State Street Foundation (SSF) engaged The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) to conduct an environmental scan of nonprofit organizations that are explicitly working to advance racial equity and social justice (RESJ) in Boston and Quincy, Massachusetts. As one of two projects designed to inform thinking about current and future grantmaking strategies, the scan was designed to deepen SSF’s understanding of the nonprofit landscape. The study involved a two-pronged approach:
- Qualitative interviews with 12 funders and thought leaders to gain their insights and experience with efforts of nonprofit organizations to advance RESJ; and
- A brief online survey that was distributed to 1,285 nonprofit organizations in the Boston area.
Survey responses were submitted in January 2021, and the study was completed in the spring of 2021. State Street Foundation has generously agreed to allow TPI to share key findings with Boston area funders and other interested parties. This report has been developed for that purpose.