Boston Fatherless & Widows Society
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2023 filing states that awards are restricted to fatherless people and widows in Greater Boston; its 2025 filing reports 25 grants totaling $560,875, all to recipients in Massachusetts.
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society at a glance
In short: Boston Fatherless & Widows Society gave $561K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in Massachusetts. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $560,875
- +17.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +13.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,435
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,564,910
- +3.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (2 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Boston Fatherless & Widows Society
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing lists Andrea Gordon as the contact and requests a statement of need. It also states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2023 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2023 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Andrea Gordon
Mailing address: C/O J Edington Sullivan Worceste, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 338-2422
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Boston Fatherless & Widows Society funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wildflower for Kids ($25K). Together the top 10 received $169K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($277,075), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 110 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 filing restricts awards to fatherless people and widows in Greater Boston. In 2025, all grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Boston Fatherless & Widows Society open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 23 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 110% 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 $477K (2024) to $561K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $561K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $277,075 |
| Wildflower for Kids Lexington, MA | General Purposes | $25,000 |
| Compass Working Capital Boston, MA | General Purposes | $25,000 |
| The Salvation Army Camp Wonderland Sharon, MA | Camp Wonderland and | $20,000 |
| Brookview House Dorchester Center, MA | General Purposes | $17,000 |
| CASA Myrna Boston, MA | General Purposes | $15,000 |
| Women's Bar Foundation Boston, MA | Women's Prison & Reentry | $15,000 |
| Walker Theraputic & Educational Programs Needham, MA | General Purposes | $15,000 |
| CASA Esperanza Inc Boston, MA | General Purposes | $15,000 |
| The Second Step Newtonville, MA | General Purposes | $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 | $6,564,910 | $850,276 | $645,351 | $560,875 | 25 | $577,474 | $744,280 | $523,227 |
| 2024 | $6,359,985 | $758,108 | $541,853 | $477,096 | 22 | $490,385 | $676,236 | $497,620 |
| 2023 | $6,143,730 | $541,132 | $566,156 | $506,083 | 21 | $519,388 | $442,032 | $464,957 |
| 2022 | $6,167,454 | $511,734 | $625,308 | $547,385 | 23 | $565,119 | $446,542 | $488,474 |
| 2021 | $6,279,478 | $630,239 | $552,126 | $477,792 | 19 | — | $537,622 | $534,844 |
| 2020 | $6,174,365 | $552,838 | $537,907 | $478,174 | 24 | — | $521,023 | $456,747 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Boston Fatherless & Widows Society reported a distributable amount of $523K 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 separate mission statement for the Society is provided. Its 2023 filing says awards are restricted to fatherless people and widows in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as housing, domestic violence, youth services, and economic empowerment. For example, Compass Working Capital describes its mission as partnering with families with low incomes to build assets and help address asset poverty. Brookview House says it helps homeless and at-risk families build skills to break cycles of homelessness and poverty. The Second Step describes its work as helping survivors of domestic violence heal and thrive in safe communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Society made 25 grants totaling $560,875. Grant amounts ranged from $2,800 to $277,075, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest award was $277,075 to various individuals in Boston, with the stated purpose “PROVIDE SUPPORT & CARE TO.” Other grants included $25,000 each to Wildflower for Kids and Compass Working Capital; $20,000 to The Salvation Army Camp Wonderland; and $17,000 to Brookview House. Additional awards included $15,000 each to Casa Myrna, Women’s Bar Foundation, Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs, and Casa Esperanza; and $12,000 to The Second Step. The filing also lists $10,000 awards to Horizons for Homeless Children, Rosie’s Place, Women’s Lunch Place, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and Crossroads for Kids.
The Society’s 2023 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Andrea Gordon as the contact, a statement of need as the required material, and no deadlines. The filing states that awards are restricted to fatherless people and widows in Greater Boston.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Mrs. Andrea Gordon — Trustee/President
- Wendy Snickenberger — Trustee/Assistant Treasurer
- Judith Edington — Treasurer
- Jodi Gorton — Trustee/Vice President
- Jill Downing — Trustee
- Kathleen Acuna — Trustee/Secretary
- Gail Deegan — Trustee
- Roberta Goldschneider — Trustee
- Susanne Dowdall — Trustee
- Susan Sullivan — Trustee
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society is led by Andrea Gordon, Trustee & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrea Gordon
Trustee & President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gail Deegan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jill Downing
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jodi Gorton
Trustee & Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roberta Goldschneider
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanne Dowdall
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Snickenberger
Trustee & Assistant Treasurer
Trustee → Trustee & Assistant Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Acuna
Trustee & Secretary
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Sullivan
Trustee
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Nan M. Gorton
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Madelyn Morris
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judith Edington
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Elizabeth Bachman (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joan Murray (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Kathy Acuna (2020–2021) — Trustee & Secretary
- Former: Anne Kott (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Katherine Russell (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Mary V. A. Lenihan (2020) — 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 Boston Fatherless & Widows Society
How much does Boston Fatherless & Widows Society give each year?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society gave $561K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $477K across 22 grants.
What is Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's typical grant size?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,435, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Boston Fatherless & Widows Society that year got $10K on average.
Where does Boston Fatherless & Widows Society give grants?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (10 grants), Newton, MA (3 grants) and Dorchester Center, MA (2 grants).
Does Boston Fatherless & Widows Society give general operating support?
Yes: 88% of Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's largest grantees?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's largest 2025 grantees include Wildflower for Kids ($25,000), Compass Working Capital ($25,000) and The Salvation Army Camp Wonderland ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($277,075), which are not listed by name. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Boston Fatherless & Widows Society?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society reported $6.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $577K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $523K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Boston Fatherless & Widows Society fund?
No separate mission statement for the Society is provided. Its 2023 filing says awards are restricted to fatherless people and widows in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as housing, domestic violence, youth services, and economic empowerment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Boston Fatherless & Widows Society?
The 2023 filing lists Andrea Gordon as the contact and requests a statement of need. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's EIN?
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6006506. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Boston Fatherless & Widows Society funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/boston-fatherless-and-widows-society-morg_4164c9dbeb944714a6a65778c4d3ba9b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046006506_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Boston Fatherless \& Widows Society funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/boston-fatherless-and-widows-society-morg_4164c9dbeb944714a6a65778c4d3ba9b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Boston Fatherless & Widows Society'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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