OVERVIEW: The Barr Foundation invests in Massachusetts-based organizations, prioritizing those that address climate change, improve educational outcomes and promote the arts.
IP TAKE: While the Barr Foundation supports organizations at the national level, it primarily supports groups in Massachusetts and across New England. While it does the majority of its grantmaking by invitation only, the Barr Foundation also invites grantseekers whose work aligns with its mission and giving region to reach out with a letter of inquiry. It sometimes funds work beyond its regional giving, and its climate change work has a global impact. Even though this is not the most accessible funder, this foundation does accept mini-project descriptions, so don’t hesitate to do so according to their guidelines. Reaching out to this funder’s sprawling staff will be challenging, so contact them directly at the email provided below. This funder offers both matching and general operating, cash grants investing in everything from research projects to emergency funds for work that aligns with this funder’s mission.
PROFILE: The Barr Foundation was established in 1999 by Amos Hostetter, Jr.— founder and former CEO of Continental Cablevision (now MediaOne) and former chairman of CSPAN—and his wife, Barbara. Barr is one of the largest foundations in Massachusetts, with an asset base of more than $1.5 billion and an outlay of grants averaging nearly $60 million a year. The Hostetters are the recipients of the Carnegie Corporation’s 2025 Carnegie Medial of Philanthropy.
The foundation seeks to “invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts.” Grantmaking features three main focus areas are Arts and Creativity, Education and Climate, although specific priorities within these areas may change from year to year. Current funding, for example, concerns “artist support services across Massachusetts, environmental justice efforts in Connecticut, and the development of new high school models across New England.”
Grants for Climate Change
Barr conducts its climate change grantmaking through its Climate program, which supports “equitable solutions for clean energy, mobility, and resilient communities.” works to “advance solutions for clean energy, mobility, and resilient communities.” Specific priorities of this work include communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change and pollution and organizations “whose work is centered in equity.”
- Current funding focuses on, but is not strictly limited to the state of Connecticut.
- Past climate grantees include the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), Necec Institute, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and the Conservation Law Foundation, among many others. Past grantees beyond Boston include the Delta Institute and the Florida-based Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities.
Grants for K-12 Education
The Barr Foundation’s Education program area supports organizations that seek to create a school environment where “every child is known, challenged and supported.” It primarily focuses on high school-aged students in order to promote readiness for college, career, and life skills. In addition to working with individual schools, public school systems, and district and state governments, it also partners with school support organizations, advocacy groups, and other education-related non-profits across New England. Its three-pronged strategy seeks to:
- Catalyze “new models through support for teams of educators to create a new vision for high school.”
- Invest in educators so that our region has the teachers and school leaders it needs.”
- Build public “will by deepening knowledge of what high school is and could be.”
- Grantees include the National Center for Civic Innovation, Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnerships, Students for Education Reform, the Education Trust and the Rural Aspirations Project.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Barr Foundation’s Arts and Creativity program area seeks to “elevate the arts and enable creative expression to engage and inspire a dynamic, thriving Massachusetts.” It supports partners who produce excellent artistic work, face challenges in innovative ways, demonstrate strong business sense, and display civic leadership. Barr’s strategy has three main approaches:
- It “invests in organizations to be adaptive and resilient” by providing risk capital for ambitious projects.
- “Fosters opportunities to connect the arts to other disciplines and sectors” such as civic planning and development.
- Activates “public support for arts and creativity” by promoting policy, leadership, and new approaches to public engagement.
- Arts grantees include the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, the New England Foundation for the Arts, Arts Midwest, MASSCreative, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, and the Boston Foundation.
Important Grant Details:
Barr grants range widely from a few thousand to over a million; however most grants remain under $150,000. The Foundation’s grantmaking budget for 2025 is $130 million.
- Grantseekers are encouraged to explore the foundation’s grantee list.
- The Barr Foundation primarily make grants to 501c3 public charities and public schools. It also also make grants to support “organizations or projects that work with qualifying fiscal sponsors, and to governmental agencies for public purposes.”
- Note that while the Barr Foundation sometimes awards grants to national organizations or those working in various parts of the country, it strongly prioritizes philanthropy in Boston, Massachusetts, and New England in general.
- While the Barr Foundation conducts the majority of its grantmaking by invitation only, each of its program areas has an alternate way of making contact. Arts grantseekers may fill out an inquiry form linked to each of the program pages.
- The foundation periodically releases a request for proposals (RFP) for its Education program.
The Barr Foundation provides email addresses and LinkedIn profiles for its staff members on its People page. The foundation’s telephone number is (617) 854-3500. Sign up for updates at the bottom of the website.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS: