Investing in Our Communities
We believe that change to centuries-old social and economic hierarchies and systems of oppression can lead to greater equity in our communities when we invest, first by listening to the lived experiences of our neighbors and then by partnering on solutions. It’s this commitment to honoring and trusting our communities that guides the Eastern Bank Foundation – not only in what and why we fund, but also how.
Our work is not charity for those less fortunate, it is an investment in changing systems for and with our neighbors. Acknowledging this vital difference, “charitable” has been removed from our name and we are pleased to reintroduce the Eastern Bank Foundation.
We recognize we are only as strong as the communities we serve and Eastern Bank Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Eastern Bank, is central to our purpose to help people prosper. The needs challenging our communities require us to be both practical in our giving and tireless in our quest for impact. Combining our philanthropy, volunteerism, advocacy, and often in collaboration with other businesses and community partners, we invest in our communities with the singular aim of helping all our neighbors prosper across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Now, as one of our region’s largest foundations, we have the resources to help in new ways, while continuing the support we have always shared with our communities at the grassroots level in thousands of grants each year. And with greater resources, we are building on the key learnings from this grassroots support to address the most challenging and pressing issues of our time, particularly around economic inclusion and mobility.
Community Donations
Economic Inclusion and Mobility Grants
Advocacy
Volunteerism and Community Resources
Our philanthropy fuels our corporate volunteerism and advocacy and is, in turn, influenced by it.
Collaborations with community partners deepen our impact.
Our Commitment
Our commitment builds beyond philanthropy. We use our voice to advocate for systemic change that advances equity in the communities we serve. We rally community partners and corporations to broaden support for change, and we volunteer—donating our time, passion and expertise to causes and organizations that are most important to us.
We do this because it is both the right and the smart thing to do, firm in the belief that the combination of our philanthropy, volunteerism, advocacy and collaborations with community partners is the best way we can support our region.
Our Approach
GRASSROOTS
- We support the ongoing programming and events of hundreds of nonprofit organizations, providing more than $5 million each year.
- We listen to the lived experiences of community members, enriching our understanding of the issues being faced and partnering with local organizations beyond financial support.
SYSTEMS CHANGE
- We collaborate with partners in the nonprofit community, other companies and the public sector to achieve a future where social and economic structures no longer predict economic outcomes.
- We recognize the systems that influence our communities and invest for deeper impact around economic inclusion and mobility.
- We trust the lived experiences of our community partners to inform not only what and why we fund, but also how.
Learn about other ways we provide community support and meet the team behind the Eastern Bank Foundation
Our COVID-19 Support
Celebrations For Good
Meet Our Team
In the News