Innovation Islands Mini-Grant Program 2024
In 2022 as part of the Park Anniversary celebrations, Boston Harbor Now worked in partnership with the National Park Service and DCR (Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation) to create the Innovation Islands program: a new grant opportunity for local nonprofits to fund their own unique programming on the Boston Harbor Islands.
This year we awarded free ferry service and microgrants to 12 organizations that will bring a wide range of exciting, creative, and innovative events to the islands this summer. From music to meditation to environmental education, we hope to empower and invest in our community partners, amplifying their impact, voices, and presence within our park.
We look forward to supporting these amazing organizations as we welcome them to the Boston Harbor Islands this season! Keep reading to learn more about our 2024 recipients and their programming:
2024 Mini-Grant Recipients:
3 Trolls Games & Puzzles | Fort Warren’s Treasure Quest
3 Trolls (Chelmsford, MA) carries an exciting variety of board games, jigsaw puzzles, role playing games, miniature games, and hobby supplies. Already known for their in-store gaming and virtual experiences that bring Dungeon’s & Dragons and board games to adult and child audiences alike, this summer 3 Trolls is bringing a whole new experience to life on the islands.
Fort Warren’s Treasures Quest is a game in which participants will find four puzzle stations located inside the fort at Georges Island. Open to puzzle enthusiasts and families alike, this quest will engage visitors through interactions intended to create lasting memories on the Island. Find out more information here!
- Fort Warren Treasures Quest
Saturday, June 29th from 1:00PM-3:00PM
Georges Island
A Trike Called Funk | Yabás – A Destination Celebration of Female Spirits
A Trike Called Funk seeks to create fun and engaging experiences through music and dance while also supporting local businesses and organizations who are also figuring out new ways to bring people together.
To celebrate the mythological female spirits called Yabás, participants will listen to a live DJ spin Brazilian music, join a Afro-Brazilian dance workshop, and enjoy a free-standing art display. Find out more information here!
- Yabás – A Destination Celebration of Female Spirits
Sunday, July 7th from 1:00PM-3:00PM
Spectacle Island
First Teacher | Family Play Week
First Teacher is a hands-on neighborhood initiative for parents and caregivers. They aim to support toddlers’ school readiness through improving parenting practices with a non-judgmental, collaborative approach using knowledge, information, and effective strategies.
Through the Family Play Week program, First Teacher families will be able to experience a day on Spectacle Island, enjoying socialization and time to play in the water throughout the afternoons.
This program is not open to the public.
KeySteps Inc. | Connecting Our Youth With Our Weather, Our Environment & Our World
KeySteps’ mission is to provide a comprehensive range of year round, school-based counseling and support services for at-risk youth in order to ensure that they stay in school and gain the skills and emotional resilience needed to become educated and thriving adults.
KeySteps invites Boston students to participate in the tenets of experiential learning through this program. These students will expand their understanding of the Harbor Islands by exploring the diversity of the islands and the important role they have in our future.
This program is not open to the public.
Mbadika | MLAB
Coming from the Kimbunda word for “idea,” Mbadika aims to foster the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs by providing resources and educational workshops to youth. By harnessing STEM, Mbadika provides opportunities for ideas and those who create them to impact our world.
This MLAB: Science of “Sustainable” Dyeing Experience will engage students, parents, and interns from Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan with the islands as a part of a program focused on demystifying the legacy of STEM in Boston.
- MLAB Island Adventure
July 26th & August 2nd from 10:00AM-3:00PM
Georges Island
Navigation Games | Boston Harbor Island Orienteering
Navigation Games is a non-profit on a mission to create engaging and educational outdoor experiences centered around orienteering. Orienteering is a sport where participants use a map to race to a series of locations. Navigation Games uses this sport as a way to encourage physical activity and life skill development in the youth they serve.
Navigation Games will host two activities on Georges and Peddocks Island. The first day will involve youth from Cambridge-area summer programs, and the second involves local orienteering organizations, but will be available to any visitor who is interested in joining. Find out more information here!
