Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn

BOSTON, MA EIN: 22-3432161 Website

The Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. The foundation maintains offices at c/o NEIM, 24 Federal Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02110-2516.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.4M

+3.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$155K

-76.5% YoY

Grant Count

-33.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

-64.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $150K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

The foundation maintains a general fund that supports charitable purposes across these areas.

Grantmaking

The foundation awarded grants totaling $664,986 in its most recent fiscal year (2024), with the last grants awarded in 2024.

Grant Range

$5,000–$85,000

Average Grant

amount: $23,659

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, with grants also extending to other states including California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $2.6M (96%)

District of Columbia $100K (4%)

New York $10K (0%)

States

District of Columbia Massachusetts New York

Cities

ActonBeverlyBostonBoylstonCambridgeCharlestownChestnut HillCold SpringDorchesterJamaica PlainNew BedfordWashingtonWatertownWathamWest RoxburyWestwoodWoburn

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Filing Year: 2024

Total Assets: $1,387,553
Total Giving: $664,986
Total Revenue: $462,244
Total Expenses: $697,001
Giving Rate: 44.2%

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	$1,430,276	$1,387,553	$1,622,310
Revenue	$232,902	$462,244	$570,301
Expenses	$190,179	$697,001	$656,880
Qualifying Distributions	$159,828	$664,986	$620,182
Net Investment Income	$232,902	$462,244	$570,301
Distributable Amount	$150,365	$156,558	$168,510

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 2025

Grant Size Distribution

127 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Community Servings ($15,000), Gore Place Society ($15,000), West Roxbury Ymca ($15,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
152 COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$10,000
ARNOLD ARBORETUM OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY JAMAICA PLAIN, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$10,000
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$10,000
COMMUNITY SERVINGS JAMAICA PLAIN, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$15,000
EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000
GORE PLACE SOCIETY WATHAM, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$15,000
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$10,000
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000
NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

John F Francini – Part-time Trustee (1 hour per week)
Louise C Riemer – Part-time Trustee (1 hour per week)

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

From 2025 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOHN F FRANCINISEE STATEMENT	PART-TIME TRUSTEE	1	—
LOUISE C RIEMER	PART-TIME TRUSTEE	1	—
THOMAS B MOORE	PART-TIME TRUSTEE	1	—
LOUISE C RIEMER II	PART-TIME TRUSTEE	1	—
ELIZABETH REECE	PART-TIME TRUSTEE	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn fund?

The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation maintains a general fund that supports charitable purposes across these areas.

How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $5,000–$85,000 • Median grant amount: $23,659 • Average grant amount: $23,659 • Number of grants awarded: 36 (based on most recent filing) **Recent Activity:** The foundation awarded grants totaling $664,986 in its most recent fiscal year (2024), with the last grants awarded in 2024.

Where does Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn make grants?

The foundation funds organizations in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, with grants also extending to other states including California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and New York.

What size grants does Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn award?

In 2025, Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn awarded 18 grants totaling $155K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $150K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn's EIN?

Elizabeth T Fessenden Charitable Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3432161. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.