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CCF is distributing a total of $457,000 to 61 local nonprofits this fall, a month ahead of its regular grantmaking schedule to help cash-strapped organizations meet their missions at a time of elevated need.
Photo of blackyard, 2020 Imagined in Cambridge Award winner, by Philip Keith for The New York Times. Supporting Grassroots Projects Tackling Pressing Social Issues October 8, 2020—Cambridge, MA At a virtual celebration on October 8, 2020, the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) named the recipients of its second annual Imagined in Cambridge! Social Innovation Award, recognizing five grassroots projects that nurture strong communities and tackle systemic barriers to equity and opportunity. Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui announced blackyard, a co-op for Black and multi-racial youth and teenagers that in the words of its founder: “dismantles white supremacy within and lifts up the brilliance of Black, Indigenous, and Brown people,” through homeschooling, arts activities, conversations around equity for youth and teenagers, and supports for youth organizers, as the first prize winner. The program, founded by veteran teacher and Cambridge resident Ashley Herring, was awarded $5,000, and joined by four runners-up—Friday Night Hype, Kids Fete, Our Fire Collective, and Women of Cambridge Cards—each receiving $1,000. The five award winners offer innovative solutions to big social needs, such as supporting Black and Brown youth, promoting social justice and cultural pride, offering mental health supports for youth and teachers, and elevating female leaders. Watch our short [...]
In this op ed, Geeta Pradhan and Michael Monestime call on the community to take action to help protect our local arts ecosystem.
As our artists, arts organizations, and restaurants struggle to survive, a community-led initiative seeks to provide relief and inspire wonder.
On May 16, at the age of 91, Patricia Ross Pratt, the Cambridge Community Foundation’s President Emeritus, passed away, leaving a legacy of community engagement and civic action that shaped Cambridge and the Cambridge Community Foundation as we know them today.
June 26, 2020 | Cambridge, MA Relief...and recovery Three months ago, we couldn’t have predicted how widespread the pandemic’s impact would be, but we, like so many of you, knew we needed to respond quickly. For an organization that does its work squarely within the nonprofit sector, that meant stepping outside the box. We began awarding cash grants directly to individuals, families, and artists in crisis, while continuing to partner with nonprofits to give small grants to people in their circles. We also provided grants to arts organizations who took an enormous hit with the loss of audiences and early closures. The results are eye-opening. A new point of view The process has given us a fresh, first-hand view of our community and its needs. One of the biggest privileges of our COVID-19 relief work has been connecting with people from all corners of the city and hearing from them directly. We've also witnessed the incredible creativity and tenacity of our nonprofits, who met community needs despite their own financial pressures. By the numbers As of June 25, we allocated 1,162 cash grants to individuals, families, artists, and small businesses. We’ve also helped hundreds more through our support [...]
This April, the Cambridge Community Foundation will infuse $456,181 into the nonprofit sector in Cambridge through its annual spring grantmaking cycle, which is allocating funds on schedule despite the COVID-19 crisis. The Foundation is allowing Community Fund grant recipients to use their programmatic funding flexibly so that, at a time of great uncertainty, nonprofits can allocate the money where it’s needed the most.
We honor and remember Elsa Dorfman and Tunney Lee, two of our Cambridge Cultural Visionaries who passed away last year. **The We are Cambridge Celebration is now a virtual gathering on March 11, 2021. Join us.** The Cambridge Community Foundation focuses on the city’s cultural richness CAMBRIDGE, MA | Published: February 27, 2020 | Updated: January 28, 2021 The Cambridge Community Foundation has named 20 exceptional artists and creators as Cambridge Cultural Visionaries, recognizing, for the first time, a diverse and talented group of individuals who have had a major impact on the cultural richness celebrated in Cambridge and beyond for over half a century. In their honor and in recognition of the community’s commitment to safeguard the arts in our city and spark creativity of future generations, the Foundation will launch a new Cultural Capital Fund and honor the arts at its We are Cambridge celebration (rescheduled for March 11, 2021; register here to join). Cambridge has been shaped by dreamers and visionaries throughout its history. A city of ideas and solutions, Cambridge boasts a long list of imaginative thinkers, writers, artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs who continue to call Cambridge home. The Cambridge Cultural [...]
At the Cambridge Community Foundation, we are committed to fostering the arts in our community, both as an investment in our fascinating cultural landscape and as an outlet for enrichment, wellness, and healing for our neighbors. A city that champions equitable access to its thriving artistic and cultural infrastructure builds a community in which everyone can nurture their creative voice and gain healing and agency through artistic expression. This month, we’re featuring four of our nonprofit partners who are performing vital artistic ministries in our community, enabling those at risk to find wellness and healing through the power of the creative process: Tunefoolery, The Dance Complex, Shelter Music Boston, and Urbanity Dance. Since their founding in 1994, Tunefoolery has empowered musicians recovering from mental health issues to showcase their work at over 150 events each year. Under their organizational umbrella, Tunefoolery runs a youth Education Outreach Program about mental health issues, sponsors holistic retreats for working musicians, and provides jobs and professional recording space for artists. Powered by the Cambridge Community Foundation: Tunefoolery has been a partner of the Foundation since 2005. Most recently, a $2,000 grant in Fall 2019 helped fund Tunefoolery's Music Education [...]
From our 2019 annual report: Some of the people who bring the Foundation's mission to life share what inspires them about our city.
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Cambridge, Massachusetts
We are the local giving platform supporting shared prosperity, social equity and cultural richness, with roots that go a century deep.
Today, the Foundation supports more than 150 local nonprofits annually, conducts research and initiates cross-city conversations, and serves as a collaborative philanthropic partner to donors, nonprofits, businesses, and engaged citizens, helping to address community needs.
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