The Cecile Higginson Murphy Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1998 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. It operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$58.4M
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+8.3% YoY
Grant Count
30
+3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$80K
+4.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cecile Higginson Murphy reported a distributable amount of $2.8M 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
The foundation supports initiatives including a general purpose south shore natural science center, the Serving Those Who Serve initiative, and the Outdoors Rx program.
Grantmaking
Additional grants totaling $1,842,000 were distributed to 19 other organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, California, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2025:
- Total assets: $58,433,272
- Total revenues: $3,880,625
- Total expenses: $2,795,037
- Total grants and contributions: $338,000
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $58,433,272 | $55,277,073 | $50,228,851 |
| Revenue | $3,880,625 | $2,164,811 | $630,151 |
| Expenses | $2,795,037 | $2,551,820 | $2,907,949 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,674,683 | $2,471,062 | $2,742,540 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,483,234 | $2,094,171 | $796,573 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,801,806 | $2,662,280 | $2,471,701 |
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
127 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Boston Symphony Orchestra ($500,000), Women's Lunch Place ($250,000), Cradles To Crayons Inc ($225,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abington Public Schools Abington, MA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| ACE MV Inc Vineyard Haven, MA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Boston Symphony Orchestra Boston, MA | General Purpose | $500,000 |
| Breaktime United Boston, MA | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Community Harvest Project North Grafton, MA | General Purpose | $75,000 |
| Cradles To Crayons Inc Newton, MA | General Purpose | $225,000 |
| Direct Relief Santa Barbara, CA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Fisher House of Boston South Walpole, MA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Food Link Arlington, MA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Gary Sinise Foundation Merrifield, VA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles A Cheever | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kristin T Abati | Trustee | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Cecile Higginson Murphy Charitable Foundation PO Box 961019 Boston, MA 02196-1019 Telephone: 617-248-4760 EIN: 04-3447397
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cecile Higginson Murphy fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation supports initiatives including a general purpose south shore natural science center, the Serving Those Who Serve initiative, and the Outdoors Rx program.
How do I apply for a grant from Cecile Higginson Murphy?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$500,000 • Recent annual giving: $2,412,000 (2025) • Number of grants: 14 grants made in the most recent reporting period **Recent Grants (2025):** • Boston Symphony Orchestra: $500,000 • Women's Lunch Place: $250,000 • Cradles to Crayons: $225,000 Additional grants totaling $1,842,000 were distributed to 19 other organizations.
Where does Cecile Higginson Murphy make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, California, and Virginia.
What size grants does Cecile Higginson Murphy award?
In 2025, Cecile Higginson Murphy awarded 30 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $80K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cecile Higginson Murphy required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Cecile Higginson Murphy reported a distributable amount of $2.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cecile Higginson Murphy's EIN?
Cecile Higginson Murphy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3447397. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cecile Higginson Murphy's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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