The Summer Fund supports a wide variety of summer camping experiences for inner-city youth, in the process also relieving summertime pressures on their working parents. It was started in 1971 by a group of corporate and foundation grantmakers who were already separately funding similar programs, and who thought that uniting their efforts into a single program would simplify and economize the grantmaking process, while increasing the number of donors and funds available. Summer Fund is overseen by a committee of six donor representatives, and managed by a Director at the Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts.

In 1997 it raised $1.1 million from 66 local corporations and foundations, to enable 22,000 inner city, schoolchildren and youth to attend 76 day and overnight camps. Camps whose programs help youth become more productive and active citizens, while helping to reduce racial isolation in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea and Somerville, generally receive funding preference. In 1989 a special Homeless Camperships Fund was created for homeless youth residing in shelters, which this past year supported 250 camperships.

The Summer Fund needs to grow. It is a challenge each year to meet escalating needs with current contributions. We are hoping that this Catalogue will provide a new way to support this most worthy program, and to secure growth-investment funds. Please specify whether your gift should support camperships directly, or growth-investment.