Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition receives $50,000 Out of the Blue grant

Boston – The Boston Foundation today announced that the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) has been selected by a Foundation staff vote as the winner of the 2018 Out of the Blue grant, an unsolicited $50,000 grant recognizing a deserving nonprofit. Members of the Boston Foundation staff nominate and then vote on recipients for the annual Out of the Blue grants. MTPC is dedicated to ending oppression and discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. Rooted in social justice, they educate the public, advocate with state, local, and federal government, engage in activism, and encourage empowerment of community members through collective action.

“MTPC’s mission perfectly aligns with the Boston Foundation vision of a city and region where justice and opportunity are extended to all,” said Boston Foundation President Paul S. Grogan. “By strengthening the leadership and advocacy skills of the Massachusetts transgender community, MTPC is improving the lives and protecting the rights of thousands of people across the state and their families. It is a critically important role, and one that clearly resonated with our staff in the selection process this year.”

Mr. Grogan informed MTPC Executive Director Mason Dunn of the prize with an “out of the blue” phone call.

“This grant is both a stunning surprise and a wonderful gesture of appreciation for our work,” said Mason Dunn, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. “2018 will be a watershed year for transgender rights in Massachusetts, and this grant will help us in the fight to create greater understanding of what it means to be transgender and to inspire transgender people across the state to fight isolation and bigotry.”

Founded in 2001, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition has a long history of advocating for the rights of and protections for the state’s transgender community. As highlighted in the recent “Equality and Equity” report from Boston Indicators and The Fenway Institute, two-thirds of transgender people surveyed in the state say they suffered discrimination in public accommodations in the past 12 months. By educating, organizing and building greater understanding of transgender issues, MTPC is working to build support for the fair and equal treatment of all people in Massachusetts.

Out of the Blue grants were first presented in 2002. Nominations for the grant are made by Foundation staff members, and all nominees must meet the award criteria. Out of the Blue grant recipients must:

• Demonstrate courageous and effective leadership within the organization, and an impactful leadership role in the community;
• Align with the mission and value statements of the Boston Foundation;
• Be located in and serving Greater Boston, or directly impact Greater Boston.

Organizations may only receive an Out of the Blue grant once.

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The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, is one of the largest community foundations in the nation, with net assets of more than $1 billion. In 2017, the Foundation and its donors paid $130 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of more than $194 million. The Foundation is a close partner in philanthropy with its donors, with more than 1,000 separate charitable funds established either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes. It also serves as a major civic leader, think tank and advocacy organization, commissioning research into the most critical issues of our time and helping to shape public policy designed to advance opportunity for everyone in Greater Boston. The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), a distinct operating unit of the Foundation, designs and implements customized philanthropic strategies for families, foundations and corporations around the globe. For more information about the Boston Foundation and TPI, visit tbf.org or call 617-338-1700.