Become a Friend of Copley Square

The Friends of Copley Square is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1992 as the successor organization to the Copley Square Centennial Committee. All donations are tax deductible. We welcome you to Become a Friend or Sponsor and enjoy the opportunity to become actively involved in this unique Park.

 Funding

The Friends of Copley Square raise funds to:

• Supplement funding where extraordinary maintenance is required, such as the operation of running the Fountain and the supplemental care for trees

• Provide management when improvements or additions to the park (new furnishings, additional planting) are desirable.

• Preserve and enhance the beauty of the square

• Keep Copley Square one of Boston’s premier parks

History

Stella Trafford, an urban activist and a Copley Square Centennial Committee Board member, was given the challenge to construct an advocacy group for the Square. Trafford and Phebe Goodman, who would become the Friend’s first Executive Director, set about recruiting the first Board of Directors. In 1993 Friends of Copley Square (FOCS) was operational with a mission to preserve and enhance the park as a recreational resource for residents, workers, and visitors in the City of Boston.

The Friends of Copley Square, a non-profit membership organization, through its membership dues, corporate and individual contributions, and annual fundraising events, continues to meet its financial commitment to the upkeep of the park. The FOCS works closely with The Copley Square Charitable Trust, which manages and oversees the endowment funds raised to maintain the park.

The Beautification Committee oversees the maintenance and operation of the fountain, irrigation system, and landscaping services, for which the FOCS is the primary funder. The Rules Committee works with law enforcement authorities and other City of Boston agencies to draft, promulgate, and enforce park regulations to ensure the safety of visitors to the Square.

The Program Committee develops activities throughout the year, including the bi-weekly Farmers Market, operated by The Federation of Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets. This is one of the most popular seasonal attractions from spring to late fall. During the summer months, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department schedules a full calendar of cultural events which include music, dance, and the arts. In the winter, the Friends decorate the Square with wreaths and sponsor the popular tree-lighting ceremony complete with refreshments donated by local businesses.

Today the Square has fulfilled its promise. No longer it is a paved and unkempt wasteland, but one of the most visited destinations in Boston. Lunchtime finds the lawn and benches filled with visitors and workers enjoying the respite of trees, grass, and flowers. In all seasons Copley Square has become “The Heart of Boson”.