Winthrop Foundation: Challenges and Opportunities in Uncertain Times

The Winthrop Foundation was founded in May 2019 with a generous $2.5 million appropriation from the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), with strong support from Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo and Senator Joseph Boncore.

To date, the Foundation has received an initial $500,000 disbursement from the overall appropriation, and is grateful to Massport for this first round of support. Additional disbursements depend on Massport’s construction milestones as laid out in the Community Mitigation Agreement (CMA).

Led by Chairman Russ Sanford, the Foundation used a portion of the initial $500,000 when the Covid-19 epidemic first hit to initiate an Emergency Grant Application for urgent town needs. “The Trustees opened a round of rapid-response funding and had emergency funds out the door by April 2020,” said Sanford, “to local programs and organizations that provided emergency food, mental health supports, help for the graduating Class of 2020, local economic stimulus, and more. The Foundation is now preparing to launch a Regular Grant Application very soon, and those funds will be directed toward programs that serve families, children and youth, seniors, and for cultural events, recreation, community development, and other areas of our town.”

The Chairman and Trustees remain in strong partnership with Massport and continue to be in communication as the economy begins to reopen. The Trustees also remain steadfast in carrying out the mission of the Foundation to the benefit the Town of Winthrop.