Edwards Scholarship Fund
Edwards Scholarship Fund is a Boston, Massachusetts–based private foundation that provides college scholarships to men and women of good character and ability who need financial assistance. Established in 1939 by lifelong Boston resident Grace M. Edwards, the Fund supports students pursuing undergraduate education.
Edwards Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: Edwards Scholarship Fund gave $413K across 121 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $412,500
- -1.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 121
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,409
- +1.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $10,753,268
- +1.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Edwards Scholarship Fund
- How to Apply
-
Applications are made through the Fund’s website. The Fund’s filing states that the student’s family must have resided in Boston since the beginning of the student’s junior year of high school; the website also specifies that applicants must have resided in Boston from at least that point and have a permanent Boston address when applying.
- Review Cycle
- March 1 for the following year.
- Deadline
- March 1 for the following year.
- Contact
Application contact: Edwards Scholarship Fund
Mailing address: C/O Hemenway Barnes 75 State Street, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 227-7940
Website: https://www.edwardsfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Edwards Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Christian Docanto ($4K). Together the top 2 received $7K.
Organizations only. It also paid 119 individual scholarships ($405,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
594 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 594 grants of 594 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund’s scholarship program is for applicants with Boston residency beginning no later than the start of their junior year in high school. In 2025, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 121 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Edwards Scholarship Fund gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 85% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $333K (2020) to $417K (2024). In 2025 it made 121 grants totaling $413K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 49 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $171,500 |
| Christian Docanto Boston, MA | Scholarship | $3,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,753,268 | $1,751,443 | $602,431 | $412,500 | 121 | $501,662 | $1,641,678 | $587,860 |
| 2024 | $10,571,573 | $453,574 | $556,458 | $417,450 | 124 | $473,228 | $362,694 | $560,238 |
| 2023 | $10,679,045 | $286,973 | $544,169 | $408,517 | 105 | $457,234 | $182,623 | $530,136 |
| 2022 | $10,936,430 | $905,899 | $548,361 | $397,750 | 120 | $459,613 | $793,068 | $573,678 |
| 2021 | $12,460,821 | $2,261,816 | $536,566 | $354,000 | 124 | — | $2,176,815 | $534,222 |
| 2020 | $10,661,661 | $2,188,335 | $507,198 | $333,000 | 117 | — | $2,129,760 | $456,867 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Edwards Scholarship Fund reported a distributable amount of $588K 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 Fund’s stated mission is to further the development of good citizenship through education. Its scholarships are need-based and may cover the gap between a college’s financial aid award and the amount it determines a student’s family can pay. Scholarship funds are paid directly to the school and may be applied to tuition, on-campus housing, meal plans, or, in some cases, certain self-help costs.
Applicants must meet academic and residency requirements, attend a regionally accredited college or university offering recognized degrees, and have a high school diploma or GED before beginning college. Applicants must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA on a 4-point scale or equivalent. High school applicants receive priority. Students attending Massachusetts community colleges are ineligible, though students transferring from community college to a four-year college may apply. Scholarships may cover up to four years of undergraduate education, with possible extensions at the trustees’ discretion. Relatives of trustees, Fund employees, and major donors are ineligible.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Fund reported 121 scholarships totaling $412,500. Awards ranged from $1,750 to $3,500, with a median of $3,500. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts. Listed recipients include five individual recipients, each of Boston, Massachusetts, who received $3,500 for a scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bernard Bonn III, Margaret Flanagan, and Timothy Blank as trustees.
Edwards Scholarship Fund's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bernard Bonn III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Flanagan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Blank
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kathryn Osmond (2020–2021) — Director
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 Edwards Scholarship Fund
How much does Edwards Scholarship Fund give each year?
Edwards Scholarship Fund gave $413K across 121 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $417K across 124 grants.
What is Edwards Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
Edwards Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2025 was $3,500, and its average grant was $3,409, across 121 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Edwards Scholarship Fund give grants?
Edwards Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Edwards Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 121 grants with a stated purpose on Edwards Scholarship Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (121 grants).
How large is Edwards Scholarship Fund?
Edwards Scholarship Fund reported $10.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $502K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $588K (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 Edwards Scholarship Fund fund?
The Fund’s stated mission is to further the development of good citizenship through education. Its scholarships are need-based and may cover the gap between a college’s financial aid award and the amount it determines a student’s family can pay. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edwards Scholarship Fund?
Applications are made through the Fund’s website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Edwards Scholarship Fund's EIN?
Edwards Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6002496. 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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