The Hyams Foundation is directing substantial, concentrated grants to Boston-area grassroots advocacy and community organizing groups focused on housing justice, worker rights, environmental health, and racial/economic equity. They favor multi-issue, coalition-building organizations and invest in capacity and general support rather than single-project funding. Their giving clearly prioritizes local Massachusetts organizing that advances tenant power, worker centers, and environmental justice in low‑income and communities of color.
The Hyams Foundation Inc has put some of its largest recent grants behind Boston-area movement infrastructure, pairing six-figure awards with long-term support for organizing groups working on housing justice, worker rights, racial equity, and environmental health. A 2024 grant of $479,565 to Resist Inc in Jamaica Plain supported Matahari Women Workers' Center, BEJA, SIM, Reclaim Roxbury, MassCOSH, and a Learning Circle & New Fundraisers Cohort. Another major award, $444,508 in 2024 to Urban Revival Inc, backed City Life•Vida Urbana work tied to Homes for All Massachusetts, anniversary activity, employee match, ReFrame Academy participation, and general support. The foundation also gave $420,000 in 2025 to Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc for general support, alongside earlier support for climate justice training and participatory design. Its recent grants show a clear preference for coalition-based organizations that connect advocacy, leadership development, and movement-building rather than isolated short-term projects. Massachusetts organizations dominate the portfolio, especially groups rooted in Boston neighborhoods, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester, and nearby cities.
Housing justice appears repeatedly in Hyams’ grant list. The foundation gave $350,000 in 2023 to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Inc for Housing Justice, Equity and Preservation, plus Springfield Community Lawyering projects. It also backed Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative with $140,000 in 2023 for the Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network, leadership transition, and general support. In worker justice, Resist Inc received $159,000 in 2025 for MassCOSH - Immigrant and Youth Worker Justice, extending earlier support tied to Matahari Women Workers' Center. The foundation also funds economic justice infrastructure: Center for Economic Democracy received $233,517 in 2024 for Boston Ujima support, the Center for Cooperative Development and Solidarity, employee match, and general support. Climate and environmental justice show up through Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc, including a 2024 grant for NEU4J's Climate Justice Organizing Training School, participatory design, and general support.
Typical grant size sits at $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $41,750 at the median, and $71,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent record includes both smaller support grants and six-figure awards, with many gifts combining general support with project or capacity-building funding. The same organizations recur across multiple years: Resist Inc, Urban Revival Inc, Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc, Third Sector New England Inc, and The City School Inc each appear in more than one recent grant. The foundation is a regular funder and makes grants in Massachusetts through core support, movement infrastructure project grants, and PRI activity, while also accepting unsolicited requests in those program areas.
$4.9M
$144.3M
$8.7M
$8.6M
Most grants fall between $3K and $72K, with a median of $42K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$42K
75th Percentile
$72K
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Concentrated, large grants to a small number of repeat core grantees; emphasis on multi-year or general operating support for coalitions and community organizers rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Resist / Resist Inc, City Life•Vida Urbana (Urban Revival Inc), Alternatives for Community and Environment, Matahari Women Workers' Center (as a recurring project partner)
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Massachusetts, which accounts for 79% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Jamaica Plain, Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Worcester, with additional awards reaching Springfield and Revere through named projects. Jamaica Plain and Boston appear frequently among recipients, while Roxbury and Dorchester anchor several organizing and justice groups. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the data provided.
It funds movement-base building groups, coalitions, and movement support organizations working on racial, economic, and social justice. Recent grants point to housing justice, worker organizing, environmental justice, youth justice, cooperative development, and civic engagement work in Massachusetts communities.
The typical grant size is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $41,750 at the median, and $71,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards range from small support grants to six-figure grants for general support, project work, and movement infrastructure.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Resist Inc, Urban Revival Inc, Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc, Third Sector New England Inc, and The City School Inc. Some of these grants combine general support with project-specific funding.
Yes. The foundation’s listed programs for Core Support Grants, Building Movement Infrastructure Project Grants, and PRIs all accept unsolicited requests, and the programs are focused on Massachusetts-based organizing, infrastructure, and related impact activities.
Massachusetts receives 79% of the grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Boston, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester, Worcester, Springfield, and Revere.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc | Roxbury, MA | $420,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Third Sector New England Inc | Boston, MA | $325,000 | 2025 | HUBS Movement Infrastructure Project |
| Urban Revival Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $205,000 | 2025 | Homes for All Massachusetts Project |
| Resist Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $202,500 | 2025 | General support |
| Urban Revival Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $190,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Resist Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $159,000 | 2025 | MassCOSH - Immigrant and Youth Worker Justice |
| Neighbor To Neighbor Massachusetts Education Fund Inc | Worcester, MA | $151,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Center for Labor Education and Research Inc | Boston, MA | $142,000 | 2025 | Digital Empowerment for Social Justice Project |
| The City School Inc | Dorchester, MA | $110,000 | 2025 | Young Adult Fellowship Project |
| Boston Impact Initiative Fund | Roxbury, MA | $105,500 | 2025 | General support |
| La Colaborativa Inc | Chelsea, MA | $102,500 | 2025 | General support |
| Center for Economic Democracy | Boston, MA | $102,249 | 2025 | Boston Ujima Project |
| Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Inc | Roxbury, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network Project |
| Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Inc | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | Springfield Community Lawyering Project |
| Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Inc | Roxbury, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center Inc | Boston, MA | $97,500 | 2025 | General support |
| Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust Inc | Roxbury, MA | $95,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Chinatown Community Land Trust Inc | Boston, MA | $95,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Chinese Progressive Association | Boston, MA | $91,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Center for Labor Education and Research Inc | Boston, MA | $81,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The City School Inc | Dorchester, MA | $81,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Community Labor United Inc | Boston, MA | $80,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Voter Education Network Inc | Boston, MA | $80,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition Inc | Boston, MA | $80,000 | 2025 | General support |
| GreenRoots Inc | Chelsea, MA | $76,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Senior Action Council Inc | Quincy, MA | $76,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Communities Action Network Inc | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Communities Action Network Inc | Boston, MA | $70,000 | 2025 | I Have a Future Project |
| Third Sector New England Inc | Boston, MA | $65,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Right to the City Alliance Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $64,000 | 2025 | Right to the City Boston Project |
| Lawyers for Civil Rights Inc | Boston, MA | $64,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Brazilian Worker Center Inc | Allston, MA | $64,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Asian American Resource Workshop Inc | Dorchester, MA | $64,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Center for Economic Democracy | Boston, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Inc | Boston, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Resist Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | Matahari Women Workers Center Project |
| Justice At Work | Boston, MA | $56,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Citizens for Juvenile Justice Inc | Boston, MA | $55,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Third Sector New England Inc | Boston, MA | $55,000 | 2025 | Revere Youth in Action Project |
| Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust | Chelsea, MA | $54,953 | 2025 | General support |
| Tides Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $52,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Alternatives for Community and Environment Inc | Roxbury, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Support for the BMIP Design Team |
| Brockton Interfaith Community Inc | Brockton, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Resist Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Boston Education Justice Alliance |
| Urban Revival Inc | Jamaica Plain, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Support for the BMIP Design Team |
| Families for Justice as Healing Inc | Roxbury, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth Inc | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Project |
| ACLU Foundation of Massachusetts Inc | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Racial Justice Program |
| Solidaire Network Inc | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Membership dues |
| Muslim Justice League Inc | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | General support |
Digital Empowerment for Social Justice Project
The City School Inc
$110,000Young Adult Fellowship Project
Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network Project
Chinese Progressive Association
$91,000General support
Massachusetts Voter Education Network Inc
$80,000General support
Massachusetts Communities Action Network Inc
$70,000I Have a Future Project
Brazilian Worker Center Inc
$64,000General support
Resist Inc
$60,000Matahari Women Workers Center Project
Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust
$54,953General support
Tides Foundation
$52,000General support
Support for the BMIP Design Team
Resist Inc
$50,000Boston Education Justice Alliance
Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth Inc
$50,000Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Project