Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 22-2979498
EducationHealthHuman services

BURNHAM FOUNDATION INC #0726729 is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations in Massachusetts and several other states, including organizations involved in education, health, animal welfare, and community services.

Key facts about Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729

In short: Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 gave $84K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Massachusetts. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
22-2979498
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$83,600
Grants made (2024)
31
Average grant
$2,697
Median grant
$2,000
New grantees (estimate)
10% first-time grantees (3 of 31, 2024)
Total assets
$1,011,201
Primary geography
Massachusetts (57% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Yes
How to apply
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
None.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.0M

+17.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$84K

+0.0% YoY

Grant Count

31

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3K

+0.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 reported a distributable amount of $95K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 open to new grantees?

10%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 3 of 31 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 90% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, UNC Health Foundation says it inspires philanthropic support for UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine; Santa Catalina School describes its work as developing students’ excellence, values, and commitment to service; and Carolina Tiger Rescue says its mission is saving and protecting wildcats in captivity and in the wild. Guiding Eyes for the Blind says it provides guide dogs to people with vision loss.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 31 grants totaling $83,600. Grant amounts ranged from $800 to $10,000, with a median of $2,000. Among its largest grants were $10,000 to Northern Middlesex Regional High School Scholarship Fund; $5,000 each to Friends of Lawrence Library, Nashoba River Watershed Association, Santa Catalina School, and UNC Health Foundation; and $4,000 each to Carolina Tiger Rescue, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and Townsend Congregational Church. The listed purposes for these grants were “general fund.”

Review Cycle

None.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, Massachusetts recipients accounted for 57% of grant dollars, followed by California (16%), North Carolina (14%), New York (5%), and Minnesota (4%). These figures describe the distribution of grants by recipient state.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of all 31 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

PepperellBostonTownsendLawrenceMontereyPittsboroSalinasChapel HillFall RiverFitchburgGrotonLincolnLowellPalo AltoPlymouthSaint PaulTriangleWolfeboroYorktown HeightsBrockton

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K29 grants202030 grants202132 grants202231 grants202331 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $76K (2020) to $89K (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $84K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Northern Middlesex Regional High School Scholarship Fund: $10KNorthern Middlesex RegionalHigh School Scholarship Fund$10KFriends of Lawrence Library: $5KFriends of Lawrence Library$5KNashoba River Watershed Association: $5KNashoba River WatershedAssociation$5KSanta Catalina School: $5KSanta Catalina School$5KUNC Health Foundation: $5KUNC Health Foundation$5KCarolina Tiger Rescue: $4KCarolina Tiger Rescue$4KGuiding Eyes for the Blind: $4KGuiding Eyes for the Blind$4KTownsend Congregational Church: $4KTownsend Congregational Church$4KShubert Club Inc: $4KShubert Club Inc$4KUnited Way: $4KUnited Way$4K

The largest 2024 recipient was Northern Middlesex Regional High School Scholarship Fund ($10K). Together the top 10 received $49K.

Grant Size Distribution

153 grants across all recorded years

153<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 153 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Northern Middlesex Regional High School Scholarship Fund Townsend, MAGeneral Fund$10,000
Friends of Lawrence Library Lawrence, MAGeneral Fund$5,000
Nashoba River Watershed Association Groton, MAGeneral Fund$5,000
Santa Catalina School Monterey, CAGeneral Fund$5,000
UNC Health Foundation Chapel Hill, NCGeneral Fund$5,000
Carolina Tiger Rescue Pittsboro, NCGeneral Fund$4,000
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Yorktown Heights, NYGeneral Fund$4,000
Townsend Congregational Church Townsend, MAGeneral Fund$4,000
Shubert Club Inc Saint Paul, MNGeneral Fund$3,500
United Way Boston, MAGeneral Fund$3,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $1,011,201 $246,014 $96,631 $83,600
2023 $861,817 $137,796 $100,473 $83,600
2022 $824,492 $157,258 $104,366 $89,100
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,011,201$861,817$824,492
Revenue$246,014$137,796$157,258
Expenses$96,631$100,473$104,366
Qualifying Distributions$87,611$87,894$94,212
Net Investment Income$237,731$129,256$147,104
Distributable Amount$95,287$87,158$88,452

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Charles P. Burnham as president, Lynn Lamar as vice president, and Deborah J. Manus as treasurer, secretary, and clerk.

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 is led by Charles P. Burnham, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Charles P. Burnham

    President

    President & Director → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $750 (2020) → $750 (2024)

  • Lynn Lamar

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $750 (2020) → $750 (2024)

  • Deborah J. Manus

    Treasurer, Secretary & Clerk

    Clerk → Treasurer, Secretary & Clerk, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: E. Barnes M. Abbott (2020–2022) — Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Lynn Lamar — Vice President: $750Lynn LamarVice President$750Charles P Burnham — President: $750Charles P BurnhamPresident$750

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $750, to Lynn Lamar (Vice President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Application contact: Deborah J Manus Co Nutter Mcclennen
Mailing address: 155 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 02205-8982
Phone: (617) 439-2000

Frequently asked questions about Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729

How much does Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 give each year?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 gave $84K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $84K across 31 grants.

What is Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's typical grant size?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,697, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 that year got $1K on average.

Where does Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 give grants?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 gives mostly in Massachusetts: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (16%) and North Carolina (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pepperell, MA (4 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Townsend, MA (2 grants) and Lawrence, MA (2 grants).

Does Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 give general operating support?

Yes: 94% of Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's largest grantees?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's largest 2024 grantees include Northern Middlesex Regional High School Scholarship Fund ($10,000), Friends of Lawrence Library ($5,000) and Nashoba River Watershed Association ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $88K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $95K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 fund?

No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729?

The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's EIN?

Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2979498. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Burnham Foundation Inc #0726729 accept unsolicited proposals?

Yes, 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.

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