Our Priorities

Civic Education

The Civic Education Committee considers grants to organizations that reinforce the values and responsibilities, as well as the privileges and opportunities, of American citizenship for natural-born and immigrant populations.

The Committee focuses on programs to encourage, engage, and inform citizens including programs that educate others (e.g. training teachers or student leaders).

Community Education

The Community Education Committee considers innovative grants to organizations that support inclusive educational opportunities for learners of any age in underserved communities in the Greater Boston area.

Human Development and Self-Sufficiency

The mission of the Human Development and Self-Sufficiency Committee is to enable those who are disadvantaged in various ways to help themselves and others.  It supports organizations dedicated to building equitable, safe and successful communities in the Greater Boston-area by providing pathways for disadvantaged individuals to become self-sufficient, valued, and productive members of their communities.

The Committee funds grants in areas including, but not limited to, services for domestic violence and human-trafficking survivors, homelessness prevention, job training and programs that enable youth to overcome obstacles to positive growth.

Music Education and Performing Arts

The Music and Performing Arts Committee determines funding levels for continuing programs at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, including the Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts and the Opera Company, and the Filene Music Program at Skidmore College.

Other requests are considered on a limited basis, including initiatives that support Therese Filene’s lifelong effort to offer musical instruction and experiences to those who could otherwise not afford them.

Please click on program headings above to learn more about each issue area.