Bell Family Foundation
Bell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Coronado, California. Its 2025 filing lists 19 grants totaling $651,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in computing and technology, environmental research and conservation, engineering, education, and music.
Bell Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Bell Family Foundation gave $651K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), top state Massachusetts. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $651,000
- +64.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +5.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,263
- +56.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $7,068,195
- +6.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bell Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 974 B Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (978) 296-3318
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bell Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carnege Mellon University ($100K). Together the top 10 received $609K.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 137 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as Massachusetts, 33%; California, 18%; Pennsylvania, 15%; New York, 14%; and Virginia, 12%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bell Family Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 19 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $35K. How we count
Medians: $28K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 54% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 155% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $366K (2020) to $651K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $651K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carnege Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Unrestricted Contribution | $100,000 |
| Computer History Museum Mountain View, CA | Unrestricted Contribution | $100,000 |
| Earthwatch Institute Newton, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $80,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Unrestricted Contribution | $80,000 |
| Woodwell Climate Research Center Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $80,000 |
| The Ocean Cleanup North Pacific Foundation New York, NY | Unrestricted Contribution | $50,000 |
| Clark University Worcester, MA | Unrestriced Contribution | $50,000 |
| Association for Computer Machinery New York, NY | Unrestricted Contribution | $40,000 |
| Calgary Arts Summer School Cassa | Unrestricted Contribution | $17,000 |
| University of Colorado Foundation for CS Dept Boulder, CA | Unrestricted Contribution | $12,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,068,195 | $1,199,737 | $764,733 | $651,000 | 19 | $677,460 | $1,123,023 | $437,176 |
| 2024 | $6,609,720 | $876,600 | $468,368 | $395,000 | 18 | $399,920 | $808,082 | $407,577 |
| 2023 | $6,194,517 | $192,398 | $469,463 | $407,000 | 33 | $411,720 | $134,655 | $372,548 |
| 2022 | $6,478,835 | $-456,754 | $522,857 | $423,500 | 33 | $427,750 | $75,926 | $406,142 |
| 2021 | $7,457,230 | $1,156,605 | $444,301 | $368,500 | 34 | $372,820 | $1,090,208 | $431,033 |
| 2020 | $6,750,472 | $407,341 | $432,160 | $366,350 | 35 | — | $347,808 | $370,074 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bell Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $437K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, the Computer History Museum says its mission is to decode technology’s computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. The Nature Conservancy says it works to conserve the lands and waters on which life depends; Woodwell Climate Research Center says it conducts science for solutions at the intersection of climate, people, and nature; and Earthwatch Institute says it connects people with scientists for environmental field research.
Other supported organizations include the National Academy of Engineering Fund, which says it supports the National Academy of Engineering’s activities, including engineering programs, education, research, and recognition of engineers; Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, which says it performs, teaches, and broadens appreciation of chamber music; and Princeton Symphony Orchestra, which says it uses live music to uplift the human experience.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 19 grants totaling $651,000 in 2025, compared with 18 grants totaling $395,000 in 2024 and 33 grants totaling $407,000 in 2023. The 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $12,000. The listed 2025 grants were described as unrestricted contributions.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $100,000 each to Carnegie Mellon University and the Computer History Museum; $80,000 each to Earthwatch Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Woodwell Climate Research Center; and $50,000 each to The Ocean Cleanup North Pacific Foundation and Clark University. The Association for Computer Machinery received $40,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sheridan Sinclaire-Bell, Brigham R Bell, Laura R Bell, and Gwendolyn K Bell as trustees.
Bell Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brigham R. Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gwendolyn K. Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura R. Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheridan Sinclaire-Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: C. Gordon Bell (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Bell Family Foundation
How much does Bell Family Foundation give each year?
Bell Family Foundation gave $651K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $395K across 18 grants.
What is Bell Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Bell Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $34,263, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bell Family Foundation that year got $28K on average.
Where does Bell Family Foundation give grants?
Bell Family Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (18%) and Pennsylvania (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Bell Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Bell Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bell Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Bell Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Carnege Mellon University ($100,000), Computer History Museum ($100,000) and Earthwatch Institute ($80,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bell Family Foundation?
Bell Family Foundation reported $7.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $677K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $437K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bell Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, the Computer History Museum says its mission is to decode technology’s computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bell Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bell Family Foundation's EIN?
Bell Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6771029. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Bell Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bell Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bell-family-foundation-morg_7f5c0cdd646440eca4be65e0b22bcb59
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046771029_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bell Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bell-family-foundation-morg_7f5c0cdd646440eca4be65e0b22bcb59},
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 Bell Family Foundation'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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