Jane's Trust

OVERVIEW: Jane’s Trust supports arts and culture, education, environment, and health and welfare organizations in the Boston area. The trust is administered by the law firm of Hemenway & Barnes LLP.

FUNDING AREAS: Arts and culture, education, environment, health and welfare

IP TAKE: Jane’s Trust is winding down giving by 2022. It will make its final competitive grants in 2020, and make grants in 2021 and 2022 through a Trustee-directed wind-down process. Read the full announcement and Frequently Asked Questions here.

PROFILE: Established in 2002, Jane’s Trust is a grantmaking trust created by Jane B. Cook, who passed away in 2002 and left behind a legacy of generosity. Jane’s Trust is administered at Hemenway & Barnes and has five trustees. Hemenway & Barnes LLP is a Boston-based law firm that has operated for approximately 150 years. Legal services the firm provides include estate planning, probate and trust, business law, real estate and land use planning, nonprofit representation, tax planning and reporting, technology and licensing, and litigation and dispute resolution.  Grantmaking interests are arts and culture, education, environment, and health and welfare.

Arts and culture grants fund access to the arts and exposing communities to art. Education grants focus on access to opportunities inside and outside the classrooms, as well as public/private partnerships. Health grants target vulnerable and underserved populations and address basic needs, disease prevention, and the connection between animal and human health. Most awards are project grants, operating grants, and capital grants. Endowments and challenge grants available on a case-by-case basis.

Most Jane’s Trust grants are between $50,000 and $150,000, although a few grants fall below or above that range. View lists of past grants on the funder’s website. The greater Boston area is a large focus of this funder’s grantmaking. Jane’s Trust defines the Boston area as the cities and towns within Route 128, as far north as Lynn and as far south as Braintree. However, it also awards grants in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and southwest and central Florida. Most grants are single-year grants or for two years maximum. Jane’s Trust does not allocate specific dollar amounts to its areas of interest or to particular geographical areas.

Applications are a two-step process, involving first the submission of an initial inquiry, then, upon invitation, the submission of a full proposal. The trustees meet several times per year to consider requests. Submit concept papers by January 25 for consideration in March and by July 15 for consideration in September. Direct grants program questions to the program officer, Gioia Perugini, at 617-557-9777 or gperugini@hembar.com.

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