Charles H Hood Foundation
The Charles H. Hood Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 1942 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts (with offices at 2 Boylston Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02116). The organization is singularly focused on improving the health and quality of life for children through funding pioneering research and accelerating innovations in pediatric healthcare. The Foundation operates as a catalyst for discovery in early-stage research and development, supporting high-risk, high-reward work that might otherwise go unfunded.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$101.0M
+40.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+14.9% YoY
Grant Count
22
-18.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$112K
+41.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles H Hood Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Since 1942, the Hood Foundation has carried on the legacy of Charles H. Hood by funding groundbreaking and innovative pediatric research. The Foundation makes meaningful change possible by filling gaps in the medical research and innovation funding marketplace that springboard the next generation of cutting-edge scientific leaders and advancements in pediatric health.
Core Focus Areas:
The Foundation operates through three primary initiatives:
- Child Health Research Grants – Supporting early-career investigators with promising, hypothesis-driven pediatric research in basic, clinical, and public health disciplines
- CH Innovations (Program-Related Investments) – Investing seed-stage capital in for-profit startups developing pediatric diagnostics, devices, therapeutics, and health technologies
- Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub at MIT – A collaboration with MIT HEALS advancing interdisciplinary solutions to unmet needs in pediatric medicine
Grantmaking
The Hood Foundation focuses on funding early-stage investigators and breakthrough solutions. The organization seeks out cutting-edge research and initiatives in critical phases of development that may carry higher risk but have greater potential for impact.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the Foundation's legacy began in New England, its impact is global. The organization funds early-stage investigators and breakthrough solutions that improve child health and well-being around the world. The Foundation has historically focused on supporting researchers in the New England area, with documented funding to institutions throughout the region.
Institutions Funded (2005-2025): Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston College, Boston Medical Center, Boston University, Brandeis University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brown University, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $72 million
- Annual Revenue: $3.34 million
- Annual Expenses: $2.7 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; tax-exempt since May 2000 EIN: 04-3507847
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $101,037,612 | $72,008,150 | $66,678,123 |
| Revenue | $28,190,532 | $3,339,111 | $3,015,041 |
| Expenses | $3,159,061 | $2,697,258 | $3,326,803 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,465,739 | $3,474,434 | $3,954,329 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,293,483 | $2,927,471 | $1,833,328 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,614,845 | $3,440,690 | $3,363,360 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Charles H Hood Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($400,000), Yale University ($100,000), Massachusetts General Hospital ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN, CT | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - SUPPORTING REFUGEE MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH TRANSLATION OF EVALUATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND THROUGH A PREVENTIVE MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION | $100,000 |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - TACKLING PULMONARY HYPOPLASIA WITH GENETIC, EPIGENETIC AND STEM CELL APPROACHES. | $100,000 |
| BOSTON COLLEGE NEW YORK, NY | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - IMPROVING CHILDHOOD TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND POST-TB LUNG FUNCTIONING AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL SOUTH AFRICA | $100,000 |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - IDENTIFYING EEG-BASED BIOMARKERS OF LANGUAGE GROWTH IN PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME | $100,000 |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - CHARACTERIZING THE ROLE OF TWO SUBCORTICAL NUCLEI IN PREFRONTAL REGULATION OF ATTENTION | $100,000 |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - POSTNATAL EXPOSURE TO HYPEROXIA CAUSES MALADAPTATION OF THE PREMATURE INTESTINE | $100,000 |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - ROLE OF XENOBIOTIC PATHWAYS TO MODULATE INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL METABOLISM, AS POSSIBLE TARGETS FOR OBESITY AND DIABETES | $100,000 |
| BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - THE ROLE OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS TO ENHANCE IMMUNE FUNCTION IN A MODEL OF NEONATAL INFECTION | $100,000 |
| DARTMOUTH-HITCHCOCK CLINIC LEBANON, NH | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - EVALUATING MECHANISMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL EXPOSURE WITH DEVELOPING ZEBRAFISH URINARY SYSTEM | $70,000 |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY BOSTON, MA | CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH AWARD - ADVANCING THE RETINOIC ACID SIGNALING ACTIVATOR AS A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC IN MOUSE MODELS OF RETINAL DEGENERATION | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEIL SMILEY | PRESIDENT AND TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JOHN O PARKER JR | VICE PRESIDENT AND CLERK | 1 | — |
| ROBERT C BOUTWELL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARBARA BULA | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRENDON BULA | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH HOOD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CLAY SMILEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation maintains an active grantmaking schedule with regular funding cycles. Recent announcements include:
Applications opened for the January 2026 Hood Foundation Child Health Research Awards
Research Grants - The Charles Hood FoundationThe Foundation continues to announce awardees from recent funding cycles, including major grant and child health award recipients
Research Grants - The Charles Hood FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Charles H Hood Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Since 1942, the Hood Foundation has carried on the legacy of Charles H. Hood by funding groundbreaking and innovative pediatric research. The Foundation makes meaningful change possible by filling gaps in the medical research and innovation funding marketplace that springboard the next generation of cutting-edge scientific leaders and advancements in pediatric health. **Core Focus Areas:** The Foundation operates through three primary initiatives: • **Child Health Research Grants**…
How do I apply for a grant from Charles H Hood Foundation?
The Hood Foundation focuses on funding early-stage investigators and breakthrough solutions. The organization seeks out cutting-edge research and initiatives in critical phases of development that may carry higher risk but have greater potential for impact. **Grant Strategy:** • Targets the best and brightest researchers in the New England area • Funds promising research that other funding entities might reject • Supports researchers early in their careers to help them demonstrate creativity an…
Where does Charles H Hood Foundation make grants?
While the Foundation's legacy began in New England, its impact is global. The organization funds early-stage investigators and breakthrough solutions that improve child health and well-being around the world. The Foundation has historically focused on supporting researchers in the New England area, with documented funding to institutions throughout the region. **Institutions Funded (2005-2025):** Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston College, Boston Medical Ce…
What size grants does Charles H Hood Foundation award?
In 2024, Charles H Hood Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $112K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Charles H Hood Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Charles H Hood Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Charles H Hood Foundation's EIN?
Charles H Hood Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3507847. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Charles H Hood Foundation'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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