Cardinal Brook Trust
Cardinal Brook Trust is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, according to its Form 990-PF filing. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in Massachusetts, including organizations working in land conservation, health care, education, housing, and community services.
Cardinal Brook Trust at a glance
In short: Cardinal Brook Trust gave $2.3M across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $190K), mostly in Massachusetts. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,284,379
- +9176.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +140.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $190,365
- +3765.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $124,608,800
- +20.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (5 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cardinal Brook Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Klr 99 Summer Street 520, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (781) 547-8800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cardinal Brook Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Johnson Family Gift Fund - Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
147 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 147 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cardinal Brook Trust open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 12 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $313K; repeat grants $103K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 17% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 33% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2023) to $5.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson Family Gift Fund - Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund Boston, MA | For General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Mt Grace Land Trust Athol, MA | For General Support | $600,000 |
| Mass General Boston, MA | For General Support | $500,000 |
| Martha's Vineyard Vision Fellowship Vineyard Haven, MA | For General Support | $90,000 |
| Harvard College Schoolyard Project Petersham, MA | For General Support | $40,000 |
| The Village School on the Common Royalston, MA | For Educational Purposes | $20,000 |
| Quabbin Food Connector Orange, MA | For General Support | $10,000 |
| Island Housing Trust West Tisbury, MA | For General Support | $8,379 |
| New England Public Radio Springfield, MA | For General Support | $5,000 |
| Stillpoint Martha's Vineyard Inc Vineyard Haven, MA | For General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Cardinal Brook Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $124,608,800 | $23,714,697 | $2,914,968 | $2,284,379 | 12 | $2,315,629 | $6,128,557 | $7,031,657 |
| 2023 | $103,661,109 | $50,394,251 | $572,982 | $24,625 | 5 | $61,973 | $5,349,700 | $4,385,176 |
| 2022 | $53,788,650 | $4,873,717 | $2,832,864 | $2,440,038 | 28 | $2,470,288 | $4,515,672 | $2,835,599 |
| 2021 | $51,747,797 | $2,898,495 | $3,483,705 | $2,943,541 | 48 | $2,975,466 | $2,466,001 | $3,065,663 |
| 2020 | $52,333,007 | $3,583,411 | $6,144,398 | $5,465,313 | 54 | — | $2,884,164 | $2,795,914 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cardinal Brook Trust reported a distributable amount of $7.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the trust. Its 2024 grants included support for a land trust, a hospital, educational organizations, and community organizations. Island Housing Trust describes its mission as developing and maintaining affordable housing on Martha’s Vineyard. Stillpoint Martha’s Vineyard describes its mission as creating a gathering place for educational offerings, including discussions, workshops, silent retreats, and the arts. Martha’s Vineyard Community Services describes its mission as meeting the needs of individuals, families, and the community through education, health, and human services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the trust reported 12 grants totaling $2,284,379. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $15,000. Its largest reported grants included $1,000,000 to Johnson Family Gift Fund - Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund, $600,000 to Mt Grace Land Trust, and $500,000 to Mass General. Other grants included $90,000 to Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship and $40,000 to Harvard College Schoolyard Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Hannah Johnson, Nathan Davis, Jacob Davis, Rebecca Aures, Karen Davis, and David Davis as trustees.
Cardinal Brook Trust's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hannah Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Aures
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Cardinal Brook Trust
How much does Cardinal Brook Trust give each year?
Cardinal Brook Trust gave $2.3M across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $25K across 5 grants.
What is Cardinal Brook Trust's typical grant size?
Cardinal Brook Trust's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $190,365, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cardinal Brook Trust that year got $313K on average.
Where does Cardinal Brook Trust give grants?
Cardinal Brook Trust gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Vineyard Haven, MA (3 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Cardinal Brook Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 83% of Cardinal Brook Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cardinal Brook Trust's largest grantees?
Cardinal Brook Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Johnson Family Gift Fund - Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund ($1,000,000), Mt Grace Land Trust ($600,000) and Mass General ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Cardinal Brook Trust?
Cardinal Brook Trust reported $124.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.0M (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 Cardinal Brook Trust fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the trust. Its 2024 grants included support for a land trust, a hospital, educational organizations, and community organizations. Island Housing Trust describes its mission as developing and maintaining affordable housing on Martha’s Vineyard. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cardinal Brook Trust?
The foundation states that it 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 Cardinal Brook Trust's EIN?
Cardinal Brook Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3050557. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cardinal Brook Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cardinal Brook Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cardinal-brook-trust-morg_31dd4f6a98ae4560947cc5dd41c9b7e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043050557_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cardinal Brook Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cardinal-brook-trust-morg_31dd4f6a98ae4560947cc5dd41c9b7e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Cardinal Brook Trust'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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