at Work, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Lawyers for Civil Rights, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc.
To provide core support for its Berkshire Immigrant Center program.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
To provide core support for its Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund program.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $200,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts Education Fund, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Philanthropy Massachusetts, Inc.
To provide core support for its Massachusetts Census Equity Fund program.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $25,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Political Asylum Immigration Representation Project, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Rian Immigrant Center, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Sociedad Latina, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 4/16/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Organizations Serving Black Communities in Massachusetts
Our COVID-19 response grantmaking has focused on supporting populations in Massachusetts disproportionally impacted by the pandemic, including Black residents who have experienced more than three times the rate of positive cases compared to white residents. The following 19 organizations play a critical role helping Black communities grapple with the pandemic.
Arise, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $60,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Black Economic Justice Institute, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $125,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Brockton Interfaith Community, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Center for Economic Democracy, Inc.
To provide core support (fiscal sponsor for Boston Ujima Project, Inc).
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Labor United, Inc.
To provide core support for its New England United for Justice program (fiscal sponsor for New England United for Justice).
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $60,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Community Labor United, Inc.
To provide core support for its Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Alliance (fiscal sponsor for Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Alliance).
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 5 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Fresh Start Wellness Center, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $60,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Legendary Legacies, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $60,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $100,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Press Pass TV, Inc.
To provide core support for its Women of Color in Solidarity program (fiscal sponsor for Women of Color in Solidarity).
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $25,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
South End Community Center, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
The Urban Farming Institute of Boston, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $75,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Third Sector New England, Inc.
To provide core support for its Gardening the Community program (fiscal sponsor for Gardening the Community).
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $25,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Urban Guild, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $50,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Urban Revival, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $150,000
- Term: 12 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Violence in Boston, Inc.
To provide general operating support.
- Award Date: 7/10/2020
- Amount: $70,000
- Term: 24 months
- Program: Special Initiatives
Sign On Letters
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Open Letter to Philanthropy: The Cure to Viral Racism Is Within Our Hands
Asian American grantmakers call on colleagues to denounce hate related to COVID-19 (and beyond).
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Philanthropy's Commitment During COVID-19 Pledge
Over 740 organizations commit to provide flexibility to grantee partners so they can move their essential work forward powerfully and confidently in this critical moment.