- Navigation Games on the Boston Harbor Islands
August 7th
Georges Island - Navigation Games on Boston Harbor Islands
August 17th
Peddocks Island
New England Jazz Collaborative | Wild Music
The New England Jazz Collaborative (NEJC) seeks to increase opportunities for composers and potential audiences to connect. NEJC has cultivated a diverse community of living composers who are able to share and collaborate with each other, while simultaneously expanding the audience for jazz through their innovative programming.
Wild Music will bring Boston’s finest professional jazz musicians to Georges Island. Acoustic performances will capture and reflect the essence of this beautiful and historic island! Find out more information here!
- Wild Music on Georges Island: A Unique Jazz Experience
August 18th from 1:00PM-5:00PM
Georges Island
Professionals of Color in the Environment (POCIE) &
Boston Harbor Women of Color Coalition (BHWOCC) | “Netwalk” in Nature: A Peddocks Island Adventure
Boston Harbor Women of Color Coalition (BHWOCC) and Professionals of Color in the Environment (POCIE) are working together on a dynamic, collaborative event this year. POCIE is a community of BIPOC professionals working throughout the environmental field in Massachusetts. BHWOCC is a supportive group of BIPOC women who work on the Boston Harbor Islands and in the Greater Boston area. This group connects a community of individuals interested in the welfare of our harbor, climate resilience, and engaging communities of color in green and blue spaces.
This event is intended to provide a day of networking, rejuvenation, dialogue, and professional development opportunities for BIPOC environmental professionals, community advocates, and beyond.
- Netwalk in Nature: A Peddocks Island Adventure
DETAILS COMING SOON!
BHWOCC.org
Connect to POCIE via Instagram: @pociegroup
Pharaoh Essentials Wellness | Family WellConnect
Pharaoh Essentials Wellness provides alternative healing services that engage the mind, body, and spirit in an array of therapeutic practices such as; art, meditation, mindfulness, and reiki. Pharaoh Essentials workshops seek to promote self awareness, self-acceptance, and personal development.
FamilyWell Connect is a program designed to empower Boston-area families through holistic well-being. The event encompasses a range of activities, such as nutrition workshops, fitness sessions, and mindfulness meditations, all aimed at fostering a collective journey towards wellness. Find out more information here!
- Family WellConnect
June 29th & August 2nd from 10:30AM-5:30PM
Spectacle Island
Rian Immigration Center | Learn English on George’s Island!
The Rian Immigration Center seeks to meet the needs of immigrants, refugees, and international residents on their journey to a safe, equitable, and fulfilling future. Rian offers community building opportunities, career services, legal services, education, support, and so much more.
Students from Rian Immigrant Center will engage in an English language lesson that will intentionally introduce words directly related to George’s Island. Students will participate in a variety of programming, including a scavenger hunt, lunchtime conversations in English, and a historical tour of George’s Island.
- Learn English on George’s Island!
June 22nd & August 24th from 10:00AM-5:00PM
Georges Island
StiggityStackz Worldwide Inc | The Foundation SMMR Dance Battle on Spectacle
StiggityStackz Worldwide (SSW) has established a pathway for artists of all ages and backgrounds to develop a relationship with their body, movement, and rhythm. SSW is committed to providing the space and resources to inspire individual and community-level transformation while establishing Boston as a hub for creation and innovation within the freestyle dance scene.
This event turns Spectacle Island into the stage for The Foundation Dance Battle, featuring local vendors, live music, and guest performances. Attendees of all ages and backgrounds can participate in a day of 1 vs 1 freestyle dance battles. Find out more information here!
- The Foundation SMMR Dance Battle & Fundraiser
July 6th from 1:00PM-4:30PM
Spectacle Island
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts (SEACMA) | Traditional Dance and Art
SEACMA supports Southeast Asian immigrants, refugees, and long-term residents to meet their basic needs, overcome language and cultural barriers, successfully integrate into mainstream society, and become self-sustainable contributors in economic, social, and civic life.
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts presents traditional and cultural dances, practiced by SEACMA’s youth, as well as a hands-on demonstration of the art of origami and henna hand painting. Participants of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to join. Find out more information here!
- Traditional Southeast Asian Dance
July 14th from 1:PM-4:00PM
Georges Island