Search Through Small Grants for Nonprofits in Boston, Massachusetts

The Costco Wholesale Charitable Contributions program prioritizes support for children, education, and health services within local communities. Nonprofit organizations seeking assistance must be 501(c)(3) certified and focus on monetary requests. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, factoring in community needs and collaboration. However, Costco limits grants to 10% of the program budget and typically restricts organizations to one request per fiscal year. They do not fund individuals or direct aid for various specific purposes.

The DanPaul Foundation aims to enhance early childhood development by training teachers and parents, protecting children from abuse, and promoting social responsibility. They provide grants to non-profits for programs that focus on education, health, and welfare of youth. Key initiatives include scholarships, environmental education, and support for underprivileged children. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 annually, with a focus on impactful, community-driven projects.

State Farm's Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grants aim to enhance community safety, development, and education. Focused on long-term impact, they support initiatives in auto and home safety, disaster preparedness, affordable housing, and educational programs. Eligible recipients include nonprofits, educational institutions, and government entities. However, funding is not available for individuals, religious programs, or organizations outside the U.S. By addressing critical community needs, these grants foster safer and more resilient neighborhoods.

The Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant aims to support outstanding nonprofits that enhance cultural engagement and artistic talent in the U.S. With a focus on programs that reach young people, the grant prioritizes organizations that create lasting impacts in the arts and sciences. The Foundation allocates 25% of its funding to cultural initiatives, favoring established organizations with a history of significant results. Eligible nonprofits must encourage inclusivity and sustainability in their programs.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) entity, aims to enhance healthcare access and education for all. With grant opportunities focusing on food programs, healthcare services for underserved populations, and STEM initiatives, it seeks to support community health and well-being. Organizations eligible for funding must be U.S.-based and hold tax-exempt status. Requests are reviewed biannually, in March and September, to foster impactful community projects.

The Semnani Family Foundation, established in 1993, is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities worldwide through health, education, and disaster relief initiatives. Founded by Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani, it began by funding an orphanage in Romania. The foundation also operates locally, providing free healthcare through the Maliheh Free Clinic in Utah. Its commitment to human welfare drives impactful partnerships in countries such as Afghanistan, India, and South Africa, focusing on the most vulnerable populations.

Wells Fargo Community Giving supports nonprofit organizations focusing on financial health, housing affordability, small business growth, and sustainability. The grant cycle runs from February to October, inviting organizations with 501(c)(3) status or equivalent to apply. Funding is prioritized for programs addressing critical community needs, while limited support is available for local initiatives like disaster relief and arts. Organizations must demonstrate fiscal stability and potential impact to be considered for funding.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust offers grants to nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts focused on youth development. Prioritizing those serving underserved populations aged 6-21, the Trust supports programs that enhance educational, artistic, and economic opportunities. New grantees must submit a Letter of Intent if they haven't received funding in the last three years. The Trust aims to foster paths to independence through community-driven initiatives, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in its funding decisions.

The Yawkey Foundation offers Program and Small Capital Grants to nonprofit organizations making meaningful impacts in Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife. Grants can be up to $100,000 and support projects aligned with the nonprofit’s mission. Organizations are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals during designated periods, demonstrating strong leadership and community impact, particularly in underserved regions of Eastern Massachusetts.

The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation provides grants to support low-income children and youth in Boston. With a focus on education, human services, and neighborhood revitalization, the foundation funds projects that demonstrate sustainability and community impact. Grants typically range from $50,000 to $100,000 and are available to Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Exclusions include multi-year support and unrestricted operating funds. The foundation aims to enhance the lives of vulnerable families through targeted assistance.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust focuses on the growth of underserved youth (ages 6-21) through neighborhood-based education and economic independence programs in Boston and New Bedford. Eligible nonprofits can apply for Program or General Operating Grants, emphasizing community representation and impactful youth development initiatives. Returning grantees from the past three years may submit a full proposal directly. The Trust does not fund capital expenditures or scholarships, ensuring resources are directed towards meaningful educational opportunities.

The Smith Family Foundation offers Small Capital Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to support tax-exempt nonprofits in Greater Boston and Gateway Cities. These grants aim to strengthen nonprofits' capacities for one-time capital expenses, addressing critical needs in economically disadvantaged communities. With a mission to promote positive change, the foundation prioritizes organizations with operating budgets under $3 million, focusing on human services and community development.

The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program will allocate $30 million to 150 local nonprofits in the Greater Boston area in 2026. This program primarily supports organizations focused on human services, social justice, education, healthcare, and environmental initiatives. Eligible applicants must be based in specific Massachusetts counties and provide services within those areas. The program does not fund requests related to the arts, culture, or animal welfare, ensuring resources are directed to pressing community needs.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment with the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Arts & Culture Support

When he purchased the Red Sox in 1933, Tom Yawkey also bought one of Boston’s greatest attractions: Fenway Park. The Yawkeys worked hard to ensure its preservation and today it remains Major League Baseball’s oldest and most beloved ballpark, a testament to the couple’s appreciation of cultural institutions. Much of the Yawkeys’ early philanthropy in arts and culture revolved around the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, an organization to which Tom and Jean lent early support and where they both served on the Board of Directors. The spirit of baseball history and civic pride is also reflected in the Foundation’s support of the 1967 Impossible Dream exhibit, which commemorates the remarkable Red Sox season that re-energized Boston and united generations of fans.

