Alku Foundation Inc
ALKU Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Andover, Massachusetts. Established by Kathie and Mark Eldridge, it supports youth-serving nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts through grantmaking.
Alku Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Alku Foundation Inc gave $864K across 58 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $864,000
- +48.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 58
- +34.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,897
- +9.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $10,438,644
- +36.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Alku Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Review Cycle
- June 30, 2026, for the ALKU Scholarship.
- Deadline
- June 30, 2026, for the ALKU Scholarship.
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 Brickstone Square 400, Andover, MA 01810
Phone: (978) 296-6901
Website: https://alku.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Alku Foundation Inc
Who Alku Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mass Mentoring Partnership ($155K). Together the top 10 received $576K.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 103 grants of 111 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its grantmaking supports youth-serving nonprofits across Massachusetts. In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, with 3% to Texas, 2% to Maine, and 1% to Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
Cities
How Alku Foundation Inc gives
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 161% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2022) to $864K (2024). In 2024 it made 58 grants totaling $864K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Mentoring Partnership Boston, MA | General Operating Grant | $155,000 |
| Silver Lining Mentoring Waltham, MA | General Operating Grant | $65,000 |
| Reproductive Equity Now Foundation Boston, MA | General Operating Grant | $60,000 |
| Coaching 4 Change Taunton, MA | General Operating Grant | $55,000 |
| Shine Initiative Worcester, MA | General Operating Grant | $50,500 |
| A Better Chance of Andover Andover, MA | General Operating Grant | $45,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Boston Roxbury, MA | General Operating Grant | $40,000 |
| Girls on the Run Greater Boston Boston, MA | General Operating Grant | $40,000 |
| Third Sector New England (Future Chefs) Boston, MA | General Operating Grant | $35,000 |
| Girl Start Austin, TX | General Operating Grant | $30,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10,438,644 | $3,706,607 | $892,609 | $864,000 | 58 | $868,580 | $3,185,652 | $540,893 |
| 2023 | $7,623,420 | $5,771,026 | $847,741 | $583,596 | 43 | $792,002 | $220,606 | $286,398 |
| 2022 | $4,991,535 | $6,380,514 | $204,682 | $10,224 | 10 | $196,984 | $1,199,036 | $18,776 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Alku Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $541K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated focus is supporting youth-serving programs that promote equity and social progress. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with a range of missions. For example, Mass Mentoring Partnership works to expand and empower youth-adult relationships across Massachusetts, according to its stated mission. Silver Lining Mentoring says it empowers young people impacted by foster care through mentoring and life-skills development. Girls on the Run Greater Boston describes its work as an after-school program for girls in grades 3–8 focused on self-respect and healthy living.
Other 2024 grantees describe work in reproductive health equity (Reproductive Equity Now Foundation), academic and social-emotional support for Black and Latino teens (Young Man with a Plan), LGBTQ+ youth programs and advocacy (BAGLY), and access to clothing and basic necessities for children (Catie’s Closet).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 58 grants totaling $864,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $155,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards included $155,000 to Mass Mentoring Partnership, $65,000 to Silver Lining Mentoring, $60,000 to Reproductive Equity Now Foundation, $55,000 to Coaching 4 Change, and $50,500 to Shine Initiative. Each was listed as a general operating grant.
Other notable 2024 awards included $45,000 to A Better Chance of Andover; $40,000 each to Boys and Girls Club of Boston and Girls on the Run Greater Boston; $35,000 to Third Sector New England (Future Chefs); $30,000 to Girl Start; $20,000 to Boston Scores; and $15,000 to Young Man with a Plan.
The foundation also partners with Mass Mentoring Partnership on the ALKU Scholarship. The scholarship provides $30,000 to a rising Massachusetts high school senior with at least one year in a positive, empowering youth-adult relationship. Applicants must demonstrate community involvement, hard work, leadership experience, and financial need. The award is distributed over four years of college, with ongoing mentoring support. This scholarship is for students, rather than a grant program for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kathleen Eldridge as president and treasurer; John Eldridge, Madeline Eldridge, and Mark Eldridge as directors; and Vanessa Plant as executive director. Plant’s foundation role is also described on ALKU’s website.
Alku Foundation Inc is led by Vanessa Plant, Executive Director & See Stmt Attached since 2024 (on filings since 2022); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Vanessa Plant
Executive Director & See Stmt Attached
Executive Director → Executive Director & See Stmt Attached, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$95K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Kathleen Eldridge
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Eldridge
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Madeline Eldridge
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Eldridge
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $187K, to Vanessa Plant (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Alku Foundation Inc
How much does Alku Foundation Inc give each year?
Alku Foundation Inc gave $864K across 58 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $584K across 43 grants.
What is Alku Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Alku Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $14,897, across 58 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Alku Foundation Inc give grants?
Alku Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (14 grants), Dorchester, MA (4 grants), Lawrence, MA (4 grants) and Cambridge, MA (3 grants).
Does Alku Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Alku Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (58 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Alku Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Alku Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Mass Mentoring Partnership ($155,000), Silver Lining Mentoring ($65,000) and Reproductive Equity Now Foundation ($60,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Alku Foundation Inc?
Alku Foundation Inc reported $10.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $869K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $541K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Alku Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated focus is supporting youth-serving programs that promote equity and social progress. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Alku Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Alku Foundation Inc's EIN?
Alku Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-3376597. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Does Alku Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Alku Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/alku-foundation-inc-morg_259c22d62cbe448ea71a6567708d8f2d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_883376597_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Alku Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/alku-foundation-inc-morg_259c22d62cbe448ea71a6567708d8f2d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Alku Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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