The Avison Fund Committee is now accepting proposals for the 2025 grant cycle
Please tell your favorite child-centered organizations! Proposals are due by 5pm Tuesday, January 7, 2025. The Avison Fund was established to help improve the lives of children–helping them to grow into productive, caring yet savvy human beings. The funds must be used to directly impact the lives and well-being of children. Individual grants will be made up to $10,000. This year, the Avison Fund Committee anticipates awarding approximately 8 grants. Up to 20% of each year’s disbursements may go to Quaker organizations. In consideration of current trust-based giving, grants will not be limited to one-time projects.
To learn more about this grant, please download the Request for Proposals (RFP) included below. Paper copies are also available by request or from Amy Mecure, the Meeting secretary.
Thank you,
Cynthia Knowles (Co-Clerk), Chris Maddocks (Co-Clerk), Astrid afKlinteberg, Lance Drane, Betsy Hewitt, David Smith, Rick Talkov
Greetings from the Avison Fund Committee
The Avison Committee thanks all those who suggested organizations to fund. There are a wealth of programs to consider. The committee will be researching and discerning how to disperse the funds in our care in anticipation of bringing recommendations to the Meeting in the spring.
The Kathryn and Charles Avison – Miriam Avison Chartable Fund at the Boston Foundation (tBf) was established through the estate of a long time attender at Friends Meeting Cambridge. As stated in the estate: “The mission of this fund is to help improve the lives of children: helping them to grow into productive, caring yet savvy human beings.” In 2007, the bequest of this friend invited FMC to act as an advisor to tBf and provide discernment on which organizations will receive grants each year that funds are distributed. The donor also stipulated that up to twenty percent of each year’s disbursements may go to Quaker organizations. (NOTE: Organizations must have 501(c) 3 status to apply and receive funds.)
Beginning in 2009, the Avison Fund Committee, an appointed committee of FMC, is currently making grants between $3,000-10,000.
Contacts Cynthia Knowles (Clerk), Lance Drane, Betsy Hewitt, Erin Bumgarner-Harris, Diana Lopez at avison@fmcquaker.org.
2023 Avison Funding Report
2022 Avison Funding Cycle
2021 Avison Funding Cycle
2020 Avison Funding Cycle
The following groups are 2020 recipients of this funding:
Cambridge Friends School
Cambridge School Volunteers
Friends Peace Libraries
Food for Free
Boston Project Ministries
Cambridge Community Center
Edinburgh Center
2019 Avison Funding Cycle
The following groups are 2019 recipients of this funding:
Cambridge Friends School
Breakthrough Greater Boston
Cambridge School Volunteers
Families First
Boston Project Ministries
Young Man with a Plan
2018 Avison Funding Cycle
The following groups are 2018 recipients of this funding:
First Teacher
Cambridge School Volunteers
Sibling Connection
Food For Free Backpacks Project
UTEC Gross Motor
Families First
Breakthrough Greater Boston
2017 Avison Funding Cycle
The following groups are 2017 recipients of this funding:
AFSC- Wabanaki Youth Project
ALDEA (Advancing Local Development through Empowerment and Action in Guatemala)
Artists for Humanity
Boston Mobilization for Survival
Boston Youth Sanctuary
The Convergence Ensemble
AFSC- Wabanaki Youth Project
ALDEA (Advancing Local Development through Empowerment and Action in Guatemala)
Artists for Humanity
Boston Mobilization for Survival
Boston Youth Sanctuary
The Convergence Ensemble
The following groups are past recipients of Avison Fund Grants.
AFSC- Youth Justice-Newark Project (Quaker)
Association for India’s Development
Bikes Not Bombs
Cambridge Friends School (Quaker)
Cambridge School Volunteers
Camp Onas
The Children’s Room
The City School
First Teacher
Friends Children’s Center (New Haven)
Friends of Rafael Hernandez School
Germaine Lawrence School
Home Start
Project Right
REEP-ACE
Silverlining Mentoring