Boston Launches $1.5 Million Vaccine Equity Grant for Underserved Communities

BOSTON — July 22, 2026 — Boston commits $1.5 million to close COVID-19 vaccine equity gaps. Acting Mayor Kim Janey announced the Vaccine Equity Grant Initiative at a press conference at Martin Luther King Jr. Towers in Roxbury, where she also received her first COVID-19 vaccination. The $1.5 million in city funding will support nonprofit organizations providing outreach, transportation, language access, and clinic support, with priority given to groups not previously engaged in the vaccination effort. Chief of Health and Human Services Marty Martinez reported that approximately 60 percent of Boston's K-12 educators had received vaccine access through sites at the Gallivan Community Center and the Reggie Lewis Center, and that roughly 70 percent of residents over 65 had been vaccinated. Janey cited 45 percent of distributed vaccines going to people of color as progress while calling for more, urging residents to use the Equity and Vaccine Access Line at 617-635-5555 or visit boston.gov/getvaccinated. The city's request for proposals was set for March 31, with awardees expected in mid-April.