Pictured: Work is underway at Peter’s Park, one of the inaugural Lee Fund awardees. Eight community-led projects receive funding to improve and restore greenspaces across Boston, second round of grant applications to open August 5, 2025.
Established in June 2024, the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks fulfills community-driven ideas for investments in Boston’s parks and greenspaces by supplementing city resources with private dollars. With a mission of empowering local groups and seeding sustained community engagement around greenspaces, the Fund helps neighborhood groups and nonprofits deliver meaningful improvements to Boston’s urban parks and greenspaces.
“Henry Lee believed deeply in the power of parks to bring people together, and this Fund reflects that legacy,” said Liza Meyer, President of the Friends. “It’s about investing in ideas that come from the ground up – neighbors who know what their park needs and are ready to make it happen. Supporting these grassroots efforts not only strengthens individual spaces, it reinforces the entire ecosystem of Boston’s parks. As someone who has worked alongside communities across this city for many years, I’m proud to help carry this vision forward.”
Eight projects were selected in the Fund’s inaugural cycle, representing a diverse range of initiatives across Boston’s neighborhoods. The projects will improve park infrastructure and access, tree and turf maintenance, restore public art, and enhance plantings or other natural features in publicly accessible open spaces. In addition to the funding, grantees also received technical support from the Friends Parks Care Team to help implement their projects successfully.
The 2025 Henry Lee Fund Grantees are:
- Fenway Civic Association | Johnson Memorial Gates Lion’s Head Repair | Fenway, Boston, MA
- Friends of Peter’s Park | Enhancing Plantings and Transforming Concrete Spaces into Green Zones | South End, Boston, MA
- Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) | Betances Mural Preservation Project | South End, Boston, MA
- Mary Ellen Welch Greenway | Flower Garden & Little Library | East Boston, MA
- MissionSAFE | Improvements to the Community Teaching Garden at Town Field | Fields Corner, Dorchester, MA
- Neponset River Watershed Association | Doyle Park Interactive Play Structure | Hyde Park, MA
- Shirley-Eustis House | Landscaping Improvements | Roxbury, MA
- We Tree Boston | Restoring Thoreau Path | The Old West End, Boston, MA
Early progress across the funded projects is already visible: Tree care is underway along Thoreau Path to improve sightlines and lighting to improve sightlines and lighting; a planting bed over 1000 sf is under renovation at Peter’s Park; and mural preservation efforts officially began on June 1 at the iconic Betances mural. All projects are expected to be completed by early next year, and some as early as fall.
“Our work would not be possible without the support of grants. This crucial funding allowed us to prune more than 20 trees over 50 feet tall, plant 10 new seedlings, and treat over 30 new seedlings with an enriching mulch.” Said Catherine Griffin, founder of We Tree Boston, Inc. “These trees are not only enjoyed by thousands of people who live in this neighborhood, but also by thousands of healthcare workers who pass these trees daily. People often stop to thank us every time we are on the path watering, mulching, and caring for the trees. People’s faces light up when they see the new trees turn green, and when we place tiny solar lights on them in the winter. That joy is contagious, and we are grateful for the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks grant for making that happen!”
Applications for the next round of Henry Lee Fund grants open on August 5th, 2025.
“Based on the interest and excitement around the program to date, we are looking forward to a strong applicant pool in this next round,” said Meyer. “The entire Friends of the Public Garden community is proud of the positive impact the Lee Fund can have in filling funding gaps in support of stewardship of community open spaces.”
To support the Fund, the Friends launched a $2 million endowment campaign to ensure annual grantmaking well into the future. To date, more than 100 generous donors, including individuals, foundations, and local organizations, have contributed to nearly two-thirds of the goal, with the Friends providing a founding gift of $250,000. The campaign aims to reach its $2 million goal by November 2025 to expand support for the local park projects in year two.
To make a gift to the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks or to discuss support opportunities, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund, or contact Nika Trufanova, Interim Director of Development, at nika@friendsofthepublicgarden.org or 617-723-8144 x204.