Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
The Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation is a family foundation based in Dedham, Massachusetts. Established in 1986, the foundation operates as a private grantmaking organization focused on supporting charitable causes in the Jewish community and beyond.
Key facts about Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
- EIN
- 04-6360057
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $874,900
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- Average grant
- $54,681
- Median grant
- $75,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2024)
- Total assets
- $20,572,715
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (53% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation's 16 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (53%) and New York (47%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and Waltham, MA (2 grants). None of its 16 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To support the charity's mission" (16 grants).
Is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $42K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 75% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.6M
+13.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$875K
+26.7% YoY
Grant Count
16
+14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
+10.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on Jewish organizations. Secondary funding interests include education and hospitals, with particular attention to children's hospitals.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Dedham, Massachusetts and serves the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 16 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,572,715 | $18,105,197 | $15,710,463 |
| Revenue | $3,458,416 | $3,165,917 | $1,810,328 |
| Expenses | $990,898 | $771,183 | $807,785 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $874,900 | $690,308 | $682,878 |
| Net Investment Income | $860,940 | $595,734 | $394,357 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,166,349 | $946,575 | $936,982 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
88 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include American Jewish Committee ($102,000), AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital ($100,000), American Society For Technion Israel Institute Of Technology Inc ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | To support the charity's mission. | $102,000 |
| AFORAM - American FriendsRambam Hospital New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| American Society For Technion Israel Institute Of Technology Inc Newton, MA | To support the Charity's mission. | $100,000 |
| ASUH - American Society of the University of Haifa New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Brandies University - Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program Waltham, MA | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc Boston, MA | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Maimonides School Brookline, MA | To support the charity's mission | $100,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | To support the charity's mission | $50,000 |
| Rainforest Alliance Nyc, NY | To support the charity's mission | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Aaron Spencer serves as a key contact for the foundation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Spencer | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Mark Spencer | Trustee | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 51 Grey Stone Path, Dedham, MA 02026-4068
Telephone: 617-435-8667
EIN: 04-6360057
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary giving focuses on Jewish organizations. Secondary funding interests include education and hospitals, with particular attention to children's hospitals.
Where does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Dedham, Massachusetts and serves the United States.
What size grants does Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation award?
In 2024, Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $875K — an average of about $55K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cheryl Spencer Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.