The Barr Foundation aims to enhance the quality of education across New England, particularly in secondary education. It focuses on opening doors to rigorous, personalized education to enable young people to thrive. The foundation emphasizes transforming high schools to become more relevant through various learning models that cater to the diverse needs of students, preparing them for higher education, the workforce, and community engagement.
The Climate Program by the Barr Foundation seeks to foster bold action on climate change, focusing on three main strategies: accelerating the shift to clean energy, transforming transportation systems, and creating climate-resilient communities. The program underlines the importance of building a multi-racial and inclusive environmental movement, prioritizing communities most affected by the fossil fuel economy and centering equity in the work of climate organizations. Specifically, it supports efforts to expand renewable energy and energy efficiency, promote equity-centered low carbon mobility solutions, and help communities prepare and adapt to climate change. Grantmaking is directed toward partners committed to racial equity in the climate movement, including non-profit organizations, other groups, and particularly POC-led equity-centered organizations.