In 2022 as part of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State 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 grant program: a new grant opportunity for local nonprofits to fund their own unique programming on the Boston Harbor Islands. Last year, we piloted Innovation Harborwalk which brings the Innovation Islands model to shore with the same incredible events on the waterfront.
This year we are elated to announce the Innovation Harbor Grant Program, which funds creative, and innovative events on both the Islands and Boston Harborwalk. From music to meditation to environmental education, we hope to invest in our community partners and to amplify their impact, voices, and presence in and around the Boston Harbor. The grant is open to all community leaders, whether individuals, local groups, small businesses, or nonprofits. Innovation Harbor celebrates and prioritizes diverse leaders and programming that serves historically underrepresented communities.
This year, we welcome our largest cohort yet! We look forward to supporting these amazing organizations as we welcome them to the islands and waterfront this season. Visit bostonharborislands.org/innovation-harbor/ for more information on the grant. And if you have a program idea you’d like to bring to the harbor, we’d love to hear from you for our 2027 grant cycle!
2026 Grant Recipients:
BlackBrownBoston LLC
BlackBrownBoston amplifies Black and Brown culture in Boston through curated events and community programming. Through the Del Barrio Afro Latino Festival, the organization will bring Afro-Latino history, creativity, and culture to Spectacle Island through live music, dance performances, arts activities, a vendor marketplace, and family-friendly experiences that celebrate community connection and cultural pride.
Del Barrio Afro Latino Festival
August 8, 2026
Spectacle Island
BOMBAntillana
BOMBAntillana is a Boston-based collective dedicated to preserving and sharing Bomba, an Afro-Indigenous Puerto Rican musical tradition rooted in community, resistance, and cultural expression. Their program will bring participants together on Spectacle Island for a joyful celebration featuring live music, dance, movement, storytelling, and participatory cultural experiences inspired by traditional Puerto Rican Bombazo gatherings.
Bomba By The Sea: Spectacle Island Birthday Bombazo
September 6, 2026
Spectacle Island
DEAFinitely, Inc.
DEAFinitely creates opportunities for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, hard of hearing, and hearing youth through performing arts, mentoring, and language access. DEAFinitely UNITE will transform Georges Island into a multilingual celebration of hip hop culture, featuring dance, visual art, performances, and interactive activities designed to promote accessibility, inclusion, and community connection.
DEAFinitely UNITE
June 20, 2026
Georges Island
Iglesia Hispana de la Comunidad
Iglesia Hispana de la Comunidad empowers first- and second-generation Latin American immigrants through leadership development, community outreach, and civic engagement. Their program will introduce Hispanic families and youth to Spectacle Island through environmental education, conservation activities, nature exploration, and social media storytelling focused on protecting Boston Harbor and its ecosystems.
Cuidando Nuestras Islas (Taking Care of our Islands and Oceans)
August 22, 2026
Spectacle Island
In Divine Company
In Divine Company is an interdisciplinary arts collective that creates experiences connecting people to land, water, ancestry, and one another through movement, storytelling, and community engagement. Their Spectacle Island program combines participatory performance, guided listening, movement, and environmental stewardship to help participants deepen their connection to Boston Harbor while exploring themes of ecology, climate awareness, and collective care.
Will It Be You? – Harbor Voices: A Multispecies Listening and Dance Song Experience on Spectacle Island
August 28, 2026
Spectacle Island
North American Indian Center of Boston
The North American Indian Center of Boston supports Indigenous communities through cultural programming, advocacy, and community building. Their Indigenous Celebration will bring Native families to Spectacle Island for a day of exploration, recreation, cultural connection, and shared experiences while introducing participants to the natural beauty and history of Boston Harbor.
Indigenous Celebration
August 16, 2026
Spectacle Island
Pharaoh Essentials Wellness
Family WellConnect creates restorative and healing-centered experiences for families from Boston’s Environmental Justice communities. The Commonwealth of Care will transform Spectacle Island into a wellness-focused gathering space where participants can rest, play, heal, and build community through activities centered on mental health, collective care, belonging, and wellness in nature.
