Boston Baptist Social Union
Boston Baptist Social Union is a private foundation based in Medford, Massachusetts. Established in 1864, it describes itself as a Christian fellowship of men and supports Christian work and ministries in the Boston area through grants.
Key facts about Boston Baptist Social Union
In short: Boston Baptist Social Union gave $1.2M across 44 grants in 2026 (avg $27K), mostly in Massachusetts. 23% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 04-6034977
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026
- Annual giving (2026)
- $1,166,596
- Grants made (2026)
- 44
- Average grant
- $26,514
- Median grant
- $15,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (10 of 44, 2026)
- Total assets
- $27,399,893
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (98% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submit a grant request by mail to the Committee on Christian Work. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Requests for the fiscal year running April 1 through March 31 are due by February 15 preceding that fiscal year.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2026 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.4M
+10.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+8.6% YoY
Grant Count
44
+2.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+6.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Boston Baptist Social Union reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Boston Baptist Social Union open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 10 of 44 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 77% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+6%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Union’s stated mission is to support worthy ministries in the Boston area. Its Christian Work Committee reviews and approves grants, and its stated organizational goal is to encourage fellowship among Baptist laymen in the Boston area.
The 2025 recipients illustrate the range of supported work. Boston Missionary Baptist Community Center describes its mission as helping low-income and underserved people and their children pursue education and economic self-sufficiency. Boston Trinity Academy says it educates students in a Christ-centered community, while City Strings United describes a mission of youth development through music education and ensemble performance. UniteBoston says it nurtures Christian unity through relationship.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Union awarded 43 grants totaling $1,073,725. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $263,300, with a median of $16,000. Its guidelines say initial grants are typically under $10,000, but larger amounts will be considered.
Review Cycle
Requests for the fiscal year running April 1 through March 31 are due by February 15 preceding that fiscal year.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Boston Baptist Social Union
Ready to take the next step with Boston Baptist Social Union?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Union’s guidelines generally restrict grants to work in the Greater Boston Area. All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $943K (2020) to $1.3M (2024). In 2026 it made 44 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Mass Baptist Multicultural Ministires ($255K). Together the top 10 received $669K.
Grant Size Distribution
189 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 171 grants of 189 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Baptist Multicultural Ministires Lowell, MA | Genral Support | $255,000 |
| Ruggles Baptist Church Boston, MA | General Support | $65,186 |
| Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park Inc New Bedford, MA | General Support | $65,000 |
| Messiah Baptist Church Brockton, MA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain Jamaica Plain, MA | General Support | $43,000 |
| First Nepali Baptist Church of Malden Malden, MA | Youth Support | $40,000 |
| First Baptist Church Lynn Lynn, MA | Karen Ministry | $40,000 |
| The Boston Project Ministries Dorchester, MA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Overseas Burmese Christion Fellowship Boston, MA | General Support | $35,500 |
| First Baptist Church of Medford Medford, MA | General Purpose | $35,460 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,073,725 | 43 |
| 2024 | $1,349,925 | 35 |
| 2023 | $1,099,082 | 33 |
| Metric | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,399,893 | $24,884,507 | $24,158,277 |
| Revenue | $4,480,500 | $2,691,453 | $1,560,823 |
| Expenses | $1,773,802 | $1,683,469 | $1,984,784 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,217,255 | $1,121,781 | $1,393,327 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,292,831 | $2,488,019 | $1,545,758 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,279,131 | $1,205,482 | $1,071,833 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Thomas as treasurer; Wesley Babbit and Robert Rowe as vice presidents; Christopher Gianacoplis as president; Edwin T Hobart as executive secretary; and Thomas Couillard, John Perkins, Patrick Lyons, Se Myung Chang, and Robert Howard as directors.
Boston Baptist Social Union is led by Wesley Babbit, President since 2026 (on filings since 2024); 2 of 13 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Wesley Babbit
President
Director → Vice President, 2025
Vice President → President, 2026
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Lyons
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Se Myung Chang
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Tibbets
Director
On filings since 2025
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Perkins
Director
On filings since 2025
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rops Previl
Director
On filings since 2025
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Couillard
Director
On filings since 2025
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elijah Jope
Director
New on the 2026 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Burke
Director
New on the 2026 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edwin T. Hobart
Executive Secretary
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$27K (2020) → $34K (2026)
James Thomas
Executive Secretary
Treasurer → Executive Secretary, 2026
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $32K (2026)
Robert Rowe
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Howard
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2026
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Christopher Gianacoplis (2020–2025) — President
- Former: Arthur Almeda (2020–2024) — Vice President
- Former: David Essensa (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Douglas Rogers (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jimmy Thomas (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Phillip Anderson (2024) — Director
- Former: David Collins (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Christopher Duncombe (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: James Steeves (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Tony Patterson (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $34K, to Edwin T Hobart (Executive Secretary Thru 2025). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Fred Drauschke
Mailing address: 34 Oakland Street, Medford, MA 02155
Phone: (781) 662-6262
Website: https://bbsu.org
Frequently asked questions about Boston Baptist Social Union
How much does Boston Baptist Social Union give each year?
Boston Baptist Social Union gave $1.2M across 44 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $1.1M across 43 grants.
What is Boston Baptist Social Union's typical grant size?
