Edith H Overly Foundation
The Edith H Overly Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2024, it awarded grants to charitable organizations including educational, environmental, cultural, health, and animal-welfare organizations.
Edith H Overly Foundation at a glance
In short: Edith H Overly Foundation gave $1.7M across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $52K), mostly in Massachusetts. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,716,050
- -11.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- +3.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $52,002
- -13.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $48,000
- Total assets
- $41,235,290
- +8.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 33, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (78% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Edith H Overly Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Choate Llp PO Box 961019, Boston, MA 02196
Phone: (617) 248-4760
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Edith H Overly Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Trustees of Tufts College ($180K). Together the top 10 received $909K.
Grant Size Distribution
154 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 154 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 78% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts. Other recipient-state shares were New York (6%), Colorado (5%), Georgia (4%), and the District of Columbia (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Edith H Overly Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 33 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $49K; repeat grants $52K. How we count
Medians: $49K first-time, $48K repeat.
- 94% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2020) to $1.9M (2023). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of Tufts College Medford, MA | General Support | $180,000 |
| Museum of Science Boston, MA | General Support | $125,000 |
| Old Sturbridge Village Sturbridge, MA | General Support | $105,000 |
| New England Aquarium Boston, MA | General Support | $95,000 |
| American Alpine Club Golden, CO | General Support | $80,000 |
| Unity Farm Sanctuary Sherborn, MA | General Support | $73,739 |
| American Cancer Society Atlanta, GA | General Support | $70,000 |
| Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary Boston, MA | General Support | $60,000 |
| Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston, MA | General Support | $60,000 |
| WGBH Educational Foundation Boston, MA | General Support | $60,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $41,235,290 | $3,059,300 | $2,002,841 | $1,716,050 | 33 | $1,758,962 | $2,831,355 | $1,960,560 |
| 2023 | $38,018,116 | $721,910 | $2,190,977 | $1,927,920 | 32 | $1,966,875 | $594,929 | $1,792,489 |
| 2022 | $35,084,986 | $-1,701,291 | $1,735,774 | $1,368,475 | 32 | $1,392,943 | $313,459 | $1,903,809 |
| 2021 | $47,198,750 | $16,400,838 | $1,557,545 | $1,270,000 | 28 | $1,297,836 | $4,424,189 | $1,953,102 |
| 2020 | $32,189,004 | $-270,839 | $1,426,094 | $1,240,000 | 29 | — | $363,351 | $1,388,913 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Edith H Overly Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission is stated. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in several areas. For example, the Museum of Science describes its mission as inspiring a lifelong love of science and making science accessible and engaging. The New England Aquarium describes its work as public engagement and education, marine animal conservation, scientific research, and ocean advocacy. Unity Farm Sanctuary says it provides lifelong homes for animals and offers public education programs.
Other 2024 recipients included the American Cancer Society, which describes its mission as improving the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support; WGBH Educational Foundation, which says its programs educate, inspire, and entertain; and the New England Wildlife Center, which describes work involving wildlife education, research, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $1,716,050. Grant amounts ranged from $20,000 to $180,000, with a median of $48,000. Listed large grants included $180,000 to Trustees of Tufts College, $125,000 to the Museum of Science, $105,000 to Old Sturbridge Village, $95,000 to the New England Aquarium, and $80,000 to the American Alpine Club. The stated purpose for each of these grants was general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists William A Lowell and Charles A Cheever as trustees.
Edith H Overly Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
William A Lowell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2022) → $40K (2024)
Charles A Cheever
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $40K, to William A Lowell (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Edith H Overly Foundation
How much does Edith H Overly Foundation give each year?
Edith H Overly Foundation gave $1.7M across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 32 grants.
What is Edith H Overly Foundation's typical grant size?
Edith H Overly Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $48,000, and its average grant was $52,002, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Edith H Overly Foundation that year got $49K on average.
Where does Edith H Overly Foundation give grants?
Edith H Overly Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (14 grants), Sherborn, MA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Edith H Overly Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Edith H Overly Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Edith H Overly Foundation's largest grantees?
Edith H Overly Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Trustees of Tufts College ($180,000), Museum of Science ($125,000) and Old Sturbridge Village ($105,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Edith H Overly Foundation?
Edith H Overly Foundation reported $41.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (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 Edith H Overly Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in several areas. For example, the Museum of Science describes its mission as inspiring a lifelong love of science and making science accessible and engaging. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edith H Overly Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Edith H Overly Foundation's EIN?
Edith H Overly Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3043340. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Edith H Overly Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Edith H Overly Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/edith-h-overly-foundation-morg_2518b242ff0047b192232e77be8a43a1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223043340_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Edith H Overly Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/edith-h-overly-foundation-morg_2518b242ff0047b192232e77be8a43a1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Edith H Overly 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.
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