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Davis Family Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 05-6149205 Website

The Davis Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports organizations working on children’s and young people’s opportunities, family needs, equitable health care, environmental protection, humanitarian relief, and community vitality.

Key facts about Davis Family Charitable Foundation

In short: Davis Family Charitable Foundation gave $2.2M across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), mostly in Massachusetts. 34% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
05-6149205
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$2,240,106
Grants made (2024)
56
Average grant
$40,002
Median grant
$25,000
New grantees (estimate)
34% first-time grantees (19 of 56, 2024)
Total assets
$37,363,067
Primary geography
Massachusetts (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$37.4M

+5.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.2M

-3.9% YoY

Grant Count

56

+33.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$40K

-27.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Davis Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Davis Family Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

34%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 19 of 56 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $49K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $25K repeat.

  • 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s mission is to unlock the potential of young people, expand families’ access to resources and services, invest in the wellbeing of local and global communities, and conserve and restore natural habitats for future generations.

Its focus areas include education and opportunity for children and young people; hunger and homelessness prevention and services for unhoused people and families, including immigrant and refugee populations; equitable access to health care; climate change mitigation, habitat conservation and restoration, and policy advocacy; humanitarian aid and disaster relief; and community support through arts, culture, outdoor spaces, and advocacy for a more just and equitable community. The foundation also notes a particular commitment to supporting the local Jewish community.

Among its 2024 grantees, Heading Home describes its work as providing housing and support services to homeless and formerly homeless people and families in Greater Boston. Save the Children describes its mission as improving children’s lives through immediate and lasting change. Boston Medical Center says it provides accessible health services to people in need regardless of status or ability to pay. Lake Sunapee Protective Association says it works to preserve and enhance the region’s environment. These are grantees’ own descriptions of their work.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $2,240,106. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $275,000, with a median of $25,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation describes Boston as its home and says it supports its local community as well as global communities. In 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, followed by Connecticut (7%), New York (6%), New Hampshire (3%), and Washington, D.C. (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.

Cities

BostonBrooklineWalthamNew LondonWashingtonCambridgeEast BostonNew YorkBethlehamFairfieldMiddleburySunapeeBrightonConcordChicagoMaldenNewtonCharlestownMattapoisettBraintree

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M29 grants2020 40 grants2021 44 grants2022 42 grants2023 56 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2020) to $2.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $2.2M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Heading Home: $275KHeading Home$275KWbur Boston: $250KWbur Boston$250KSave the Children Federation: $150KSave the Children Federation$150KBrandeis University: $125KBrandeis University$125KFamily Aid Boston Inc: $100KFamily Aid Boston Inc$100KBoston Medical Center: $75KBoston Medical Center$75KCambridge Health Alliance Foundation: $75KCambridge Health AllianceFoundation$75KBoston Childrens Hospital: $70KBoston Childrens Hospital$70KBoys & Girls Clubs Boston: $61KBoys & Girls Clubs Boston$61KJVS: $60KJVS$60K

The largest 2024 recipient was Heading Home ($275K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.

Grant Size Distribution

211 grants across all recorded years

138<$50K36$50–100K25$100–250K11$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 138 grants of 211 (65%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Heading Home Boston, MACharitable Gift$275,000
Wbur Boston Boston, MACharitable Gift$250,000
Save the Children Federation Fairfield, CTCharitable Gift$150,000
Brandeis University Waltham, MACharitable Gift$125,000
Family Aid Boston Inc Boston, MACharitable Gift$100,000
Boston Medical Center Boston, MACharitable Gift$75,000
Cambridge Health Alliance Foundation Malden, MACharitable Gift$75,000
Boston Childrens Hospital Boston, MACharitable Gift$70,000
Boys & Girls Clubs Boston Boston, MACharitable Gift$61,272
JVS Boston, MACharitable Gift$60,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $37,363,067 $5,075,681 $3,290,050 $2,240,106
2023 $35,577,436 $4,995,647 $3,603,877 $2,330,500
2022 $34,185,666 -$324,064 $4,126,123 $2,498,000

The foundation files Form 990-PF.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$37,363,067$35,577,436$34,185,666
Revenue$5,075,681$4,995,647$-324,064
Expenses$3,290,050$3,603,877$4,126,123
Qualifying Distributions$2,643,002$2,793,772$2,961,067
Net Investment Income$4,434,035$3,143,196—
Distributable Amount$2,588,691$2,303,711$2,343,428

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Jonathan G. Davis, Margot T. Davis, and Stephen T. Davis as trustees, and Molly Davis MacLeod as trustee and executive director. The foundation’s website lists Nicole Kelley as administrative director.

Davis Family Charitable Foundation is led by Molly Davis Macleod, Trustee & Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Molly Davis Macleod

    Trustee & Executive Director

    Trustee & Program Officer → Trustee & Executive Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $51K (2020) → $89K (2024)

  • Jonathan G. Davis

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Margot T. Davis

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephen T. Davis

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Molly Davis Macleod — Trustee/Executive Director: $89KMolly Davis MacleodTrustee/Executive Director$89K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $89K, to Molly Davis Macleod (Trustee/Executive Director).

Contact

Mailing address: 125 High St Ste 2111, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 451-1300
Website: https://davisfamilycf.org

Frequently asked questions about Davis Family Charitable Foundation

How much does Davis Family Charitable Foundation give each year?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation gave $2.2M across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.3M across 42 grants.

What is Davis Family Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $40,002, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Davis Family Charitable Foundation that year got $23K on average.

Where does Davis Family Charitable Foundation give grants?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (7%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (24 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Brookline, MA (3 grants) and Waltham, MA (2 grants).

Does Davis Family Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 56 grants with a stated purpose on Davis Family Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Gift" (56 grants).

Who are Davis Family Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Heading Home ($275,000), Wbur Boston ($250,000) and Save the Children Federation ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Davis Family Charitable Foundation?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation reported $37.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Davis Family Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation’s mission is to unlock the potential of young people, expand families’ access to resources and services, invest in the wellbeing of local and global communities, and conserve and restore natural habitats for future generations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Davis Family Charitable Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Davis Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Davis Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-6149205. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Davis Family Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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