Boston College Awards $1.14 Million in Alston-Brighton Grants to 21 Organizations

Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6146 · Meeting of July 22, 2026

Boston College distributed $1.14 million in community grants to 21 Alston-Brighton organizations at its combined Neighborhood Improvement Fund and Community Fund ceremony. Tom Keady, Vice President of Government Relations and Community Affairs, presided alongside Boston College President Father William Leahy; John Greeley represented Mayor Martin Walsh, who was absent due to a family bereavement. The largest single award, $750,000, went to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department for the long-planned renovation of McKinney Playground.

Six other Neighborhood Improvement Fund grants ranged from $20,000 to $106,250, funding Bluebikes expansion, Brighton Gateway beautification on Commonwealth Avenue, artistic bike racks, senior programming, youth initiatives, and Main Street lighting. Fourteen smaller Community Fund grants totaling $39,929 supported youth sports, senior programs, census outreach, public art, and family services across the neighborhood. The ceremony concluded with a formal citation for retiring District 9 City Councilor Mark Ciommo, whom Father Leahy honored for 12 years representing Alston-Brighton, with Ciommo remarking, "This has been the greatest honor of my life to be able to represent the neighborhood I grew up in."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,940 words

Source: the Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6146 meeting of July 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.