Edwin S Webster Foundation
The Edwin S. Webster Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1948 by Edwin Sibley Webster (1867-1950), co-founder of the engineering firm Stone & Webster. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since September 1949. The foundation is classified as a private grantmaking foundation and distributes grants to charitable organizations across the United States, with a primary focus on the New England region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$52.1M
+7.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+16.2% YoY
Grant Count
68
+1.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+14.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support charitable organizations that are well known to the trustees. Primary funding areas include:
- Hospitals and medical research
- Education
- Youth agencies
- Cultural activities
- Programs addressing the needs of minorities
The foundation explicitly states that it gives "primarily to organizations that are well known to the foundation's trustees" and that grant-making is heavily influenced by trustee relationships.
Grantmaking
The foundation considers requests for:
Grant Range
$5,000 to $250,000
Review Cycle
of May 1 and November 1
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation confines its grants primarily to the New England area, with particular emphasis on Massachusetts. No grants are made outside the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets (2024): $52.1 million
- Total assets (2023): $48.5 million
- Growth from 2011: Assets have grown from approximately $26.5 million
Revenue & Expenses (2024):
- Total revenue: $3.36 million
- Total expenses: $2.82 million
- Net income: $541,112
- Total liabilities: $0
Revenue Sources (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $887,325
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $2,351,849
Annual Giving:
- 2024: $2.19 million
- 2023: $2.125 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $52,088,615 | $48,542,988 | $42,500,043 |
| Revenue | $3,362,483 | $3,239,340 | $3,278,545 |
| Expenses | $2,821,371 | $2,404,148 | $2,611,749 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,584,247 | $2,193,133 | $2,365,820 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,019,450 | $2,964,217 | $3,236,020 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,514,720 | $2,204,895 | $2,194,731 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDER W HIAM | TRUSTEE (THROUGH 2/26/24) | 5 | $6,000 |
| HENRY U HARRIS III | TRUSTEE | 5 | $14,400 |
| SUZANNE HARTE SEARS | TRUSTEE | 5 | $14,400 |
| THOMAS C BECK | TRUSTEE | 5 | $14,400 |
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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