Supporting civil rights protections and a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.

Special Initiative aims to respond to threats to communities and democratic institutions.

Please note: This is a time-limited initiative. Barr is not conducting new grantmaking in 2019 or beyond.

Announced with a blog post from Barr’s president and trustee, Jim Canales, this Special Initiative builds on a 2017 effort to be responsive to dramatic shifts in federal policymaking, increased polarization, and explicit discrimination and marginalization. Barr’s $3-million commitment in 2018 focuses on two priorities informed by our partners and what we learned during our first year:

  • Support civil rights protections for communities in New England threatened by the current political and social environment.

  • Ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.

Civil Rights and Census 2020 Strategies

Learn more about our support for civil rights protections and a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England.

Learn more about Civil Rights and Census 2020 Strategies

Center to Support Immigrant Organizing

New England Civil Rights Fund RFP

Learn more about a now-closed request for proposals (RFP) issued for New England organizations supporting civil rights.

Learn more about New England Civil Rights Fund RFP

Grantmaking

As of August 23, 2018, Barr has awarded 27 grants totaling $3.76 million through this special initiative.

Information on these grants is available below. To see all recent Special Initiatives grantmaking activity, visit our grants database.

Priority One: Support civil rights protections for communities in New England threatened by the current political and social environment

African Community Education

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $80,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Boston Alliance of Gay & Lesbian Youth, Inc.

To support the statewide Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (AGLY) Network.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Catholic Charities of New Hampshire

To support the Immigration Legal Services program.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.

To support its Immigration Law Education & Advocacy Project (ILEAP).

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $80,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, Inc.

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $60,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

To support the Immigration Strategic Funders Collaborative of Connecticut.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Community Legal Aid, Inc.

To support its Central West Justice Center program.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

East Boston Ecumenical Community Council

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Maine Immigration Advocacy Project

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Justice at Work, Inc.

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $80,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

KIND, Inc.

To support New England activities.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Maine Initiatives, Inc.

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc.

To support its Berkshire Immigrant Center program.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $80,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Inc.

To support its Civil Rights Program.

  • Award Date: 8/22/2018
  • Amount: $80,000
  • Term: 24 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Centro Presente, Inc.

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 24 months

Lenny Fund, Inc.

To provide financial support and technical assistance to grassroots organizations addressing social and economic injustice.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $300,000
  • Term: 36 months

Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation

To support the Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 24 months

Muslim Justice League, Inc.

To provide core support.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $100,000
  • Term: 36 months

Proteus Fund, Inc.

To support the Security and Rights Collaborative.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $50,000
  • Term: 24 months

Third Sector New England, Inc.

To support the Center for Immigrant Organizing.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $150,000
  • Term: 36 months

Priority Two: Ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census count in New England

Associated Grant Makers, Inc.

To support the Massachusetts Census Equity Fund.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $400,000
  • Term: 24 months

Leadership Conference Education Fund, Inc.

For education, policy, and communications activities to promote a fair and accurate 2020 Census.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 24 months

Massachusetts Voter Education Network, Inc.

To support Census education and outreach.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 24 months

New Venture Fund

To support the Census 2020 Project.

  • Award Date: 5/30/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 24 months

Family Separation Crisis

National Domestic Workers Alliance

To support the End Family Separation Campaign.

  • Award Date: 7/9/2018
  • Amount: $250,000
  • Term: 12 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

NEO Philanthropy

To support the Four Freedom Fund's Rapid Response Fund.

  • Award Date: 7/9/2018
  • Amount: $200,000
  • Term: 12 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association, Inc.

To support services to reunite immigrant children with their parents.

  • Award Date: 7/9/2018
  • Amount: $50,000
  • Term: 12 months
  • Program: Special Initiatives

2017 Grantmaking

In the first year of this Special Initiative, Barr awarded more than $3 million to support investigative journalism and frontline organizations promoting and protecting civil rights in New England communities under threat.

Learn more about 2017 Grantmaking

Recent Civil Rights and Democracy News on Our Blog