2018 was a momentous year for the Sasaki Foundation. We launched the Incubator at Sasaki in April to the Greater Boston community and welcomed new tenants to the coworking space. In June, the Foundation published a new website, and in September, the Board of Directors established a new direction for the Foundation by completing a strategic plan outlining activities in three major priority areas—community learning and engagement, research and experimentation, and professional practice and growth.

In September, the Foundation awarded $75,000 to five research teams in the inaugural year of our Design Grants program. These research teams are working in four focus areas—proactive approaches to climate adaptation, new models for housing, innovation in transit and access to mobility choices, and creative community building—and are implementing their projects through a nine-month residency in the Incubator.

Over the summer, the Foundation hosted high school students who are exploring career options in the design professions. Serving as the curator and steward of the Incubator, the Foundation hosted more than 20 events between June and December and partnered with more than 60 organizations throughout the year.

Through our research, programs, and partnerships, the Foundation seeks to harness the power of design thinking to promote equity and empower local communities, tackling global challenges through local action while strengthening education in design. We are grateful to our 2018 Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and 37 additional volunteers who have made this work possible, and look forward to what we can accomplish together in 2019.

Read more in our 2018 Annual Report, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date in 2019.