Overview
In 2021, the Town of Brookline and the Brookline Community Foundation launched a Racial Equity Fund to support community organizations and efforts to advance racial equity and racial justice for the Brookline community. The Town of Brookline generously provided a $500,000 investment to seed the fund. The Racial Equity Grant Program provided funding to address racial equity gaps that affect the quality of life for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in Brookline and is the only grant program in Brookline that aims to address the impact of racism on the health, well-being, and overall quality of life for communities of color.
The Town has chosen to further support this work using funding from ARPA to sustain and expand the Racial Equity Grant program, which will now be named the Brookline Grants for Racial Equity And Transformation, or B.GREAT program. This program will aim to ensure that the Brookline community maintains its commitment to supporting people of color, particularly those most negatively impacted by COVID and others who have been historically and/or are currently marginalized and disadvantaged. The overall goal of the B.GREAT program is a more equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This program will include grantmaking and other activities designed in partnership with the former Racial Equity Grant Program Committee and the newly selected B.GREAT Program Committee to prioritize people and communities of color most impacted by the pandemic.
B.GREAT will include built-in leadership from those most affected by inequities, collaboration with various groups, and capacity-building for individuals, groups, and organizations that can contribute to building a better Brookline for everyone. Throughout the fall of 2024, the newly formed B.GREAT Committee will focus on curating a comprehensive list of values and priorities for the B.GREAT Grant Program. This process is essential to ensure that those closest to the issues, especially those who have been historically marginalized or most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of our community. We are committed to creating a grant program that reflects the needs and aspirations of the Brookline community, with a particular emphasis on supporting people of color and advancing racial equity. By centering the experiences and insights of those directly affected, we aim to create a more equitable and impactful grant program that drives meaningful change. Stay tuned for updates on our progress as we continue to build a more just and inclusive Brookline through the B.GREAT program. Your support and engagement are invaluable as we work together to transform our community for the better.
BCF Values
At the Brookline Community Foundation, our commitment to creating lasting impact is unwavering and is deeply rooted in core values that guide our actions, decisions, and collaborations. We Lead by Listening, understanding that the nuances of our community’s strengths, challenges, and needs are best grasped by lending an attentive ear. Our mission is firmly Anchored in Equity, ensuring that our vision and processes consistently hold us accountable to the diverse community we serve. We recognize the importance of Sustainable Support; by investing in Brookline, we are not just addressing the immediate needs but are also building a resilient foundation for generations to come. At the heart of our ethos is the principle of Community First. Your insights, experiences, and feedback shape our endeavors, fostering a collaborative environment where our shared objectives are realized in unison. We invite you to keep these values in mind as you prepare your applications and partner with BCF. We hope these values serve as a guidepost for our collective journey towards a brighter, more inclusive future for Brookline.
B.GREAT Committee
The current roster of B.GREAT Committee members consists of Abby Erdmann, Dr.Chris Chanyasulkit, Ericka Pierribia, Giles Li, Rob Daves, Wallis Raemer, Yolande Sealy and Zoraida Fernandez.
