GreenRoots is a left-of-center environmental advocacy and community organizing nonprofit based in Chelsea, Massachusetts, but also active in East Boston. The group seeks to push its vision of climate and environmental justice by engaging with the “BIPOC communities of Chelsea and East Boston” to act. ¹

The group’s view of environmental justice includes the “equal distribution of environmental benefits” regardless of “race, class, ethnicity, [or] immigration status.” ² GreenRoots was founded formally in 2016, but traces its history back to 30 years of environmental activism. ³

Programs

GreenRoots seeks to promote left-of-center environmental justice projects in Chelsea and East Boston through youth leadership training, campaigns and projects. ⁴ Initiatives include the Waterfront Access and Revitalization project, which is meant to improve public access to the Chelsea Creek, Mill Creek, Island End River, and Mystic River areas, and its Climate Justice and Resiliency project, which opposes so-called “heat islands” and advocates for “health equity” including “racial justice.” ^{5 6 7}

GreenRoots’ view of “environmental injustice” includes the claim that “low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by toxic pollution” and that such groups “lack of open space, natural resources, and other critically essential resources.” ²

Financials

In 2023, GreenRoots received $1,050,000 in grants from Mass General Brigham Incorporated, a nonprofit healthcare system based in Massachusetts. ^{8 9}

In 2022, GreenRoots received $350,000 in grants from the Cedar Tree Foundation. ¹⁰ The Cedar Tree Foundation, formerly known as the David H. Smith Foundation, is a private environmentalist grantmaking foundation that supports environmentalist nonprofits, particularly those based in minority communities. ¹¹

In 2023, GreenRoots received a $17,500 grant from Resist, Inc, a left-of-center grantmaking organization that supports community groups focused on issues related to claimed white supremacy, patriarchy, heteronormativity, capitalism, and “Christian hegemony.” ^{12 13}

In 2023, the GreenRoots reported $148,575 from government grants. ¹⁴

People

Roseann Bongiovanni is the executive director of GreenRoots. ¹⁵ Bongiovanni, founded GreenRoots in 2016, and lists advocating against projects like a diesel power plant and ethanol trains in Chelsea among her achievements. ¹⁶ In 2021, Bongiovanni led an effort to vaccinate large percentages of the Black community in Chelsea, Massachusetts through a door-knocking campaign. ¹⁷ She is also a former City Councilor and City Council President in Chelsea, Massachusetts. ¹⁶

1. “Our Vision & Mission.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/about-us/our-vision-mission.
2. “What Is Environmental Justice?” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/about-us/environmental-justice.
3. “Our History.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/about-us/our-history
4.  “About Us.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/about-us.
5. “Waterfront Access & Revitalization.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/our-work/waterfront-access-revitalization.
6. “Climate Justice and Resiliency.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/our-work/climate-justice-resiliency.
7. “Health Equity.” GreenRoots. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.greenrootsej.org/our-work/health-equity.
8. “Supporting Our Partners’ Efforts to Build a Better Future.” Community Labor United. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.massclu.org/supporting-our-partners-efforts-to-build-a-better-future/.
9. “Mass General Brigham Incorporated.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43230035.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Cedar Tree Foundation Inc. 2022. Part I4, lines 40, 41.
11. “Who We Are.” Cedar Tree Foundation. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://cedartreefound.org/who-we-are.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Resist Inc. 2023. Part 2, line 52.
13. “Theory of Change.” Resist Inc, November 14, 2020. https://resist.org/theory-of-change/.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). GreenRoots Inc. 2023. Part 8, line E.
15. “GreenRoots Inc.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/812718273.
16. “Roseann Bongiovanni – Executive Director – GreenRoots.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/roseann-bongiovanni/.
17. Barlow, Rich. “Alum Roseann Bongiovanni Is Helping One of the Hardest-Hit Covid Cities Get Vaccinated.” Boston University, August 30, 2021. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/roseann-bongiovanni-helping-one-of-the-hardest-hit-covid-cities-get-vaccinated/.