Harbus Foundation celebrates 10 years

The Harbus Foundation at Harvard Business School (HBS) celebrated its 10-year anniversary at its annual grantee reception this past Tuesday evening (April 17) in the Spangler Building.

The foundation’s seven teams of HBS students presented checks to the nonprofit organizations they have chosen as grant recipients. In addition to honoring these organizations, this year the foundation commemorated 10 years of supporting Boston-area nonprofits in the areas of education, literacy, and journalism.

The Harbus Foundation is the nation’s only foundation run by master of business administration (M.B.A.) students. Created by the Harbus News Corporation at HBS in 1997, the foundation provides grant awards and consulting services to organizations promoting education, literacy, and journalism across the Boston metropolitan area. The mission of the foundation is twofold. First, it aims to generate positive social impact in the Boston community, including donating time, expertise, and money to excellent local organizations; leveraging the HBS brand to raise awareness of community needs; increasing access to resources at HBS and the University; and promoting student involvement in social enterprise. Secondly, the foundation serves to educate HBS students on current issues in philanthropy and nonprofit management by increasing philanthropic activity within the HBS community and by inspiring a lifelong commitment to the social sector.

Since 1997, the foundation has made nearly $800,000 in contributions to worthy organizations across the Boston metropolitan area. Each year, nearly twice as many M.B.A. students apply to join the foundation on grant-making teams.

This year’s grantees are Beacon Academy, Boston Community Leadership Academy, Julie’s Family Learning Program, Project: Think Different, Bikes Not Bombs, Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School, and El Centro Presente.