Cambridge
Cambridge
With a nearly 400-year shared history, Harvard’s deep connection with the City of Cambridge has helped to create the dynamic campus that makes Harvard a special place to teach, learn, live, and work. The University is committed to collaborations that build upon this shared vision of community and that enhance the lives of Cambridge residents.
Meeting the critical needs of Cambridge residents
Harvard works closely with Cambridge city and nonprofit partners to deliver programs that help respond to regional challenges—such as food security, access to justice, and affordable housing.
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1,600+
Units of affordable housing created or preserved in Cambridge through the Harvard Local Housing Collaborative
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14,000
hours of pro bono legal assistance for Cambridge residents in FY25
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2,000
Meals donated weekly by Harvard in partnership with Cambridge-based nonprofit, Food for Free
Supporting the local economy
As an anchor institution, Harvard University plays a key role in Cambridge’s economy. The University provides employment, supports tourism, generates spending at local businesses, and drives innovations that lead to new ventures and companies in the City and the region.
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24
Harvard has been the largest employer in Cambridge for 24 consecutive years
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4,500+
Cambridge residents directly employed by Harvard
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$134M
Spent in construction, supplies, and services in Cambridge in FY24
Supporting Cambridge public schools
Harvard is committed to partnerships designed to ensure that all Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) students have opportunities to achieve academic success. In addition to student programs, Harvard also seeks to leverage University-wide resources and create opportunities for CPS educators to access professional development, academic coursework, and workshops.
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$15.8M
In scholarship aid provided to Harvard College students from Cambridge in last 10 years
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All CPS
Harvard programs are available to students in every CPS school, including elementary schools, upper schools, and the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
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48
Educators participated in professional development programming in FY25
Spotlights
Project Teach– Harvard’s official college & career awareness programs
Providing all 7th grade Cambridge Public Schools students the tools to pursue their college and career goals.
Science Research Mentoring Program with the Center for Astrophysics
Each year, a selected group of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School students participate in the Harvard-MIT Science Research Mentoring Program, which provides the opportunity work on a yearlong independent research project under the guidance of…
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$43M
In Payments-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) to the City of Cambridge in the last 10 years
Harvard was one of the first organizations to make voluntary PILOT payments to the City of Cambridge.
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$65M
In taxes paid to the City of Cambridge in the last 10 years
Harvard is one of the top ten largest taxpayers in the City of Cambridge, paying taxes on the University’s non-exempt property.
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AAA
Harvard’s stable presence in the City is cited by the three major credit rating agencies in the nation as supporting Cambridge’s AAA bond rating. The rating has enabled Cambridge to finance a variety of projects at favorable rates, resulting in savings to taxpayers.
Harvard’s PILOT and tax payments to the city of Cambridge over 10 years
