The committee looked at two things at once: the applicant organization and the project it proposed. Leadership, structure, and a record of using earlier grants well all mattered.
Who could apply
Applicants needed federal public charity status and a base in Greater Boston. Individuals and partisan political groups were outside the program's scope.
What the committee favored
- A new effort the organization considered essential.
- A clear account of who would benefit and how that benefit would be measured.
- Attention to the conditions that create a problem, not only its visible effects.
- A plan for change that could outlast the grant.
- A role for Community members, including volunteering.
- Evidence of support from other funders.
Stated interests in 2017
The published list named racial justice, climate awareness, education, civil liberties, housing and homelessness, public health, voting and registration, and journalism.
Size and timing
The 2017 ceiling was $10,000. Proposals were accepted from April 3 to June 15, 2017, with decisions expected before September 1. Those dates belong to the program's history, not to a current application cycle.