Family WellConnect: The Commonwealth of Care: We the People who get to rest, heal, play, and belong.
August 15, 2026
Spectacle Island
Queer History Boston
Queer History Boston preserves and shares LGBTQ+ history throughout Boston and New England. Their LGBTQ+ Picnic will create an opportunity for LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and allies to gather on Spectacle Island for community building, storytelling, and celebration while connecting participants with the rich history of LGBTQ+ communities in the region.
LGBTQ+ Picnic
Date TBD
Spectacle Island
The Blue Rose
The Blue Rose uses expressive arts, poetry, and storytelling to support healing, personal growth, and community wellness. Finding Your Voice will bring families together on Spectacle Island for a community-centered mental health and arts experience featuring creative activities, wellness resources, and opportunities for connection designed to reduce isolation and promote emotional well-being.
Finding Your Voice: A Community Mental Health & Arts Experience
August 22, 2026
Spectacle Island
The Circle of Vietnamese Parents
The Circle of Vietnamese Parents supports Vietnamese-speaking families raising children with disabilities and autism through advocacy, education, and community building. Their Sensory-Friendly Island Picnic Day will provide an inclusive outdoor experience where families can explore nature, participate in adaptive activities, and enjoy a welcoming environment designed to meet a variety of sensory and accessibility needs.
Sensory-Friendly Island Picnic Day
August 2, 2026
Spectacle Island
Art & Soul Clinic
Art & Soul Clinic uses creative expression and the arts to promote healing, wellness, and personal transformation. Their Neponset Greenway Bike Tour & Art Activation will combine cycling, artmaking, local history, and environmental appreciation to create a restorative experience that encourages participants to reconnect with nature, creativity, and their community.
Neponset Greenway Bike Tour & Art Activation
August 9, 2026
Neponset River Greenway
Big Nazo
Big Nazo is an internationally recognized performance troupe and creature-making studio known for its imaginative larger-than-life characters and interactive public art experiences. See Creatures of the Sea will bring colorful sea creature characters to the Harborwalk, engaging visitors through playful performances that celebrate marine life while encouraging exploration of Boston’s waterfront.
See Creatures of the Sea
August 1, 2026
Harborwalk
Ohana New England, Inc.
Ohana New England develops community leaders through teamwork, mentorship, and dragon boat racing. The Beasts from the East Dragon Boat Classic will bring competitive racing, cultural performances, youth engagement, and community celebration to Fort Point Channel, introducing more residents to waterfront recreation and cultural traditions connected to dragon boating.
Beasts from the East Dragon Boat Classic
August 1, 2026
Fort Point Channel
Kite Krusaders
Kite Krusaders creates family-focused outdoor experiences that blend STEAM learning, recreation, and community engagement. Kites & Coastal Calm will bring youth and families together for kite building, flying, environmental stewardship activities, and sensory-supportive programming that encourages creativity, learning, and connection along Boston’s waterfront.
Kites & Coastal Calm: A STEAM + Stewardship Day for Dorchester, Roxbury & Mattapan Families
Date TBD
Pope John Paul Park
Korean Cultural Society of Boston
The Korean Cultural Society of Boston promotes Korean arts, culture, and heritage while supporting the Korean American community. Women of the Tides will honor the Jeju haenyeo, Korean women free divers, through storytelling, cultural presentations, and community engagement that explore themes of resilience, labor, environmental stewardship, and cultural heritage.
Women of the Tides: Stories of Labor, Sea, and Survival
June 24, 2026
New England Aquarium
Asian American Ballet Project
The Asian American Ballet Project is the first Asian American ballet company dedicated to centering Asian American dancers and stories on stage. Asian American Ballet at the Beach will present free outdoor performances and participatory arts experiences that make ballet more accessible while celebrating Asian American culture, creativity, and community along Boston’s waterfront.
Asian American Ballet at the Beach
June 20, 2026
Fan Pier
asianamericanballetproject.org
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