Barr Foundation announces fourth-quarter grants totaling $40.7 million | Philanthropy news

The Boston-based  Barr Foundation has announced fourth-quarter grants totaling $40.7 million to support New England-based organizations working to expand arts and cultural access, increase climate resilience, and improve student academic achievement.

In the area of Arts & Creativity, the foundation awarded 46 grants totaling $17 million, including $1 million to the City of Boston in support of the Cultural Access Program, which envisions a new civic partnership of funders, schools, institutions, and families committed to building a new approach to expand arts and cultural access and belonging for Boston families. In the area of Climate, the foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $10.7 million, including $700,000 to the Essex County Community Foundation to create a collaborative regional structure to increase climate resilience in the county.

Through its Education program, the foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $7 million, including $500,000 to Portland Public Schools for ongoing efforts to develop excellence and equity in high schools across the city. And in the category of Sector Effectiveness, 13 grants totaling $2 million were awarded, including $300,000 to the Institute for Nonprofit Practice to advance the Black Leadership Institute, which aims to connect, inspire, and uplift Black leaders working on systemic issues that have significant outcome disparities for Black people. In addition, through its Racial Wealth Equity initiative, the foundation awarded eight grants totaling $2.6 million, and through Special Initiatives, it awarded five grants totaling $1.2 million.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Renata Tyburczy)