Harvard Allston Partnership Fund

The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund (HAPF) was created to leverage the strengths and resources of local nonprofit community partners. In April 2018, Harvard, the City of Boston, and the Allston-Brighton community celebrated 10 years of the program—and the distribution of over $1 million in grants.

What is the Harvard Allston Partnership Fund?

The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund was created by Harvard University and the City of Boston, in collaboration with the Allston-Brighton community, to support neighborhood improvement projects, cultural enrichment, and educational programming in North Allston-Brighton. The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund Advisory Board, a group of community leaders and representatives from the City of Boston, and Harvard, reviews all applications and recommends awards. In the past decade, the program has allowed Harvard to partner with 32 different community organizations. Through a wide range of programs and services—from neighborhood improvement projects to educational programming—grant recipients have supported more than 5,000 Allston-Brighton residents.

Mayor Walsh

Martin J. Walsh
Mayor of Boston

We have the best universities in the world and the best neighborhoods in the world. That’s an unbeatable combination and what this partnership and these grants are about.

Partnership Fund Recipients

Mariesther Alvarez
Co-Director, Boston String Academy

Many of our students are immigrants, or low income. The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund funding helps us to provide scholarships– opportunities they might not otherwise have access to.

Ed Lavache

Ed Lavache
Owner, Boston Boxing and Fitness

Charitable programs have always been a core part of my small business in Allston-Brighton. The HAPF grant allows me to provide a free fitness program to local kids and keep gym memberships affordable.

2023 Grant Recipients

HAPF 2018

 

The 2023 recipients are:

ABCD Neighborhood Opportunity Center          

Allston Brighton CDC

Allston Brighton Food Pantry     

Allston-Brighton Youth Hockey              

Allston Village Main Streets       

Arts Emerson   

Boston String Academy (at Gardener Pilot Academy)                 

Brazilian’s Women’s Group

Charles River Community Health   

Community Rowing      

Family Nurturing Center              

The Fishing Academy                  

Friends of the Honan Allston Library    

Friends of Herter Park                

Kithara Project (with Charlesview and GPA)       

Lovin’ Spoonfuls                           

Mass NOW       

Open Door Soup Kitchen           

Presentation Foundation

Road to the Right Track                             

West End House                             

West End House Boys Summer Camp

West End House Girls Camp

Winship Parent Council                            

YMCA of Greater Boston           

Youth Enrichment Services      

View Previous Grant Recipients

  • Allston-Brighton Baby Diaper Pantry
  • Allston-Brighton CDC
  • Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force
  • Allston-Brighton Youth Hockey Association
  • Allston Brighton Arts Bridge
  • Baldwin Early Learning Pilot Academy
  • Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
  • Big Brother Big Sister of Massachusetts Bay
  • Boston Boxing and Fitness
  • Boston Children's Chorus
  • Boston Police Athletic League
  • Boston String Academy
  • Brazilian Worker Center, Inc.
  • Brighton-Allston Historical Society and Heritage Museum
  • Charles River Conservancy
  • Charles River Watershed Association
  • Commonwheels Bicycle Co-Op
  • Community Call
  • Earthwatch Institute
  • Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts
  • The Fishing Academy
  • Friends of the Honan-Allston Library
  • Friends of the Lincoln Street Green Strip
  • FriendshipWorks
  • Gardner Pilot Academy
  • Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center
  • The Kithara Project
  • The Literacy Connection
  • Massachusetts Poetry Outreach Project
  • Midas Collaborative
  • Oak Square YMCA
  • Open Door Soup Kitchen
  • Project Citizenship
  • Vocational Advancement Center
  • West End House
  • West End House Camp
  • West End House Girls' Camp
  • West End House Summer Camp
  • Winship Parent Council
  • YMCA of Greater Boston

..

Harvard Allston Partnership Fund Advisory Board

The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund provides $100,000 annually to support programs and neighborhood improvements proposed by not-for-profit agencies and community-based organizations that serve the North Allston area. The Advisory Board supports the program’s outreach to the community, reviews all funding proposals submitted by community organizations, and provides a formal recommendation for the distribution of each year’s annual allocation.

Harvard Allston Partnership Fund Advisory Board Members

Jennifer Barrios
John Bruno
Daniel Daly
Julia Eskew
Mark Handley
Margaret Kelley
Wayne MacKenzie
Lisa McDonough
Frank Mendoza
Karen Smith
Maile Takahashi

Read More about the Harvard Allston Partnership Fund

Allston-Brighton street sign

Harvard Allston Partnership Fund Recipient Organizations Announced

August 14, 2020

Harvard University recently announced the recipients of the 12th annual Harvard Allston Partnership Fund (HAPF) grants. Eighteen local nonprofits were selected to receive grants totaling $100,000 to support programs in the Allston-Brighton community.

Harvard Allston Partnership Fund 2019

Investing in Allston

June 17, 2019

Rep. Kevin Honan (from left), City Councilor Althea Garrison, Executive Director of the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation John Woods, University President Larry Bacow, and Director of the Boston Planning and Development Agency Brian Golden celebrate the HAPF awards.

Ana Isabel Cardona and Drew Faust

Harvard Allston Partnership Fund marks decade

May 8, 2018

Harvard President Drew Faust lets Ana Isabel Cardona capture a selfie during the Harvard Allston Partnership Fund celebration. Cardona is a member of the Boston String Academy, which is supported in part by the fund.

13 Allston-Brighton nonprofits to receive grants

13 Allston-Brighton nonprofits to receive grants

March 13, 2017

“The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund is a great example of a public-private partnership that is making a real difference in people’s lives,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who joined Harvard President Drew Faust (far right) and Paul Andrew, vice president of Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, to honor the grant recipients.

Martin J. Walsh (podium) during the announcement of the grants

Faust, Walsh honor local nonprofits

March 11, 2016

“The Harvard Allston Partnership Fund is a key component of the well-being of our local Allston-Brighton community,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh (podium) during the announcement of the grants. Vice President for Harvard Public Affairs and Communications Paul Andrew and President Drew Faust were on hand to honor the grant recipients.