Boston Baptist Social Union's median grant in 2026 was $15,500, and its average grant was $26,514, across 44 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Boston Baptist Social Union that year got $35K on average.
Where does Boston Baptist Social Union give grants?
Boston Baptist Social Union gives mostly in Massachusetts: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (8 grants), Lowell, MA (3 grants), Dorchester, MA (3 grants) and Jamaica Plain, MA (2 grants).
Does Boston Baptist Social Union give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Boston Baptist Social Union's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Boston Baptist Social Union's largest grantees?
Boston Baptist Social Union's largest 2026 grantees include Mass Baptist Multicultural Ministires ($255,000), Ruggles Baptist Church ($65,186) and Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park Inc ($65,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Boston Baptist Social Union?
Boston Baptist Social Union reported $27.4M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Boston Baptist Social Union fund?
The Union’s stated mission is to support worthy ministries in the Boston area. Its Christian Work Committee reviews and approves grants, and its stated organizational goal is to encourage fellowship among Baptist laymen in the Boston area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Boston Baptist Social Union?
Submit a grant request by mail to the Committee on Christian Work. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Boston Baptist Social Union's EIN?
Boston Baptist Social Union's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6034977. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Boston Baptist Social Union by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Boston Baptist Social Union's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Eastern Bank Foundation funds systemic efforts to advance economic inclusion and mobility, including small-business equity, early childhood development, affordable housing, and workforce development. Its programs range from $1,000–$10,000 for Community Donations, up to $15,000 for CITC Grants, and $50,000–$150,000 for Impact Grants; it supports organizations primarily in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The foundation accepts online applications, with no specific submission deadlines stated.
Assets
$266.7M
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
Imago DEI Fund
Boston, MA
The Imago Dei Fund supports community-driven work advancing human rights, gender equity, justice, and sustainability, with a focus on women and girls and on partners in Greater Boston, Haiti, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. In 2024, grants ranged from $20,000 to $769,206, with a median of about $79,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests and funds only preselected organizations.
Assets
$61.3M
Grants
126
Total Given
$15.1M
The Lenny Zakim Fund
Boston, MA
The Lenny Zakim Fund supports small, grassroots organizations advancing social, economic, and racial justice for underserved communities in eastern Massachusetts, across areas including housing, education, health, immigrant and LGBTQIA support, and criminal justice reform. It offers unrestricted operating grants of up to $20,000; 2024 awards had a median of $10,000. It accepts unsolicited requests through its annual grant cycle.
Assets
$9.2M
Grants
55
Total Given
$620K
Bushrod H Campbell & Adah F Hall
Boston, MA
The foundation supports services for elderly and infirm people, homelessness, education, social justice, and economic opportunity, generally in the Boston area; reproductive health grants may support local or international work by U.S.-based nonprofits. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,000 to $107,033, with a median of $8,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$15.6M
Grants
201
Total Given
$1.7M
United Way Of Massachusetts Bay Inc
Boston, MA
United Way of Massachusetts Bay funds nonprofits and partnerships advancing economic justice through economic mobility, education and youth success, housing stability, and safety-net support in eastern Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000 (ranging from $5,000 to over $1.4 million); it has offered open application processes for specific grant programs, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$60.9M
Grants
351
Total Given
$30.0M
Essex County Community Foundation Inc
Beverly, MA
ECCF funds nonprofits working on needs including essential services, youth education, veterans, digital equity, women and girls, and community response, primarily in Essex County, Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants had a median of $16,000, while specific programs list awards of $5,000–$10,000 or up to $40,000. It offers competitive application programs, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$150.5M
Grants
302
Total Given
$13.0M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Liberty Mutual Foundation funds nonprofits working on basic needs such as food and shelter, education and workforce development, and climate and community infrastructure, primarily in the Boston area, with grants also made in other states. Its 2024 grants had a median of $35,000 and ranged from $2,500 to $11 million; it accepts online applications on a rolling basis, with no stated deadlines.
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation
Newton, MA
The Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation funds health, education, economic security, human services, community development, and other community needs, primarily in Greater Boston and Massachusetts; its Small Capital Grants program serves nonprofits in Greater Boston and Gateway Cities. Small Capital Grants are typically $25,000–$100,000, while 2025 grants overall had a median of $35,606 and ranged from $100 to $1.5 million. The foundation encourages prospective Small Capital Grants applicants to schedule a call before applying; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$302.9M
Grants
137
Total Given
$15.6M
Boston After School & Beyond Inc
Boston, MA
Boston After School & Beyond funds after-school, summer learning, youth development, and social-emotional learning programs, especially those serving high-need youth. Its 2025 grants had a median of $30,000 and ranged from $8,650 to $766,549, supporting programs focused on Boston youth and other Massachusetts communities. It lists grant opportunities on its website; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$4.1M
Grants
98
Total Given
$5.1M
POINT32HEALTH Foundation Inc
Canton, MA
Point32Health Foundation supports community-led work advancing equity in aging, including community building, policy advocacy, and systems change, in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Its 2024 grants had a median of $40,000 (ranging from $5,095 to $302,000); organizations can submit a short inquiry form, with formal applications by invitation after an initial meeting.
Assets
$125.4M
Grants
190
Total Given
$8.8M
More Funders in Massachusetts
Boston Baptist Social Union down — hundreds of funders to go?