Safety Net Grants
The Boston Foundation’s Safety Net Grants fund community organizations using research-based methods to address urgent basic needs like food, health, and housing for marginalized Greater Boston residents.
Funder: The Boston Foundation
Due Dates: October 30, 2026
Funding Amounts: Typical grants range from $25,000–$50,000 per year; one- or two-year general operating support awards; total pool varies by round ($1–2.6M awarded in recent cycles).
Summary: Supports nonprofits addressing urgent basic needs (food, health, housing, cash assistance) for marginalized communities in Greater Boston.
Key Information: Applicants must not have received a Safety Net Grant in 2026; priority given to community-rooted organizations serving high-need populations.
Description
The Safety Net Grants program, offered by The Boston Foundation, provides flexible general operating support to nonprofit organizations responding to the urgent basic needs of marginalized and vulnerable residents throughout Greater Boston. The program focuses on food security, health and behavioral health access, housing stabilization, and direct cash assistance, with an emphasis on community-rooted organizations serving populations most affected by public benefit losses, high living costs, housing instability, discrimination, and other forms of material hardship. Funding decisions are made through a fully community-led review process, centering the voices of those with direct knowledge of the region’s challenges.
