Funding search · EIN 042104021 · Boston, MA

Boston Foundation

A grantmaking public charity (files IRS Form 990, Schedule I). Charities like this often run real grant programs with application cycles.

8,881
grants reported
$748.1M
total given
2021–2024
filing years
$25,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 20212024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

campaigncapitaldevelopmentscholarshipeducationartshumanservices

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

  • Operating support for Boston-area nonprofits across every sector
  • Greater Boston education, youth development, and college access
  • Boston teaching hospitals and medical research institutions
  • Arts and culture organizations in Boston and Massachusetts
  • Housing, homelessness, and food security in Greater Boston
  • Capital campaigns for local institutions and facilities

Typical grant

Median grant is $25,000, with the middle half between $10,000 and $53,000, so most of the 8,881 grants on file are modest. The seven-figure checks go to large anchor institutions (Mass General Brigham, Tufts, McLean Hospital, UNCF) and to transfers into other donor-advised fund vehicles. Repeat giving to the same recipients is common, and the same institutions appear across multiple years and multiple purpose codes.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

  • Operating Support/Annual Fund
  • Capital Campaign
  • Medical Research
  • Youth Development
  • Scholarship

Positioning adjacent work

  • Ask in the $25,000 to $75,000 range unless you already have a named fund advisor behind you.
  • Frame the request as operating support, not project support; that label dominates the file.
  • Anchor the work geographically in Boston or Massachusetts; out-of-state grants are mostly donor-directed.
  • Connect research to their funded institutions: Mass General Brigham, Broad, Dana-Farber, Boston Children's.

Worth knowing: This is a community foundation, so a large share of the money moves through donor-advised funds, meaning the check follows an individual donor relationship rather than an institutional program decision. Massachusetts recipients account for roughly 60 percent of grants, and the out-of-state giving to places like Kings Mountain NC or Salt Lake City reflects individual fundholders, not a national strategy.

29 grants matching “haiti · $1.5M

  • $396,500

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $72,500

    Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti · Marshfield, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $50,000

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2024

    Immigrant and Refugee Support

  • $25,000

    Greening Haiti Fund · Gloucester, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $20,000

    Midwives for Haiti · Richmond, VA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $15,000

    St Rock Haiti Foundation · Milton, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $7,000

    Haiti Micah Project · Alexandria, VA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $150,000

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $55,000

    Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti · Marshfield, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $40,000

    Community Coalition for Haiti · Vienna, VA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $15,000

    St Rock Haiti Foundation · Milton, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Help for Haiti · Rye, NH · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Konbit for Haiti · New York, NY · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Midwives for Haiti · Richmond, VA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $50,000

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $35,000

    Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti · Marshfield, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $11,000

    Haiti Micah Project · Alexandria, VA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Greening Haiti Fund · Gloucester, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Help for Haiti · Rye, NH · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Midwives for Haiti · Richmond, VA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    St Rock Haiti Foundation · Milton, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $250,000

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2021

    Health Care

  • $150,000

    St Boniface Haiti Foundation · Newton, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $35,000

    Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti · Marshfield, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Midwives for Haiti · Richmond, VA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Greening Haiti Fund · Gloucester, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    St Rock Haiti Foundation · Milton, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Haiti Medical Mission of Wisconsin · Madison, WI · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $10,000

    Help for Haiti · Rye, NH · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

  • The Miami Foundation1 grant · $15.0M
  • Partners Healthcare System19 grants · $14.2M
  • Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund6 grants · $13.0M
  • New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund3 grants · $11.5M
  • Justice Catalyst4 grants · $9.3M
  • Boston Ballet9 grants · $9.2M
  • Trustees of the Amherst College6 grants · $9.2M
  • President and Fellows of Harvard College18 grants · $9.0M
  • Embrace Boston2 grants · $8.5M
  • New Profit5 grants · $7.6M

Giving over time

$185.8M
2021
$164.0M
2022
$169.9M
2023
$228.4M
2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 8,881 grants.

