By Sun staff
Eight community-led projects were selected last month to receive the inaugural round of grants via the Friends of the Public Graden’s Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks to improve and restore greenspaces across Boston.
Grantees include the Fenway Civic Association for the repair of the Johnson Memorial Gates Lion’s Head; Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) of the South End for its Betances Mural Preservation Project; Mary Ellen Welch Greenway of East Boston for its Flower Garden and Little Library; MissionSAFE for improvements to the Community Teaching Garden at Town Field in Dorchester; Neponset River Watershed Association for ther Doyle Park Interactive Play Structure in Hyde Park; Shirley-Eustis House of Roxbury for landscaping improvements; and We Tree Boston for the restoration of Thoreau Path in the West End.
“Henry Lee believed deeply in the power of parks to bring people together, and this Fund reflects that legacy,” Liza Meyer, president of the Friends, said in a press release. “It’s about investing in ideas that come from the ground up – neighbors who know what their park needs and are ready to make it happen. Supporting these grassroots efforts not only strengthens individual spaces, it reinforces the entire ecosystem of Boston’s parks. As someone who has worked alongside communities across this city for many years, I’m proud to help carry this vision forward.”
Established in June 2024, the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks fulfills community-driven ideas for investments in Boston’s parks and greenspaces by supplementing city resources with private dollars. With a mission of empowering local groups and seeding sustained community engagement around greenspaces, the Fund helps neighborhood groups and nonprofits deliver meaningful improvements to Boston’s urban parks and greenspaces.
Catherine Cathy Griffin, founder of We Tree Boston, Inc., said her organization’s work wouldn’t be possible without the support of these grants.
“Our work would not be possible without the support of grants,” said Griffin in a press release. “This crucial funding allowed us to prune more than 20 trees over 50 feet tall, plant 10 new seedlings, and treat over 30 new seedlings with an enriching mulch. These trees are not only enjoyed by thousands of people who live in this neighborhood, but also by thousands of healthcare workers who pass these trees daily. People often stop to thank us every time we are on the path watering, mulching, and caring for the trees. People’s faces light up when they see the new trees turn green, and when we place tiny solar lights on them in the winter. That joy is contagious, and we are grateful for the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks grant for making that happen.”
Meanwhile, applications for the next round of Henry Lee Fund grants are now open.
“Based on the interest and excitement around the program to date, we are looking forward to a strong applicant pool in this next round,” said Meyer. “The entire Friends of the Public Garden community is proud of the positive impact the Lee Fund can have in filling funding gaps in support of stewardship of community open spaces.”
To support the Fund, the Friends launched a $2 million endowment campaign to ensure annual grantmaking well into the future. To date, more than 100 generous donors, including individuals, foundations, and local organizations, have contributed to nearly two-thirds of the goal, with the Friends providing a founding gift of $250,000. The campaign aims to reach its $2 million goal by this November to expand support for the local park projects in year two.
To make a gift to the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks or to discuss support opportunities, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund, or contact Nika Trufanova, Interim Director of Development, at [email protected] or 617-723-8144 ext. 204.