Thanks to a donation from the Ford and Barr foundations, the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance will be getting grants for a total of $1.5 million.

According to a statement from the alliance, the funds will go toward helping support an initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of communities in the Bay State. The Great Neighborhoods initiative seeks to help with planning for transportation, environmental, housing and other issues affecting Somerville, Lawrence, Roxbury, Winchester and the Fairmount Corridor in Boston.

The group is hoping to support as many as 100,000 residents by increasing the amount of inexpensive housing and reducing pollution.

"Some are motivated - like we are - by the urgency of climate change," said Barr Foundation executive director Pat Brandes. "Others are motivated by job creation and economic competitiveness. Motivations don't actually matter. The solutions are the same. We need to create more vibrant, connected, sustainable places. Great Neighborhoods is doing just that, and we are proud to support it."