The Boston-based Barr Foundation has announced second quarter grants totaling $20.7 million in support of organizations working in the areas of climate change, education, and the arts.

Through its Arts & Creativity program, the foundation awarded six grants totaling $5.8 million, including a grant of $2.4 million to the New England Foundation for the Arts in support of an artist-driven movement to elevate the artistic and cultural expression of Black, Indigenous, and people of color artists and communities in public spaces. Through its Climate program, the foundation awarded twenty-nine grants totaling $4.8 million including a grant of $690,000 to Toxics Action Center (d/b/a Community Action Works) in support of work to build power of community groups and develop equitable clean energy policies in New England, and a grant of $355,000 to the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health to develop and expand strategies to protect workers and students from increased health and safety risks due to climate change. Through its Education program, the foundation awarded twenty-one grants totaling $6.3 million, including a total of $2.3 million in grants to Massachusetts school districts to implement plans that would strengthen current school leadership and create a pipeline for future leaders.

In addition, through its Sector Effectiveness program, the foundation awarded four grants totaling $600,000, including two grants in support of collaborations geared toward changing foundation learning practices to advance racial equity, and through its Special Initiatives program, the foundation awarded fourteen grants totaling $3 million.

(Photo credit: Holyoke Public Schools)