  • $15.0M

    The Miami Foundation · Miami, FL · 2021

    Transfer to DAF

  • $11.3M

    New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund · Jamaica Plain, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $6.6M

    Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund · Boston, MA · 2024

    Transfer to DAF

  • $6.0M

    Embrace Boston · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $5.6M

    Partners Healthcare System · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $5.4M

    Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Cincinnati, OH · 2024

    Transfer to DAF

  • $5.0M

    Trustees of Tufts College · Medford, MA · 2024

    Scholarship

  • $5.0M

    Justice Catalyst · New York, NY · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $4.7M

    Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Cincinnati, OH · 2021

    Transfer to DAF

  • $4.5M

    Social Finance · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $4.3M

    McLean Hospital · Belmont, MA · 2024

    Capital Campaign

  • $4.0M

    United Negro College Fund · Boston, MA · 2024

    Education

  • $4.0M

    Trustees of the Amherst College · Amherst, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.9M

    Dana Farber Cancer Institute · Brookline, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.8M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2021

    Capital Campaign

  • $2.7M

    Boston Ballet · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.7M

    City of Boston Trust Funds · Boston, MA · 2021

    Arts

  • $2.6M

    The Barack Obama Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.6M

    New Profit · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.6M

    American Endowment Foundation · Hudson, OH · 2022

    Transfer to DAF

  • $2.5M

    Embrace Boston · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.5M

    Carbon Mapper · Pasadena, CA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.5M

    Justice Catalyst · New York, NY · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.4M

    Broad Institute · Cambridge, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.3M

    United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.3M

    United Way of Massachusetts Bay · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.3M

    Justice Catalyst Law · New York, NY · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    United Way of Massachusetts Bay · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    Social Finance · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    Greenlight Fund · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.1M

    President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.0M

    Emerson Umbrella · Concord, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.0M

    Justice Catalyst Law · New York, NY · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.0M

    Associates of the Boston Public Library · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.0M

    Massachusetts Housing Partnership Fund Board · Boston, MA · 2024

    Housing and Shelter

  • $2.0M

    Just Detention International · Los Angeles, CA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $2.0M

    Boston Ballet · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    New Profit · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    New Profit · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    Boston Ballet · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.9M

    Partners Healthcare System · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    Fairvote · Takoma Park, MD · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    Boston Ballet · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    Illinois Science and Technology Institute · Chicago, IL · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    Full of Grace Foundation · El Dorado Hills, CA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.8M

    Franklin Education Forum · Washington, DC · 2021

    Immigrant and Refugee Support

  • $1.7M

    Bpe · Roxbury, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.7M

    President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.6M

    Jumpstart for Young Children · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.6M

    Trustees of the Amherst College · Amherst, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.5M

    Greenlight Fund · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.5M

    New England Conservatory of Music · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.5M

    Greenlight Fund · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.5M

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · Brookline, MA · 2024

    Capital Campaign

  • $1.5M

    St Martin De Porres Academy · New Haven, CT · 2024

    Capital Campaign

  • $1.5M

    Trustees of Princeton University · Princeton, NJ · 2022

    Capital Campaign

  • $1.5M

    University of Wisconsin Foundation · Milwaukee, WI · 2022

    Scholarship

  • $1.5M

    Partners Healthcare System · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.5M

    Justice Catalyst Law · New York, NY · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.4M

    Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Cincinnati, OH · 2023

    Transfer to DAF

  • $1.4M

    President and Fellows of Harvard College · Cambridge, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.4M

    Arrow Street Arts · Burlington, VT · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.4M

    Weema International · Acton, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.4M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.4M

    Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Cincinnati, OH · 2022

    Transfer to DAF

  • $1.4M

    Justice Catalyst Law · New York, NY · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    Salt Lick Incubator · Belmont, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    University of Wisconsin Foundation · Milwaukee, WI · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    Greenlight Fund · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    Wilderness Society · Washington, DC · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science · New York, NY · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.3M

    True Costs Initiative · Brookline, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    True Costs Initiative · Brookline, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    African American Quilt Guild of Gaston County · Kings Mountain, NC · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    Trustees of the Amherst College · Amherst, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    Uaspire · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    Capital Good Fund · Providence, RI · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    Dana Farber Cancer Institute · Brookline, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.2M

    Environmental Defense Fund · New York, NY · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Institute of Contemporary Art · Boston, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Trustees of the Amherst College · Amherst, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Weema International · Acton, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    New Profit · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Trio New College Network · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Massachusetts Housing Partnership Fund Board · Boston, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Childrens Hospital Corporation · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.1M

    Trustees of Boston University · Boston, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Emerson Umbrella · Concord, MA · 2021

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Share Winter Foundation · Brooklyn, NY · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Emerson Umbrella · Concord, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Island Housing Trust Corporation · West Tisbury, MA · 2023

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Wilderness Society · Washington, DC · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Trustees of the Lawrence Academy at Groton · Groton, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Weema International · Acton, MA · 2022

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

  • $1.0M

    Year Up · Boston, MA · 2024

    Operating Support/Annual Fund

View all 8,881 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990, Schedule I, as filed by this organization. These are grants already paid. Grants paid directly to individuals are reported to the IRS only as totals, so they do not appear as named lines here.