BOSTON, September 15, 2026—Philanthropy Massachusetts (PMA), the statewide philanthropy serving organization, is honoring three individuals and three foundations for their exemplary partnership, support, and care of nonprofits and the communities they serve.
They will be officially recognized at PMA’s 57th Annual Conference on September 29, entitled “In a Commonwealth of Firsts: Shaping What Comes Next.’’ The conference will explore practices and opportunities for a healthy democracy in Massachusetts. Funders will also identify pathways for philanthropy to ensure Massachusetts is economically competitive and accessible for all residents of the Commonwealth.
PMA is honoring individuals and foundations with its LEAP Awards, for work that exemplifies one of PMA’s four strategic pillars: learn, engage, act, and partner. The honorees, by category are:
- Learn— Christina Gordon, Co-Founder and CEO of the Women's Foundation of Massachusetts (WFMA), for elevating WFMA's Status of Women and Girls research, conducted in collaboration with Wellesley Centers for Women. The research documents how Massachusetts lags the nation in directing philanthropic funding to women- and girls-serving organizations—and how that gap falls hardest on our state's most under-resourced communities. Christina encourages funders to learn from this data and direct more dollars where they will have the greatest impact: toward closing that gap and building lasting opportunities for women, girls, and their families across Massachusetts.
- Engage—Jessica Castro, Vice President of Programs and Operations at The Trefler Foundation, for developing the Foundation’s annual Boston-based Kicks & Conversations event, which brings together a diverse group of nonprofit leaders, community activists, and local influencers to strengthen relationships, close gaps, and engage with each other. The award recognizes the power, engagement, and joy of Kicks & Conversations.
- Act—Mill Town Foundation, a Pittsfield-based organization active throughout Berkshire County, for implementing an action-oriented, comprehensive, place-based approach to philanthropy aligning partners across arts and culture, education, outdoor recreation, wellness, leadership development, and community development. The Foundation models creative investment in long term community vitality.
- Partner— JPMorgan Chase & Co, Wagner Foundation (Cambridge), and State Senator Liz Miranda (Boston) for their model partnership on promoting AI Small Business Readiness, bringing together private family foundation and corporate donations with Commonwealth of Massachusetts economic development funding to address racial wealth inequities. PMA cites this work as what cross-sector partnership in service of the people and communities of the Commonwealth looks like.
PMA CEO Mary Skelton Roberts said: “One of the best parts of our work at PMA is the opportunity to recognize the innovative, high-impact programs and advocacy of our colleagues in the sector. I congratulate our 2026 honorees for all the ways they are learning, engaging, acting, and partnering to strengthen our Commonwealth by strengthening philanthropy.”
The honorees will be recognized at a reception at the close of PMA’s Annual Meeting and Conference, being held at Big Night Live (110 Causeway St, Boston, MA) on Tuesday, September 29. Register for the Conference
here. You can learn more about PMA’s LEAP strategic framework
here.