The Friends of the Public Garden have opened applications for small grants supporting community-led improvements to neighborhood parks and public greenspaces across Boston through the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks. Neighborhood groups, resident associations, nonprofits, and other community organizations may apply, and official 501(c)(3) status is not required.
Established in 2024, the Henry Lee Fund helps Boston residents and community organizations turn locally identified ideas into lasting improvements for neighborhood parks and public greenspaces. By supplementing City of Boston Parks Department resources with private funding, the Fund supports projects that improve accessibility, environmental resilience, and long-term community stewardship while empowering neighborhood groups to shape the parks and greenspaces they know best.
Since its launch in 2024, the Henry Lee Fund has awarded more than $84,000 across 18 community-led projects throughout Boston, supporting practical improvements that help neighborhood parks become healthier, more welcoming, and more resilient. Past projects have included tree pruning, ornamental plantings, multilingual educational signage, public art conservation, to improved benches. Eligible projects for the 2027 grant cycle may include tree planting and care; native and pollinator plantings; soil and turf improvements; seating, wayfinding, and other practical infrastructure; accessibility enhancements; and the conservation or restoration of public art and monuments in publicly accessible parks and open spaces.
One recent grant recipient, the Saint Marks Area Civic Association, received funding to enhance the pollinator habitat while creating a more welcoming and educational space for the families who use the playground each day.
“The impact (of the grant) will be significant—this is one of the only public green spaces that abuts our neighborhood, and it is a busy place with visitors from dawn through dusk…The improvements will make the garden more inviting to visitors, will improve the educational aspect of the garden, and will also better support local pollinators by providing more food and habitat than is currently available.” Said Jamie Bemis.
“The people who use neighborhood parks every day have the clearest understanding of what those spaces need,” said Liza Meyer, President of the Friends of the Public Garden. “The Henry Lee Fund helps community groups turn that knowledge into practical improvements—from healthier trees and pollinator plantings to more accessible seating and pathways. We want organizations across Boston to know that they do not need extensive grant-writing experience or formal nonprofit status to bring forward a strong community-led idea.”
The Fund was established in honor of Henry Lee, a founder of the Friends and its volunteer president for 41 years, and President Emeritus until his passing in August 2024. A lifelong champion of Boston’s urban parks and greenspaces, Lee believed that the people who know and use neighborhood parks should have a meaningful voice in their care. The Fund carries that legacy forward by investing in city park infrastructure and supporting community-driven stewardship throughout Boston, helping neighborhood organizations turn local ideas into lasting improvements for the public spaces they care for every day.
Applications are open through Wednesday, November 4, 2026, by 5 PM. Complete eligibility information, application guidelines, frequently asked questions, and the online application are available at www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund.
To support the Fund, the Friends launched a $2 million Henry Lee Fund endowment campaign to ensure annual grantmaking well into the future. To date, 120 generous 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 Henry Lee Fund welcomes donations in order to expand support for local park projects in its third year of grantmaking.
To make a gift to the Fund or to discuss support opportunities, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund or contact Nika Trufanova, Director of Development, at [email protected] or 617-723-8144 x204.
The Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks supports community-led projects that preserve, enhance, and strengthen Boston’s neighborhood parks and public greenspaces. Through grant funding, practical guidance, and connections among local stewards, the Fund helps residents and community organizations turn locally identified priorities into meaningful and lasting park enhancements.
The Friends of the Public Garden is a 501(c)(3) independent nonprofit organization that works in a formal public-private partnership with the City of Boston and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Founded in 1970, it is among the nation’s first parks advocacy groups. The Friends renews, cares for, and advocates on behalf of the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall: three historic and contemporary greenspaces at the heart of downtown Boston's civic identity
As a trusted partner of the City of Boston, the Friends plays a vital stewardship role across all three parks: funding tree and turf care, public art, and fountain maintenance, and advancing long-term planning efforts including implementation of the Master Plan for the Boston Common. The Friends also presents free public programs year-round that bring residents and visitors together in these shared spaces, from beloved traditions like the Duckling Day Parade to ongoing activations throughout the three parks.