The Boston Foundation Centennial - 100 Years of Impact

Learn about how the Boston Foundation was "There at the Beginning" with its early support for public television, the Greater Boston Food Bank, the first community health centers, affordable housing and the cleanup of Boston Harbor.

The Boston Foundation has created a series of five publications that showcase the work of the Foundation, its donors and grantees over nearly 100 years.  Click the covers to view or download PDFs of the series. 
There at the Beginning cover  

There at the Beginning

The Boston Foundation has helped to spark the kind of change that makes a city great by supporting fresh ideas, encouraging innovation and providing seed capital for dreams. This publication tells just a few of the stories that have emerged over the last 50 years.
     
There at the Beginning cover  

There from the Beginning

Since 1915, hundreds of donors have made the Boston Foundation one of the largest and most effective community foundations in the country. This publication tells just a few of their stories.            
     
There for the Future cover
  

There for the Future

What exactly does a community foundation do? At the Boston Foundation, we are most proud of the many times the Foundation has provided early support for the fresh ideas and promising organizations that are destined to shape the future of our community.We call this kind of support “seed capital for dreams.”We invite you to page through this booklet. Its stories and photographs are a testament to the indelible power of those dreams—fulfilled in a great city.
     
There for the Arts cover
  

There for the Arts

“There for the Arts” is the fourth in a series of publications featuring the many times the Boston Foundation and its donors have played a major role in supporting innovative ideas and organizations. We believe that the arts are an essential component of a vibrant and vital community. When they are woven into the fabric of community life, artists and cultural organizations are stronger and neighborhoods and residents thrive. We invite you to read about some of the donors and organizations that have contributed to making Greater Boston one of the most culturally rich cities in the world.
     
There for Education cover
  

There for Education Reform

This is the fifth in a series of publications about the many times the Boston Foundation has supported ideas and innovations that have transformed our community and improved lives. Today, as a major civic leader, the Foundation is helping to create the change our community needs—and we believe that nothing is more important to our common future than equity in education.