Their legacy in arts and culture has come to life in recent decades through support to the Boston Children’s Museum, the Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium. The Yawkey Foundation continues to support cultural institutions and community organizations that enrich the lives of children and families by inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong sense of wonder and appreciation for the world around them.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved. The Yawkey Foundation is committed to providing support for program and small capital needs connected to a nonprofit’s established mission and proven program/service delivery connected to the mission.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment with the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Health Care Support

Access to high quality health care, particularly for those disadvantaged members of the community, was an issue of great importance to Tom and Jean Yawkey. Tom Yawkey was instrumental in the founding of Georgetown Memorial Hospital, which brought much-needed health care to the rural area of Georgetown, South Carolina. In addition, the Yawkeys first lent their extraordinary support to Dr. Sidney Farber by initiating the Red Sox relationship with Dr. Farber, and laid the groundwork for establishment of The Jimmy Fund in 1953. That relationship lasted throughout both of their lifetimes and continues to this day.

The Yawkey Foundation continues to support medical institutions, including transformational construction and renovation projects to help leading medical institutions expand their footprints and ability to provide expert medical care. Understanding the real link between medical needs and behavioral health needs, particularly in children, the Foundation has also played a leading role in supporting organizations providing access to behavioral and mental health treatment programs. 

The J.W. Couch Foundation Grant focuses on supporting Wildlife Conservation nonprofit organizations that align with their mission of community betterment and environmental protection. The foundation seeks partnerships with organizations that promote animal wellbeing, early childhood education, teacher support, and outdoor activities. Eligible applicants must be registered 501(c)3 nonprofits or for-profit entities aligned with their charitable programs. This grant emphasizes collaboration and community engagement to create lasting impacts.

The Immigration Legal Access Grant Program, initiated by the City of Boston Office of Immigrant Advancement, aims to provide essential legal assistance to immigrants navigating the complex U.S. immigration system. With a total funding of $900,000, this program supports nonprofit organizations that offer services such as legal orientation, consultations, and representation. By prioritizing organizations with licensed attorneys, the program seeks to enhance access to justice for Boston’s immigrant communities, especially in light of recent policy changes.

The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation's Small Grants Fund aims to support projects that enhance family life in the Greater Dudley area. Grants range from $500 to $5,000 and prioritize initiatives that foster community engagement, strengthen family connections, and improve neighborhood well-being. Eligible applicants include resident volunteers and local groups, while nonprofit status is not mandatory. The foundation emphasizes activities that promote social cohesion and personal development, ensuring that funds contribute to meaningful community benefits.

The Live Arts Boston (LAB) Grants, supported by the Boston Foundation, empower performing artists in the Greater Boston area to innovate and create original work. With funding of up to $15,000, this program encourages artists and small organizations to explore new ideas and collaborations. LAB offers crucial resources such as project documentation, advising, and networking opportunities, fostering a vibrant arts community amidst ongoing social challenges. Artists are invited to apply and contribute to the cultural landscape.

The Robinson Foundation Grant, established in 2016, aims to alleviate hardships faced by individuals and communities, demonstrating God's love through charitable contributions. As a family-operated foundation, it focuses on creating meaningful, long-term impacts in various areas including animal welfare, education, and disaster relief. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation prioritizes fiscally responsible projects with the potential for tangible results, while not supporting capital projects.

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation offers grants to support diverse initiatives, including museums, educational programs, and environmental activities. Aiming to make a significant impact with modest funding, the Foundation targets IRS-qualified non-profits in the U.S. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $20,000, fostering community development and enhancement. Organizations focused on youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply, as the Foundation seeks to empower those in need.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment with the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Youth & Amateur Athletics Support

Tom and Jean Yawkey loved baseball. Tom grew up around the game, played while at Yale University, and understood its value in bringing players, fans and communities together. He purchased the Boston Red Sox in 1933 and as much as being the team owner, he also took great joy in participating in batting practice at Fenway Park and sitting alongside fans in the bleachers to watch a game. Tom and Jean Yawkey were committed to supporting youth athletics so that all young people had the opportunity to play and enjoy the game of baseball. The Yawkeys recognized that team sports, particularly baseball and softball, build important skills that would benefit players off the field – such as cooperation, respect, sharing, and discipline.

This tradition of supporting quality youth recreation programs, particularly baseball and softball programs, continues today through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. In many instances, funding from the Yawkey Foundation supports the very things Tom and Jean Yawkey provided many years ago – quality fields, new equipment, and programs providing ample opportunities for teamwork, sportsmanship and play.

