Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
The Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing says its activities are limited to making grants to nonprofit charitable organizations; it conducts no activities on its own behalf.
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation at a glance
In short: Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation gave $1.2M across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $68K), mostly in New York. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,162,600
- +32.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $68,388
- +25.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $25,872,435
- +25.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (6 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says no specific form is necessary. Contact Aaron Spencer. Applicants must be tax-exempt organizations. The foundation says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Aaron Spencer
Mailing address: 51 Grey Stone Path, Dedham, MA 02026-4068
Phone: (617) 435-8667
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital ($275K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 85 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 38% to recipients in Massachusetts, and 2% to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 17 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $88K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 70% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $683K (2022) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $275,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc Boston, MA | To support the charity's mission | $200,000 |
| ASUH - American Society of the University of Haifa New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $150,000 |
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | To support the charity's mission. | $100,000 |
| Maimonides School Brookline, MA | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Hadassah New York City, NY | To support the Charity's mission. | $72,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $50,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | To support the charity's mission | $50,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Boston, MA | To support the Charity's mission. | $25,000 |
| Hebrew College Newton center, MA | To support the charity's mission | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $25,872,435 | $14,362,034 | $1,399,007 | $1,162,600 | 17 | $1,162,600 | $11,657,814 | $1,279,247 |
| 2024 | $20,572,715 | $3,458,416 | $990,898 | $874,900 | 16 | $874,900 | $860,940 | $1,166,349 |
| 2023 | $18,105,197 | $3,165,917 | $771,183 | $690,308 | 14 | $690,308 | $595,734 | $946,575 |
| 2022 | $15,710,463 | $1,810,328 | $807,785 | $682,878 | 18 | $682,878 | $394,357 | $936,982 |
| 2021 | $14,707,920 | $609,192 | $1,100,189 | $956,515 | 20 | $956,515 | $496,524 | $916,586 |
| 2020 | $15,198,917 | $7,054,873 | $1,048,133 | $975,647 | 20 | — | $1,515,589 | $751,552 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston says its mission includes sustaining Jewish life in Greater Boston and strengthening connections with Israel and world Jewry. The American Jewish Committee says it works to enhance the wellbeing of the Jewish people and Israel and advance human rights and democratic values. Birthright Israel Foundation says it raises funds to support educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $1,162,600. Grants ranged from $600 to $275,000, with a median grant of $25,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $275,000 to AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital, $200,000 to Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, $150,000 to ASUH - American Society of the University of Haifa, and $100,000 each to the American Jewish Committee and Maimonides School. Other reported grants included $72,000 to HADASSAH, $50,000 each to Birthright Israel Foundation and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and $25,000 each to Habitat for Humanity, Hebrew College, New Israel Fund, and Planned Parenthood.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Aaron Spencer and Mark Spencer as trustees.
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Aaron Spencer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Spencer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
How much does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation give each year?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation gave $1.2M across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $875K across 16 grants.
What is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $68,388, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation that year got $33K on average.
Where does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation give grants?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation gives mostly in New York: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (38%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), Boston, MA (5 grants) and New York City, NY (2 grants).
Does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To support the charity's mission" (17 grants).
Who are Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital ($275,000), Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc ($200,000) and ASUH - American Society of the University of Haifa ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation reported $25.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (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 Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation?
The filing says no specific form is necessary. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's EIN?
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6360057. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Massachusetts
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
The Federation funds Jewish life and identity, antisemitism response, crisis relief, human services, and justice and inclusion, with work in the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,050 to $2,405,915, with a median of $22,750. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about new Bay Area programs; no current organization grant opportunities were listed.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
Justin & Genevieve Wyner Trust
Dedham, MA
Assets
—
Grants
95
Total Given
$147K
Joseph and RAE Gann Charitable
Bal Harbour, FL
Assets
$17.0M
Grants
237
Total Given
$1.8M
Paul & Elaine Chervinsky
Newton, MA
The foundation supports varied charitable organizations, including senior services, education, zoos, museums, and religious and community groups, with most grant dollars going to Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $200,000, with a median of $1,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$6.3M
Grants
43
Total Given
$406K
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The Boston Foundation funds nonprofits and community initiatives focused on equity and opportunity, including child well-being, economic opportunity, community wealth, and community leadership, primarily in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, while specific programs offer amounts such as $50,000; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Eastern Bank Foundation supports economic inclusion and mobility, including small businesses, early childhood development, affordable housing, and workforce development. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $2,002,500, with a median of $2,500, primarily in Massachusetts and also in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It accepts online applications and does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$266.7M
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cheryl-spencer-memorial-foundation-morg_050e0438e76041829a627a889c84633a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046360057_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cheryl-spencer-memorial-foundation-morg_050e0438e76041829a627a889c84633a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation'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.
Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?