Brooks Family Foundation
Brooks Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2001 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with a focus on education, philanthropy, and human services.
Key facts about Brooks Family Foundation
- EIN
- 04-3582018
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,243,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- Average grant
- $64,100
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 35, 2025)
- Total assets
- $17,665,066
- Primary geography
- New York (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Brooks Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Brooks Family Foundation's 35 itemized 2025 grants were New York (92%) and Maine (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (8 grants), Ithaca, NY (4 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants). 97% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Brooks Family Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 35 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $74K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 288% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 258% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Brooks Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Brooks Family Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.7M
-7.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
+191.9% YoY
Grant Count
35
-47.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$64K
+450.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brooks Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $885K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Ready to take the next step with Brooks Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- New York
- Maine
- Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 35 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2025:
- Total Assets: $17,665,066
- Total Revenues: $1,240,691
- Total Expenses: $2,392,814
- Investment Income and Dividends: $482,809
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,665,066 | $19,023,556 | $17,463,576 |
| Revenue | $1,240,691 | $304,663 | $346,350 |
| Expenses | $2,392,814 | $873,191 | $3,800,569 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,287,228 | $811,108 | $3,624,639 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,171,648 | $296,224 | $310,663 |
| Distributable Amount | $885,045 | $812,847 | $934,876 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
343 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Cornell University ($2,000,000), Southern Maine Community College Foundation ($50,000), Portland Stage Company ($32,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy | $2,000,000 |
| Southern Maine Community College Foundation South Portland, ME | General Support | $50,000 |
| Portland Stage Company Portland, ME | General Support | $32,500 |
| Mayo Street Arts Portland, ME | General Support | $22,000 |
| Good Shepherd Food Bank Auburn, ME | General Support | $20,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
| Kennebec Valley Dental Coalition DBA Waterville Community Dental Center Oakland, ME | General Support | $10,000 |
| Sunrise Opportunities Machias, ME | $5,000 General Support; $5,000 Washington County Children's Program | $10,000 |
| Foodlink Inc Rochester, NY | General Support | $7,000 |
| Center for Transformative Action (FBO Ithaca City of Asylum) Ithaca, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is supported by James E Brooks.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James E Brooks | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Cherie Wendelken | Trustee | 3 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: Co LWC, 230 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02110
- Telephone: 617-523-6531
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Brooks Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Brooks Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 111 grants in the most recent fiscal year (ending June 2025) • Total giving: $2,243,500 • Typical award range: $1,000–$3,000,000 **Recent Notable Grants (FY 2025):** • Cornell University (Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy): $2,000,000 • Southern Maine Community College Foundation (General Support): $50,000 • Portland Stage Company (General Support): $32,500 **Grantees Include:** • Healthreach Community Health Centers • Various educational and community organizatio…
Where does Brooks Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • New York • Maine • Massachusetts
What size grants does Brooks Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Brooks Family Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $64K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Brooks Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Brooks Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $885K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Brooks Family Foundation's EIN?
Brooks Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3582018. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.