The Boston College Neighborhood Center is committed to supporting the Allston-Brighton community by sponsoring programs, connecting residents to resources on our campus, and providing funding to local nonprofits. Learn about our services, grants, and resources below.
Services
Neighborhood Center services are available during the academic year (September - May).
October through May, we offer free, conversational, virtual English classes through Neighborhood Center for advanced beginner and intermediate levels.
Please note: Our fall English conversation classes are ending on December 10th.
Our winter/spring 2024 schedule will be available late January/early February.
If you would like to be notified of the new class schedule when it becomes available, please fill out the BCNC ESOL Class Schedule Request Form by clicking button below.
If your child needs tutoring, we can help. Our volunteer tutors are available to assist your child/children in various subjects for one hour per week after school, at no cost to you.
Please note: Tutoring for the Fall 2023 semester will be ending in early December.
Tutoring will resume in mid to late January. The Tutor Request Form for Winter/Spring 2024 be available here in mid December.
Grants
$3,000 Program/Project Grant
(Available twice per year—Fall & Spring)
Next Cycle: Spring 2024
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The mission of the Allston/Brighton-Boston College Community Fund is to support programs and services that are available to the people of Allston and Brighton. The Fund Committee seeks applications from organizations, associations, programs, or purposes based in Allston and Brighton. The Committee gives special consideration to the benefit of the potential award on the youth, senior citizens, and the needy in the Allston and Brighton neighborhoods. Beautification projects are also encouraged.
The Fund was established by the former Mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino and Rev. J. Donald Monan, former President of and current Chancellor of Boston College.
The purpose of the awards is to supplement existing budgets of established organizations and agencies in order to promote a program or service for which financial support is not otherwise available. Consultants will not be funded. The Fund Committee also considers and makes awards to independent groups who present a worthy proposal or sponsor a worthwhile event.
Interested groups may apply for funding either during the fall or spring cycle.
Please Note: Only one grant per group or agency will be awarded per year.
Spring 2023 Grant Recipients
For the Spring 2023 cycle of the Allston Brighton/Boston College Communty Fund a total of $39,914 was distributed to the following 15 organizations:
- Boston Rising Tide: Allston/Brighton Community - Volleyball/Sport Clinic
- Charles River Conservancy, Inc.: Conservancy Volunteer/Community Volunteer Events
- Community Rowing, Inc.: Let's Row Summer Learn-to-Row Camp
- The Corner Art Room: Sound System Solution
- The Fishing Academy: Hooked on Fishing
- Friends of Herter Park: Improved Lighting/Signage/Community Awareness Project 2023
- Friends of the Honan Allston Library: Sewing Machine Maintenance
- Penniman Community Garden: Combat
- Road to the Right Track.: Summer Programming & Incentive Program
- Saint Columbkille Partnership School.: Saint Columbkille Athletic Program
- Shaloh House: School Vegetable Garden Educational Programming
- Spark A Life with Art: Spart with Art Community Art's Fest
- Unbound Visual Arts: Technology Enhancements
- West End House Camp, Inc.: Project Camperships 2023
- West End House Girls Camp: Camper Scholarships
Boston College Neighborhood Improvement Fund (BCNIF)
(Established in 2015)
Please direct inquiries to:
Anabela Gomes or Jeanne Levesque
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Beginning in the spring of 2015, as part of a package of public benefits related to its Institutional Master Plan, Boston College established a $2,564,000 Neighborhood Improvement Fund (NIF) grant for projects that enhance the public realm and for which public sources of financing may be unavailable or inadequate.
The NIF grant may be used by public or private non-profit entities to implement improvements on public property. Projects may include improvements in public parks and open space, neighborhood beautification, transportation and roadway improvements, public safety projects, public art, and other projects that achieve the objectives of the fund.
Projects should be of broad public benefit to the Allston-Brighton neighborhood, with particular emphasis on the areas of Brighton closest to Boston College (e.g. Lake Street, Foster Street, Cleveland Circle, Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton Center). Applicants will be expected to garner and demonstrate broad community support for their projects as part of the application and review process.
2018-19 Recipients
$1,104,095 will be awarded to the following organizations:
Allston Village Main Streets: Allston Village Lights Project - $60,000
Allston Brighton CDC & DPW: Bench Project - $20,000
Artists for Humanity: Artistic Bike Racks - $42,846
Boston Parks & Recreation: McKinney Playground Improvements - $750,000
Boston Transportation Department: Two BlueBike Stations - $106,250
Brighton Gateway & Brighton Marine Health Center (Fiscal Agent): Gateway Improvement Project - $100,000
Gardner Pilot Academy & Boston Educational Development Fund (Fiscal Agent): Community Garden & School Grounds Improvement Project - $24,999
2016 Recipients
$325,798 was awarded to the following organizations:
Artists for Humanity: Brighton High School Sculptural Art Work - $30,798
Allston Village Main Streets: Tree Pit Initiative - $36,000
Jackson Mann Community School & Council: Playground Initiative - $100,000
Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation: Chestnut Hill Reservation & Reservoir Improvements - $59,000
VFW Post 669 & Boston Parks & Recreation (Fiscal Agent): Major General George W. Casey Bronze Relief - Casey Memorial Amphitheater - $100,000
2015 Recipients
$446,138 was awarded to the following organizations:
Allston-Brighton Veterans & Brighton Marine Health Center (Fiscal Agent): Medal of Honor Statue for Private First Class Ernest W. Prussman killed during WWII - $90,000
Boston Transportation Department-Boston Bikes: Two Hubway Bike-Share Stations - $95,600
Boston Police Department, District 14: Two Speed Alert Display Board Units - $40,000
Brighton Main Streets, Inc.: Gateway signage and an interactive kiosk that will provide information about local businesses, access to public transit, and a community calendar - $100,000
Friends of Chestnut Hill Reservation & DCR (Fiscal Agent): Two solar-operated trash and recyclable compacting stations and an outdoor drinking fountain (also pet friendly) - $25,000
Friends of McKinney Park & Boston Parks & Recreation (Fiscal Agent): Automated, solar-powered scoreboard, three concrete chess tables, and transformation of the street hockey court so it can also be used for soccer and basketball - $95,538
Resources
Alumni Association
Resources for BC alumni.
Athletics
Information on Boston College athletic games and ticket purchases.
Human Resources
Information on employment at Boston College.
Libraries
Information on Boston College libraries.
McMullen Museum of Art
Details on Boston College art exhibits.
Robsham Theatre Arts Center
Boston College performance schedule and ticket information.
Office of Governmental and Community Affairs
Special events and projects happening at Boston College.
Office of Residential Life
The site to access if you have an apartment listing or are seeking an apartment in the Allston Brighton area.
Volunteer and Service Learning Center
Additional volunteer opportunities through Boston College.
Women's Center
Information about programs, events, and support for women at Boston College.
Community Calendar:
Allston Brighton Community Calendar
Community Support:
Allston Brighton Neighborhood Opportunity Center (ABCD)
Allston Brighton Food Pantry & Community Supper
Immigrant Information:
City of Boston - Immigrant Advancement
Rian Immigrant Center
Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)
Brazilian Women's Group
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
City Services:
City of Boston
Allston Brighton Neighborhood Info and Services:
Brighton Main Streets
Allston Village Main Streets
Literacy Informarion:
Allston Brighton Adult Education Coalition
Boston Public Library
Health Information:
Allston Brighton Health Collaborative
Allston Brighton Behavioral Health Resources
Allston Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force
Charles River Community Health
Franciscan Children's
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
Elder Information:
FriendshipWorks
Veronica B. Smith Multi-Service Senior Center
Mentoring Information:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston