Special to the Record
Through the Better Beaches Program, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) are looking for input from community organizations, local groups, and artists to bring diverse and interesting events to DCR beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull.
Events will be free for community members to attend and should reflect the many interests and identities of the community. Anyone can apply to this grant program, whether they are part of an organization, collective, or a creative individual with a vision for a more diverse and activated waterfront. This grant program is not just about securing funds; it is a way to get involved, bring community to the Boston Harbor beaches, and help shape the future of the waterfront.
Grants from $2,500 – $8,500 will be awarded based on a tiered system depending on the number of people the proposed event will serve and the amount of different components involved.
The Better Beaches Program has funded different types of events including wellness/recreational programs, children’s programming, performances, to music and cultural events, as long as they involve the community and any one of our region’s many beaches. Some examples of previous events Save the Harbor has funded are:
“Community Care and Wellness Fair” with Mutual Aid Eastie where 200 people, mostly Spanish-speaking East Boston community members, participated in various health and wellness activities, like Reiki, massages, and arts and crafts on Constitution Beach, East Boston.
Abilities Dance Boston’s Dance Performance featured performances from dancers and musicians with disabilities who created beach inspired choreography and an original score that wowed over 100 attendees on Constitution Beach, East Boston.
NamaStay Sober Beach Yoga, where over 400 attendees participated in free weekly beach yoga on Revere Beach, especially created with those who are sober and are in recovery in mind.
To apply for a grant or ask any questions about the Better Beaches Program, please contact Maya Smith at [email protected] and Isabella Carrion at [email protected]. Applications are due by January 31, 2025, 11:59 pm, after which Save the Harbor’s Better Beaches Grants Committee will review the proposals and reach out to selected grantees by March 11, 2026.
For more information and a full list of the 2025 grantees, go to https://www.savetheharbor.org/better-beaches/grant-information or attend one of the information sessions.
We look forward to receiving your ideas on how to make our public beaches accessible and enjoyable spaces for all of our communities!
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is the region’s leading voice for clean water and continued public investment in Boston Harbor, the region’s public beaches, and the Boston Harbor Islands. Since 1986, our mission has been to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and the marine environment, and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy. Save the Harbor is committed to making Boston Harbor, the Islands, our beaches, and our programs inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible to everyone and anyone. We provide free programs, events and create opportunities for people to experience Boston Harbor and our spectacular urban natural resources first-hand, with an emphasis on breaking down barriers of race, language, income and ability