FAQ — Boston Made Foundation

Question 1

What is the Boston Made Foundation?

Accepted Answer

The Boston Made Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Boston Made, Inc. We operate a free national business directory and community platform for community-connected businesses and the people who support them. Our longer-term mission includes philanthropic programs that invest directly in underrepresented businesses and communities.

Question 2

Is it free to join and use the platform?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Creating an account, participating in the community feed, joining groups, attending events, and browsing the directory are all free. Optional membership tiers exist for those who want to financially support the Foundation's work, but they do not gate any community features.

Question 3

How do I add my business to the directory?

Accepted Answer

Create a free account, then visit the "Add Your Business" page. Fill out the submission form with your business information and submit it for review. Our moderation team reviews every submission before it appears in the directory — we do not auto-publish listings. You'll receive a notification when your listing is approved or if revisions are needed.

Question 4

What kinds of businesses qualify for the directory?

Accepted Answer

We welcome businesses that are community-connected — meaning they have a meaningful relationship with the communities they serve. This includes businesses owned by underrepresented founders, businesses with active community involvement, and businesses that prioritize local impact. Our moderation team reviews each submission against our community guidelines.

Question 5

How does listing moderation work?

Accepted Answer

Every submission is reviewed by a human moderator before it appears publicly. We check for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with our community guidelines. We may approve, request revisions, or reject a submission. If we request revisions, you'll receive a notification with details. We never auto-publish listings.

Question 6

Can I edit my listing after it's been submitted?

Accepted Answer

You can edit listings that are in draft or revision-requested status. Once a listing is approved and published, contact us to request changes — we review edits to published listings before applying them.

Question 7

What are the rules for the community feed?

Accepted Answer

The community feed is for sharing updates, resources, opportunities, and ideas relevant to the Boston Made community. We prohibit harassment, spam, misinformation, and content that violates our Community Guidelines. See the full guidelines for details.

Question 8

Who can see my profile?

Accepted Answer

You control your profile visibility. Options are: Public (visible to all visitors), Members only (visible to signed-in members), or Private (not visible to other users). Change your setting at any time in Dashboard → Edit Profile.

Question 9

Is the Boston Made Foundation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. We are transparent about this: the Foundation is not currently a registered 501(c)(3). Donations are not tax-deductible at this time. We will update this page when our status changes.

Question 10

Can I donate to support the Foundation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Financial support helps fund platform operations and future philanthropic programs. Because we are not yet a 501(c)(3), donations are not tax-deductible. Visit the Donate page for details.

Question 11

What's the difference between membership and community access?

Accepted Answer

Community access — the directory, community feed, groups, and events — is free for everyone. Membership tiers are optional financial support for the Foundation's work. Members may receive recognition and early access to future programs, but community participation is never pay-to-play.

Question 12

How do I report a listing or community post that violates the guidelines?

Accepted Answer

Use the "Report" button on any listing, post, or profile. Our moderation team reviews all reports. You can also contact us directly at community@bostonmade.org.

Question 13

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Contact us at privacy@bostonmade.org with your request. We will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days.

Question 14

How do I contact the Foundation?

Accepted Answer

Use the Contact page to send us a message. For privacy or legal matters, email privacy@bostonmade.org or legal@bostonmade.org respectively.

Frequently asked questions