We’re saddened to share that Bob Hurlbut, CCF’s first Executive Director, died peacefully on December 22nd, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was 88.
Bob was a mentor, a friend, a steadfast supporter, and fiercely dedicated to Cambridge, the city where he was raised and where his commitment to community took root. Walk through the city and you’ll find Bob’s work all around—in Cambridge Volunteers, which he founded. In the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition, which he helped create. In the young people he taught about philanthropy. In “Teaching Philanthropy,” the program he created to give high school students hands-on experience in philanthropy. In the networks he built between organizations that had never spoken to each other.
Rick Harriman, who served as CCF board chair during Bob’s tenure, remembers one of Bob’s early moves: inviting all the nonprofit executive directors working in the same sector to come to the Foundation for lunch. Simple enough. But when they went around the room introducing themselves, Rick realized these leaders had never actually met their colleagues doing similar work across Cambridge. During a break, Rick mentioned this to Bob, who gave him a knowing look. Bob had understood the gap that needed to be filled. He created the space for nonprofit leaders to build bridges together.
“When I arrived at CCF, I found that people identified the Foundation with Bob,” says CCF President Geeta Pradhan. “CCF’s reputation in the community, its connections with government, its deep sense of commitment to Cambridge—all flowed from Bob’s personality. He had this perpetual twinkle in his eye, and when you spoke with him, you knew he cared about what you had to say.”
As CCF’s first Executive Director, Bob raised critical funds to build CCF’s assets from $12 Million to $33 Million and remained a steadfast supporter of ours, directing his gifts towards youth philanthropy, local news, Cambridge Volunteers, the Community Fund, and immediate community needs.
“He melted whatever barriers people might perceive between themselves looking for assistance and a steward of the Foundation’s resources,” Rick says. “That sort of authenticity, the openness, the breaking down the walls meant you could just be together as fellow citizens in the city looking to make the best improvements that you could.”
Lissa Hodder, whose late husband Mel served as one of CCF’s longest-standing board members under Bob, remembers his gift for connection: “Bob introduced so many amazing characters in Cambridge to CCF because he was so available to them as a human being. He built community in every interaction he had.”
Bob loved Cambridge. He attended morning prayers at Harvard Memorial Church, participated in the Cambridge Book Club, joined poetry readings at Cambridge Homes. He led the Rotary Club’s Leaders of Today and Tomorrow program, hosted “Seniors Needed” on Cambridge Community Television, and organized the monthly “ROMEOs” (Retired Old Men Eating Out) luncheon.
Bob’s son Rob Hurlbut reflects on his father’s approach to leadership: “It was never ‘I.’ He never said, ‘I did this, I did that.’ It was always ‘we.’ He considered himself just a member of the community.”
He was a model citizen in every sense. Cambridge shaped who Bob became. And Bob, in turn, shaped Cambridge. His efforts facilitated collaboration, countless volunteers connecting with need, young people learning how to give back, and relationships that started with simple introductions. His contributions live in every corner of this city.
Speaking at Morning Prayers at Memorial Church in 2017, Bob closed his remarks with this charge: “Where we would be great, let us be good. Where we would be famous, let us be faithful. Where we would be cautious in our own interest, let us be courageous in the service of others.”
In honor of his memory, the Hurlbut Legacy Fund for Cambridge reflects Bob’s enduring commitment to equity, civic engagement, and community connection, and will support the Foundation he stewarded for so many years, now and in the future.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 11, at 1:00 PM at Harvard Memorial Church.
