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 2021–2024. 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
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
Who else funds this kind of work
Same state
- Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston4,151 grants · $943.7M
- Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund3,620 grants · $914.9M
- Mass General Brigham Incorporated &472 grants · $3.11B
Similar purposes
- The San Francisco Foundation6,369 grants · $813.9M
- Miramar Charitable Foundation625 grants · $750.0M
- Marin Community Foundation5,238 grants · $990.8M
Similar grant size
- The Ayco Charitable Foundation15,303 grants · $2.05B
- Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral16,278 grants · $1.08B
- Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund19,135 grants · $6.79B
Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: 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.

