The Abrams Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 1997 by financier David Abrams, founder of Abrams Capital, and his wife Amy Abrams. The foundation operates as a family philanthropic vehicle with a focus on supporting organizations that demonstrate strong financial management and measurable impact. The foundation maintains a low public profile and is known for being selective and partnership-oriented in its grantmaking approach.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$99.6M
-3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.9M
-10.1% YoY
Grant Count
18
-28.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$382K
+24.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Abrams Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $6.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to "nurture creative, deeply informed communities, while promoting equity and fairness."
The foundation's grantmaking is organized around three core focus areas:
Journalism and Narrative: Support for investigative journalism, local news, and narrative storytelling initiatives. The foundation has created partnerships including the Abrams Nieman Fellowship for Local Investigative Journalism and provides operating support to organizations such as the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard, the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia, and the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering America's criminal justice system.
Arts and Creativity: Support for creative initiatives and cultural organizations.
Access and Opportunity: Programs focused on equity and fairness in communities.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s and Range**: Typical awards range from $10,000 to $2,500,000, with most grants falling in the $10,000–$50,000 range.
Invitation Only
**: The foundation does not have a public application process and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grantmaking is by invitation only, and the foundation is selective about partnerships.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is largely concentrated in the Boston area and surrounding region, with particular emphasis on institutions and programs in Massachusetts. However, the foundation also makes grants in New York and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $99,587,949 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving: $6,880,000 (2024); $7,656,631 (2023)
Total Revenue: $4,874,203 (2024)
Total Expenses: $8,126,089 (2024)
The foundation has been tax-exempt since March 2008.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $99,587,949 | $102,839,835 | $101,312,795 |
| Revenue | $4,874,203 | $9,783,405 | $7,947,302 |
| Expenses | $8,126,089 | $8,256,365 | $6,904,943 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,880,515 | $7,657,146 | $5,951,877 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,664,742 | $3,251,411 | $994,355 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,747,282 | $5,881,514 | $5,690,627 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
108 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Journalism Project ($2,500,000), Propublica ($1,300,000), The Esplanade Association ($750,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | IN SUPPORT OF FUND II | $2,500,000 |
| BARD COLLEGE ANNANDALEONHUDSON, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR BARD PRISON INITIATIVE | $25,000 |
| BRAVEN INCORPORATED CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE MONTGOMERY, AL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY CAMBRIDGE, MA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR THE NIEMAN FOUNDATION FOR JOURNALISM | $50,000 |
| JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| PROPUBLICA NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE PROPUBLICA LOCAL REPORTING NETWORK | $1,300,000 |
| PUBLIC ART FUND NEW YORK, NY | IN SUPPORT OF THE ADRIENNE ELISE TARVER: SHE WHO SITS AND EDRA SOTO: GRAFT EXHIBITIONS | $100,000 |
| REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL LEGAL INITIATIVE | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by trustees David C. Abrams and Amy Abrams. Amy Abrams has a finance background and is a Brown University alumna.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID C ABRAMS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| AMY ABRAMS | DIRECTOR | 20 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Abrams Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to "nurture creative, deeply informed communities, while promoting equity and fairness." The foundation's grantmaking is organized around three core focus areas: • **Journalism and Narrative**: Support for investigative journalism, local news, and narrative storytelling initiatives. The foundation has created partnerships including the Abrams Nieman Fellowship for Local Investigative Journalism and provides operating support to organizations such as the Shorenstein C…
How do I apply for a grant from Abrams Foundation Inc?
**Grant Sizes and Range**: Typical awards range from $10,000 to $2,500,000, with most grants falling in the $10,000–$50,000 range. **Application Process**: The foundation does not have a public application process and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grantmaking is by invitation only, and the foundation is selective about partnerships. **Recent Grant Activity**: In 2024, the foundation made 15 grants totaling approximately $6.88 million. Notable recent grants include: • American Journalis…
Where does Abrams Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's giving is largely concentrated in the Boston area and surrounding region, with particular emphasis on institutions and programs in Massachusetts. However, the foundation also makes grants in New York and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Abrams Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Abrams Foundation Inc awarded 18 grants totaling $6.9M — an average of about $382K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Abrams Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Abrams Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $6.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Abrams Foundation Inc's EIN?
Abrams Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6856820. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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