Please be advised that the Yawkey Foundation is currently focusing its Youth & Amateur Athletics category Program & Small Capital on baseball and softball. The Foundation does not support any athletic programs specific to individual towns, districts, or counties.

The Dr. Scholl Foundation offers grants annually to IRS 501(c)(3) organizations, primarily focusing on U.S. applicants. The foundation supports projects in education, social services, healthcare, civic and cultural initiatives, and environmental efforts. While the grant cycle runs from October 1 to March 1, it encourages innovative solutions to global challenges. Only one application per organization is accepted each year, and funding is limited to one year. Unqualified organizations, including political entities, are ineligible.

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment with the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Conservation & Wildlife

Tom and Jean Yawkey had a deep appreciation for nature and a passionate desire to protect our natural resources. The Yawkeys’ gift of more than 20,000 acres of shorefront land to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is their most enduring legacy in conservation.

In 1914, Tom Yawkey’s uncle purchased a small amount of land along the shoreline in Georgetown County, South Carolina. Tom inherited the land from his uncle and went on to purchase additional parcels until the area totaled over 20,000 acres. Upon his death in 1977, Tom bequeathed the land to the State of South Carolina.

Today, the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is considered one of the most outstanding grants to wildlife conservation efforts in North America; the world’s longest alligator study started there over 40 years ago and the area remains one of the premier nesting locations for endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtles and is home to hundreds of species of migratory birds. Over the years, the Yawkey Foundation has developed collaborative research partnerships with institutions such as Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Horry-Georgetown Technical College and many others using the Wildlife Center as a research laboratory for important wildlife conservation efforts. 

Yawkey Foundation

The story of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their impact on the lives of children and families goes back over eight decades to the commitments they made to the people of Massachusetts, New England, and Georgetown County, South Carolina. The Yawkeys’ love for these communities, and their quiet sense of responsibility for those in need, is captured in the careful steps they took to ensure that their legacy would live on through the work of the Yawkey Foundation. The Yawkeys were perhaps best known for their longtime ownership of the Boston Red Sox. More quietly, but with just as much passion and commitment, Tom and Jean Yawkey were also engaged in an unwavering dedication to those most in need.

Today, the Yawkey Foundation remains as committed as ever to continuing to honor Tom and Jean Yawkey and their commitment to those in need. Having awarded more than $620 million to-date in charitable grants to organizations focused on Health Care, Education, Human Services, Youth and Amateur Athletics, Arts and Culture, and Conservation and Wildlife, the Yawkey Foundation is committed to preserving and sustaining the charitable values of the Yawkeys by investing in impactful nonprofits providing resources, opportunity, and dignity to the vulnerable and underserved.

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and responsive nonprofit organizations in delivering their core missions through discrete and timebound projects. Program & Small Capital Grants help address an immediate need that is critical to the organization’s work.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund a discrete timebound program need, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment with the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation during a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. Organizations that have not been previously funded by the Foundation in recent years are encouraged to submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants to familiarize the Foundation with its work before submitting an Initial Proposal for Strategic Investment or Transformational Capital.

Areas of Giving: Human Services; Youth & Amateur Athletics; Education; Conservation & Wildlife; Arts & Culture; and Health Care.

Education Support

The Trustees of the Yawkey Foundation are committed to providing educational opportunities for degree-aspiring individuals who are working to achieve their academic and career goals. The Foundation partners with nonprofits with missions dedicated to higher education access, persistence and success for young adults living in Greater Boston and Georgetown County, SC, with special focus on individuals from circumstances and communities that may lack resources and pathways to opportunities.

The O'Reilly Automotive Foundation Grant focuses on enhancing community welfare through philanthropic initiatives that support economic stability, workforce development, health services, and disaster relief. Established in 2020, the Foundation seeks to empower underrepresented individuals and organizations in the U.S. by addressing vital community needs. It particularly aims to provide assistance to nonprofits that foster positive change and improve quality of life for those in need, ensuring a lasting impact in local communities.

City of Boston Office of Historic Preservation

The Office of Historic Preservation promotes and protects the City of Boston's cultural heritage. Part of the Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet, the department houses the Boston Landmarks Commission, the City Archaeology Program, and the Commemoration Commission.

Historic Marker Community Grants

Browne Fund grants supporting community research and proposals for permanent historic markers by Boston's Office of Historic Preservation.

In honor of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026 and the city's 400th in 2030, the Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund is opening a special grant round.

The Browne Fund requests proposals from nonprofit organizations with experience in community engagement and historic documentation to research and propose potential historic markers in Boston.

These small grants ($7,500 per organization) will support the following scope of services:

• Community engagement;
• Research and documentation of a minimum of ten (10) possible historic markers; and
• Preparing and submitting at least one application to the Boston Historic Markers Program for consideration for a permanent marker.

Please note, all proposals will need to address the full scope of services.