The BPDA Board approved the disbursement of $100,000 in grant funding to nine community nonprofit organizations from the Boston Red Sox Fenway Park Demonstration Project Community Benefits at their July board meeting yesterday. The community benefits funding is aimed at creating temporary or permanent beautification projects in the neighborhood.

The funds stem from the Fenway Park Demonstration Project, an agreement made with the Boston Red Sox in September 2013 for certain game day and event easements in the area. As part of the agreement, the Red Sox pledged to contribute $100,000 each year for ten years to support beautification efforts in the Fenway.

The awardees are as follows:

• Boston Arts Academy Foundation, Inc. - The Boston Arts Academy is the city’s only public high school for visual and performing arts. The Foundation is the nonprofit that fundraises for the school. They were awarded $5,000 for students to create a mural on Ipswich Street.
• Community Work Services, Inc. - Community Work Services is a nonprofit focused on alleviating poverty through education, employment, etc. They were awarded $10,000 to provide job training to underserved Fenway residents while also helping to beautify the Fenway neighborhood.
• Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Inc. - The Emerald Necklace Conservancy manages 1,100 acres of parkland to protect it and make it accessible to everyone. They were awarded $7,500 to help fund improvements to the Shattuck Visitor Center.
• Esplanade Association, Inc. - The Esplanade Association manages and enhances the esplanade through programming, as well as sustaining the green space. They were awarded $6,500 to paint murals to help combat graffiti on the Esplanade. 
• Fenway Community Development Corporation - The Fenway Community Development Corporation works to provide affordable housing, as well as create healthy, strong, diverse communities. They were awarded $5,000 to beautify a fence and make pavement improvements on Burbank Street.
• Fenway Civic Association - The Fenway Civic Association works to inform and educate the community on local issues to create a more livable neighborhood. They were awarded $35,000 - for the repair, cleaning, and conservation of the John Boyle O'Reilly monument in the Fens.
• Kenmore Association - The Kenmore Association was awarded $9,000 for the design and installation of 3 new benches on the Kenmore block of the Commonwealth Avenue mall. 
• Muddy Water Initiative - The Muddy Water Initiative is an organization dedicated to cleaning up the Muddy River. They were awarded $12,000 to fund the operation of the "Water Goat,” a device that helps remove trash and debris from the river.
• Operation P.E.A.C.E. - Operation P.E.A.C.E. serves the Dorchester and Fenway communities with youth education and programming. They were awarded $10,000 to fund the "Together Through Art" project: a public art walk and celebration.

“With the Muddy Water Initiative on the scene, actively beautifying the neighborhood and highlighting the need to improve our river, our project—funded once again by the 'Red Sox Grant'--brings attention to the plight of the Muddy River and to all our urban waterways,” said Co-Founder of the Muddy Water Initiative Caroline Reeves. “Visitors, neighbors, and community members see volunteer stewardship in action. The WATERGOAT Program offers a visible, accessible solution to the distressing and unsightly problem of water-surface trash."

"Established non-profits Operation P.E.A.C.E. (Partnerships in Education And Community Enrichment), and ARCK (Art Resource Collaborative for Kids), are thrilled to receive funding towards the ‘Together Through Art’ public art walk and celebration event on August 28,” said Program Director at Operation P.E.A.C.E. Mallory Rohrig. “The Fenway Park Demonstration Project community benefits fund will go directly towards event costs, including a free mobile app that showcases public art in the Fenway and the creation of a neighborhood art piece.”

The BPDA is pleased to announce these recipients of the Fenway Community Benefits Fund, and looks forward to the results of these organizations’ projects!