The Boston Opportunity System Collaborative (BOS Collaborative or BOSC) is a cross-sector collaborative led by Boston Medical Center. It was formed with a $5 million JPMorganChase AdvancingCities systems-change grant active from 2020–2024 and focused on economic mobility and neighborhood revitalization in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods of Boston.
In 2024, the BOS Collaborative received funding from the Barr Foundation to complete and implement a strategic plan to expand work and focus in the areas of childcare, small business, and climate resilience.
Our Impact
$233+ Million Leveraged
With $7.1 million from collaborative partners, we've invested in ten different community projects, including affordable housing, food businesses, childcare and a birth center.
697 Housing Units
With community development corporations, land trusts, and the Mayor’s Housing Acquisition Fund, we've created and preserved affordable housing in Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain.
819 Full-Time Jobs
We've helped residents in target neighborhoods get employed, with an average wage of more than $25 per hour and a 85 percent retention rate.
Case Studies
The BOS Collaborative is working across traditionally underserved neighborhoods in Boston to strengthen community assets and tackle root causes of barriers to economic opportunity. Learn about some of our successes below.
Creating Food Service Jobs in Roxbury
Founded in 1994, City Fresh Foods is a Black-owned and -operated food service company located in Roxbury. To assist the owners in purchasing their own building in the neighborhood, the BOS Collaborative provided them with a $500,000 recoverable grant, which was matched with an additional $500,000 from BOS Collaborative member Boston Children’s Hospital.
- 49 full-time jobs created
- 141 jobs retained
- 79 percent of employees live in Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, or Jamaica Plain
- 95 percent of employees identify as people of color
Improving Health Outcomes for Mothers and Babies
Nashira Baril founded Neighborhood Birth Center (NBC), which aims to advance reproductive justice by reintegrating community midwifery. With plans to open in early 2026, NBC will employ highly trained midwives to provide full scope reproductive care to its clients.
As a nonprofit, the birth center will maintain a people-focused mission and share power with the community. The presence of a birth center in Roxbury will improve birth outcomes and other health measures.
The project received a boost in the form of a $300,000 investment from the BOS Collaborative, one of four investors that enabled NBC to purchase property in Nubian Square. "BMC's support is a significant endorsement…The BOS Collaborative showed openness to our idea and…connect[ed] us with other stakeholders," said Baril.
Bringing Fresh Food and Community to Local Neighborhoods
Samad and Yusuf Yassin founded Nubian Markets with the goal of providing healthy, fresh, and culturally appropriate food to residents of Roxbury. Launched in 2023, Nubian Markets is not only a grocery store but also a café, catering service, and gathering space.
BMC provided a $1 million loan to Nubian Markets and helped them negotiate a lease-to-own contract, enabling Samad and Yassin to eventually own the Nubian Markets building and preserve the business despite potential neighborhood gentrification.
Supporting Children’s Growth and Education
Kiddies Corner is a premium childcare center in Mattapan that provides fun-filled S.T.E.M. programming to support children’s unique growth and development.
Founder and executive director Anne Osula, MD, secured $100,000 in funding from the BOS Collaborative, which supported space acquisition and associated costs for the program. As a result, Kiddies Corner is able to pilot providing childcare beyond the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday for caregivers who work outside traditional hours.
The BOS Collaborative investment has also allowed Kiddies Corner to subsidize the cost of childcare slots for caregivers.
Theory of Change
Institutions, not people, need to change
Community leadership is essential to success
Trusted relationships are the foundation of long-lasting change
The work of BOS Collab puts these tenets into action. Learn more about how we did this in our first year and see our white papers below to learn how we build on these tenets year after year.
Media and Publications
The BOS Collaborative has been featured in a variety of national and local publications, as well as academic journals.
- Engaging Partners for Economic Growth for All (video)
- Neighborhood Birth Center Plans Move Forward in Roxbury
- Fast-growing City Fresh Foods Sells a Minority Stake to its Employees
- Representation in the Housing Process: Best Practices for Improving Racial Equity
- Mass. Awarded Millions in Grants to Address Racial Wealth Gap, Fill Life Science Jobs
- Safety Net Hospitals: Why BIPOC Wealth Creation is Needed to Achieve Health
- At One Year, Nubian Markets Is a Thriving Hub for the Community
- Mattapan Child Care Center Serves Parents Who Work Off Hours
Partner with Us
BOSC is a cross-sector collaborative. Our partner organizations are:
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- City of Boston’s City Academy
- City of Boston Department of Workforce Development
- City of Boston Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
- City of Boston Planning Department
- City of Boston Public Health Commission
- Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
- Full Frame Initiative
- Health Resources in Action
- Jewish Vocational Services
- New England Community Project (formerly New England United for Justice)
To learn more about partnership opportunities, contact BOS Collaborative Program Director Gina Patterson at gina.patterson@bmc.org.