Community Programs

$3,000 Program/Project Grant 
(Available twice per year—Fall & Spring)

The next cycle is Spring 2026

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The mission of the Allston/Brighton--Boston College Community Fund is to support programs and services that are available to the people of Allston and Brighton.  The Fund Committee seeks applications from organizations, associations, programs, or initiatives based in Allston and Brighton. The Committee gives special consideration to the benefit of the potential award on the youth, senior citizens, and the needy in the Allston and Brighton neighborhoods. Beautification projects are also encouraged.

The Fund was established by the late Mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino and former Boston College President, Rev. J. Donald Monan. The President of the College, Reverend William P. Leahy and the Honorable Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston continue to support this cooperative effort between Boston College and representatives of Allston and Brighton. 

The purpose of the awards is to supplement existing budgets of established organizations and agencies in order to promote a program or service for which financial support is not otherwise available. The Fund Committee also considers and makes awards to independent groups who present a worthy proposal or sponsor a worthwhile event.

The Fund aims to create good will and harmony among the people of Allston and Brighton, and seeks to improve the physical appearance of the neighborhood. It is expected that both goals will enhance the quality of life of the neighborhood. A particular impact of the Fund and its activities is the fostering of an improved and beneficial relationship between the people of Allston, Brighton and Boston College.

Interested groups may apply for funding either during the fall or spring cycle.

Please Note:  Only one grant per group or agency will be awarded per year. 

Spring 2025 Grant Recipients

For the Spring 2025 cycle of the Allston Brighton/Boston College Communty Fund a total of $42,178 was distributed to the following 16 organizations:

• Allston Brighton Food Pantry: Beautifying Green Space in Brighton Center
• Allston Brighton Little League, Inc: 2025 Skill and Development Expenses
  
• Allston Brighton Yoga Collective: Spring/Summer 2025
  
• Brazilian Women's Group: SEmergency Food Assistance for Immigrant Families in Allston-Brighton
• Brazilian Worker Center, Inc: Immigrant Youth Leadership Development in the Allston Brighton Area
  
• Brighton High School.: Supporting Our Newest Community Members this Winter at BHS
  
• Brighton Branch - Boston Public Library: Intergenerational Gardening Club & Serenity Garden Support & Beautification
• Community Rowing, Inc: Youth Summer Rowing Programs
  
• Economic Mobility Pathways, Inc. (EMPath): Community Beautification & Reflection Garden Project 
  
• Penniman Road Community Garden: Procurement of Tools & Materials to Support Healthy Gardens
• Road to the Right Track: Summer Events
  
• Shaloh House School: School Vegetable Garden & Micro-Farm Educational Programming
  
• Spark a Life with Art: The All-Brighton Creative Collective - A Creative Workshop Series
• The Common Room, Inc.: Scholarship for Supporting Social, Recreational & Cultural Experiences
• The Fishing Academy, Inc: 21st Season Summer Support
• The Women's Table, Sisters of St. Joseph, Boston: Supportive Circles
• West End House Camp, Inc: Project Camp 2025
• West End House Girls Camp: Camper Scholarships

Boston College Neighborhood Improvement Fund (BCNIF)
Established in 2015

Please direct inquiries to: 
Anabela Gomes or Jeanne Levesque
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Beginning in the spring of 2015, as part of a package of public benefits related to its Institutional Master Plan, Boston College established a $2,564,000 Neighborhood Improvement Fund (NIF) grant for projects that enhance the public realm and for which public sources of financing may be unavailable or inadequate.

The NIF grant may be used by public or private non-profit entities to implement improvements on public property. Projects may include improvements in public parks and open space, neighborhood beautification, transportation and roadway improvements, public safety projects, public art, and other projects that achieve the objectives of the fund.

Projects should be of broad public benefit to the Allston-Brighton neighborhood, with particular emphasis on the areas of Brighton closest to Boston College (e.g. Lake Street, Foster Street, Cleveland Circle, Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton Center). Applicants will be expected to garner and demonstrate broad community support for their projects as part of the application and review process.

2023 Recipients

$274,825 was awarded to the following organizations:

• Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation (CDC) & Artists for Humanity: 3 Artistic Bicycle Racks - Allston - $24,825
• Friends of Chandler Pond & Boston Parks & Recreation: Pond Restoration & Access Improvements - $250,000

2023 NIF Grant Report

2020 Recipients

$125,000 in emergency NIF grants to aid the City of Boston and local non-profit organizations in COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts. The following organiations were awarded:

• City of Boston Resiliency Fund: Essential Services for Allston Brighton Residents - $25,000 donation
• Meal & Grocery Purchase & Distribution: Boston College Dining Services purchased & prepared complete frozen meals & high demand grocery items for food distribution through the Brazilian Worker Center & St. Anthony's Church food pantries, the Boston Public Health Commission Shelter System & the YMCA & West End House - $50,000
• Diaper Purchase & Distribution: 161,000 diapers purchased by Boston College for distribution through the Allston Brighton Diaper Pantry, Brazilian Worker Center, Charles River Community Health, Family Nurturing Center, Martha Eliot Health Center and the West End House - $25,000
• Grocery Gift Card Purchase & Distribution: Boston College purchased gift cards through Stop & Shop's Cash for Causes Program to supplement the efforts of the food pantry programs at Brazilian Worker Center and St. Anthony's Church - $25,000

2020 NIF Grant Report

2019 Recipients

$1,104,095 will be awarded to the following organizations:

• Allston Village Main Streets: Allston Village Lights Project - $60,000
• Allston Brighton CDC & DPW: Bench Project - $20,000
• Artists for Humanity: Artistic Bike Racks - $42,846
• Boston Parks & Recreation: McKinney Playground Improvements - $750,000
• Boston Transportation Department: Two BlueBike Stations - $106,250
• Brighton Gateway & Brighton Marine Health Center (Fiscal Agent): Gateway Improvement Project - $100,000
• Gardner Pilot Academy & Boston Educational Development Fund (Fiscal Agent): Community Garden & School Grounds Improvement Project - $24,999

2019 NIF Grant Report

2016 Recipients

$325,798 was awarded to the following organizations:

• Artists for Humanity: Brighton High School Sculptural Art Work - $30,798
• Allston Village Main Streets: Tree Pit Initiative  - $36,000
• Jackson Mann Community School & Council: Playground Initiative  - $100,000
• Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation: Chestnut Hill Reservation & Reservoir Improvements - $59,000
• VFW Post 669 & Boston Parks & Recreation (Fiscal Agent): Major General George W. Casey Bronze Relief - Casey Memorial Amphitheater - $100,000

2016 NIF Grant Report

2015 Recipients

$446,138 was awarded to the following organizations:

• Allston-Brighton Veterans & Brighton Marine Health Center (Fiscal Agent): Medal of Honor Statue for Private First Class Ernest W. Prussman killed during WWII - $90,000
• Boston Transportation Department-Boston Bikes: Two Hubway Bike-Share Stations - $95,600
• Boston Police Department, District 14: Two Speed Alert Display Board Units - $40,000
• Brighton Main Streets, Inc.: Gateway signage and an interactive kiosk that will provide information about local businesses, access to public transit, and a community calendar - $100,000
• Friends of Chestnut Hill Reservation & DCR (Fiscal Agent): Two solar-operated trash and recyclable compacting stations and an outdoor drinking fountain (also pet friendly) - $25,000
• Friends of McKinney Park & Boston Parks & Recreation (Fiscal Agent): Automated, solar-powered scoreboard, three concrete chess tables, and transformation of the street hockey court so it can also be used for soccer and basketball - $95,538

2015 NIF Grant Report