African Community Education
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Worcester
Website: https://www.africancommunityeducation.org/
African Community Education helps African refugee and immigrant youth and families achieve educational and social stability by giving them access to academic support, leadership development and cultural expression. We enroll more than 340 children and parents in our programs each year.
Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, BECMA
NCF Pillar: Economic Empowerment
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.becma.org/
BECMA advocates for Black economic development, carrying out its mission by advocating for public policy in the legislative spaces of the Massachusetts State House and city/town halls, organizing events that convene stakeholders for important conversations, and connecting members to contract opportunities and technical assistance. BECMA also leads special initiatives and cross-sector convenings.
Becoming a Man (BAM)
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.youth-guidance.org/bam-boston/
Becoming A Man is a program of Youth Guidance, a youth-serving organization that creates and implements school-based programs that help children overcome obstacles, focus on their education and, ultimately, to succeed in school and in life. Since 2017, BAM has partnered with Boston and Cambridge public schools as well as city and community leaders and partners to deliver the program in 10 schools across Greater Boston.
Boston Ujima Project
NCF Pillar: Economic Empowerment
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.ujimaboston.com/
Boston Ujima Project organizes neighbors, workers, business owners and investors to create a new community-controlled economy in Greater Boston, raising capital from investors and institutions from across the country to finance small businesses, real estate and infrastructure projects in Boston’s working-class Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.
Brockton Interfaith Community
NCF Pillars: Policing & Criminal Justice, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Brockton
Website: http://www.brocktoninterfaith.org/
Brockton Interfaith Community is a multi-faith, multi-ethnic non-profit organization representing greater Brockton. BIC employs community organizing through congregations and parishes as its major advocacy tool to address issues such as youth, education, and economic and criminal justice.
Compass Working Capital
NCF Pillar: Economic Empowerment
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.compassworkingcapital.org/
Compass Working Capital (Compass) provides savings and financial coaching programs that support families with low incomes to build assets, achieve their financial goals, and become financially secure.
Data 4 Black Lives
NCF Pillar: Policing & Criminal Justice, Health Equity, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Statewide
Website: https://d4bl.org/
Data for Black Lives (D4BL) is a group of activists, organizers, and mathematicians committed to using data science to create concrete and measurable change in the lives of Black people. We highlight the work of D4BL Hub Leaders, partner organizations and policymakers.
EdLaw Project (a project of the Youth Advocacy Foundation)
NCF Pillar: Policing & Criminal Justice
Geographic Focus: Statewide
Website: https://www.publiccounsel.net/edlaw/
The mission of the Youth Advocacy Foundation (YAF) is to end the school-to-prison pipeline in Massachusetts by ensuring that our state’s most vulnerable children receive a quality education through expert legal advocacy. The EdLaw Project is an initiative between the Youth Advocacy Foundation (YAF) and the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Children & Family Law and Youth Advocacy Divisions.
Elevated Thought
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Lawrence
Website: https://www.elevatedthought.org/
Elevated Thought is an art and social justice 501(c)(3) organization based in Lawrence, which develops spaces for BIPOC youth and communities to engage and understand art’s liberating power.
Family Health Center of Worcester
NCF Pillar: Health Equity
Geographic Focus: Worcester
Website: http://www.fhcw.org/en/Home
Family Health Center of Worcester is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all residents in the Greater Worcester area, especially culturally diverse populations, by providing access to affordable, high-quality, integrated, comprehensive, and respectful primary health care and social services, such as Centering Pregnancy and other maternal-child wellness programs, regardless of patients’ ability to pay.
GCode House
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.thegcodehouse.com/
GCode House is an innovative, placed-based initiative which connects young women of color 18-25 to educational and employment opportunities in the technology sector. The initiative combines affordable co-living, technology instruction, industry placements, and post-secondary education.
Higher Ground
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://www.higherground-boston.org/
Higher Ground is a catalyst for collective action that works with residents and partners to achieve excellent outcomes in education and to promote the health and well-being of children and families in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan.
La Colaborativa
NCF Pillar: Health Equity, Economic Empowerment, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Greater Chelsea
Website: https://www.la-colaborativa.org/
La Colaborativa empowers residents, particularly young people, to enhance the social and economic health of the community and hold institutional decision-makers accountable to the community. La Colaborativa is the youth employment hub in the area, with approximately 200 youth each year earning critical early work experience through the organization and its 40+ local worksite partners.
Lawrence Community Works
NCF Pillar: Economic Empowerment
Geographic Focus: Lawrence
Website: https://www.lawrencecommunityworks.org/site/
Lawrence Community Works is a community development corporation that weaves together community planning, organizing, and asset-building efforts with high-quality affordable housing and commercial development to create vibrant neighborhoods and empowered residents.
Lawyers for Civil Rights
NCF Pillars: Health Equity, Policing and Criminal Justice, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Statewide
Website: http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/
Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) fosters equal opportunity and fights discrimination on behalf of people of color and immigrants through legal action, education, and advocacy. We represent clients across Massachusetts and surrounding communities in the battle for equality and justice.
Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
NCF Pillar: Policing & Criminal Justice, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Springfield
Website: https://www.mlkjrfamilyservices.org/
Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services nurtures and develops the skills, opportunities, and spirit of families in Greater Springfield and the surrounding areas by providing food security and PPE to underserved Black and Brown communities hit hard by the pandemic. The organization also provides comprehensive year-round services to school-age youth from low- and moderate-income families by offering academic support and other enrichment assistance.
NAACP Boston Branch
NCF Pillar: Health Equity, Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: http://naacpboston.com/
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Boston Branch is the first “chartered” branch of the NAACP, whose mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality and rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. The NAACP Boston Branch uses public education, advocacy, and youth engagement to advance racial equity and eliminate health disparities.
Pa’lante Restorative Justice Program
NCF Pillar: Youth Education, Empowerment and Civic Engagement
Geographic Focus: Holyoke
Website: https://palanteholyoke.org/
The Pa’lante Restorative Justice Program works to build youth power, center student voice, and organize for policies and practices that dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline in Holyoke and beyond. Pa’lante’s work centers around two core practices: indigenous circle practice and youth participatory action research.
STRIVE Boston
NCF Pillar: Economic Empowerment
Geographic Focus: Boston
Website: https://jri.org/services/community/strive
STRIVE Boston aims to address structural inequity by helping unemployed and underemployed individuals enter the workforce and progress along the career ladder. In 2019, STRIVE supported 89 participants on their employment journey, focusing in particular on individuals who were formerly incarcerated.
