Meet our amazing 2020 Social Innovator Cohort!

Eight Social Innovators to receive $150,000 in capacity-building support

The Social Innovation Forum (SIF) is excited to announce the selection of eight nonprofit organizations for the 2020 Social Innovator cohort. Through the accelerator program, these organizations will receive capacity-building support valued at $150,000 to help them gain visibility, expand their networks, and strengthen their impact.

Each year SIF works with a group of funding partners to define social issue topic areas or "tracks" for that year's nonprofit accelerator program, and after a six-month evaluation process, one Social Innovator is chosen on each track. The selection for 2020 tracks had an interesting outcome. We originally launched with seven tracks. Towards the end of the evaluation process, the JAKET Foundation, the funding partner on the arts track, announced that they would support two organizations: Elevated Thought and OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center. For the JAKET Foundation, seeing these programs in action was enough for them to say, "yes!"

“We are honored to continue this work with another set of amazing local nonprofit organizations,” said SIF Executive Director Susan Musinsky. “These organizations are working hard to address complex social issues in our communities and we are excited to draw on support from many of those the SIF community to help them accelerate their work and grow their impact."  
 

Lead Sponsors: The Barr Foundation, The Boston Foundation, The Charlotte Foundation, and  The Devonshire Foundation

Adaptive Sports New England 
Supporting and Advancing Health of People with Disabilities, Their Families, and Caregivers 
Track Partner: Edith M. Ashley Fund at the Boston Foundation 

Boston HERC (Higher Education Resource Center) 
Strengthening Financial Health Through Building and Increasing Social Capital
Track Partner: MassMutual Foundation 

Elevated Thought 
Advancing Arts Engagement
Track Partner: JAKET Foundation 

OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center 
Advancing Arts Engagement 
Track Partner: JAKET Foundation

PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative) 
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic 
Track Partner: Boston Open Impact 

The 1647, Inc. 
Promoting Teacher and Educator Training Opportunities for Effective and Innovative Approaches
Track Partner: Wellington Management Foundation 

Vital Village Network 
Nurturing the Whole Health of Children, Families, and Communities 
Track Partner: Inspire Boston Funder Collaborative 

WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area League) 
Revitalizing New Bedford Through Community-based Efforts
Track Partner: Schrafft Charitable Trust 

The 2020 Social Innovators were announced at the Social Innovation Forum's annual Winter Reception event, held on December 6 at the Microsoft NERD Center in Cambridge. The new cohort of Social Innovators will start their work with with SIF next week at an orientaiton, where they will meet their consultants and begin the intensive first six months of the Social Innovator Accelerator program.