TBF announces first grants from Fund for Reproductive Health

Boston – The Boston Foundation today announced the first set of grants from the newly-established Fund for Reproductive Health, which was established to support local organizations seeking to ensure access to reproductive rights for Massachusetts residents and provide services to those who travel to Massachusetts to obtain services they cannot access in their own state.

The Fund, which was set up immediately following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, seeks to respond to the evolving needs of women and others affected by the Dobbs decision, as well as to support the organizations that are scrambling to serve them.

“The devastating ramifications of the Dobbs ruling in dozens of states were immediately evident, and the scope of those ramifications continues to spiral outward,” said M. Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “These first grants are an initial step in our support for equitable access and provision of reproductive health services that are a core element of a commitment to protect the rights and health of women and birthing parents.”

The first round of grantees includes:

Reproductive Equity Now - $16,800: The Reproductive Equity Now Foundation (RENF) is a leading voice for protecting abortion access in the Commonwealth, with a focus on protecting abortion access, identifying access inequities, and developing strategies to address access and equity. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, RENF is collaborating with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to develop to address legal questions and provide referral services to meet the needs of patients, providers, and helpers.

HealthQ - $15,000: For over 50 years, HealthQ has provided comprehensive health care, in recent years including abortion care, sexual health care, and gender-affirming care. The organization is building up its resources to provide care to people from out of state at their facilities north of Boston and hiring a community engagement coordinator, in addition to building a new facility.

Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund - $15,000: Established in 1999, The Eastern Massachusetts Abortion (EMA) fund provides people with funding and practical support to access abortion care. Funds will be used to sustain services for an influx of people needing services in Massachusetts since news of the pending Dobbs decision was released in May.

TIDES Fund for Reproductive Freedom - $10,000: Founded in 2021, Tides for Reproductive Freedom advocates to protect abortion access for all people, working with clinics, funds, impacted communities and values-aligned organizations to ensure that no person is turned away from accessing abortion services.

The initial grants for the Fund were made possible by gifts from several donors, in addition to a $25,000 contribution from the Permanent Fund for Boston at the Boston Foundation.