Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Belmont, Massachusetts. It makes capital grants for affordable housing and childcare projects, with a focus on supporting women and families through transitional and permanent housing, shelter, and childcare centers.
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Franklin Square House Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $47K), mostly in Massachusetts. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,182,573
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- -7.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $47,303
- +15.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $49,545
- Total assets
- $22,945,579
- -3.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (5 of 25, 2025)
- 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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s website says prospective applicants must first speak with the Executive Director and receive approval before submitting an application. The 2025 filing describes an initial telephone screening, followed by an application submitted electronically and by mail. Required materials listed on the filing include a completed application, IRS determination letter, first page of Form 990, recent audited financial statements, project budget, other funding sources, organizational budget, and project timeline. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations within the Foundation’s geographic target area. Shelter applicants must have current audited financial statements, be financially sound, support women and women with children, and have used all previous grant funding. Childcare applicants must be Massachusetts-licensed and NEAYC-accredited, have at least 50% subsidized childcare slots, and meet the Foundation’s financial and reporting requirements. The website’s emergency capital grant guidelines describe that program as restricted to existing grantees and limited to emergency capital improvements.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 childcare application deadline was January 14, 2026, and the stated decision date was April 16, 2026; that cycle has passed. The 2026 shelter application deadline was August 13, 2026, and has also passed; the stated decision date is October 17, 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2026 childcare application deadline was January 14, 2026, and the stated decision date was April 16, 2026; that…
- Contact
Application contact: Robert E Goldstein
Mailing address: PO Box 78037, Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: (617) 312-3400
Website: https://franklinsquarehousefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
Capital improvements Grant - Projects to Childcare Centers
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant for Capital Improvement to Shelter Projects that Support Women and Their Families
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Franklin Square House Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Transition House ($116K). Together the top 10 received $659K.
Grant Size Distribution
157 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 157 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2025 grants all went to recipients in Massachusetts. Its 2026 shelter and childcare guidelines define an eligible area that includes Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Essex, Middlesex, Plymouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties, as well as specified parts of Worcester County, including Leominster, Fitchburg, and Gardner.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Franklin Square House Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 25 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $52K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $49K repeat.
- 24% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $970K (2021) to $1.4M (2022). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Transition House Cambridge, MA | Housing and Shelter Grants | $116,441 |
| People Incorporated Fall River, MA | Childcare Grant | $86,588 |
| Northstar Learning Centers Inc New Bedford, MA | Childcare Grant | $77,388 |
| Empath Boston, MA | Housing and Shelter Grants | $64,330 |
| Citizens Inn Peabody, MA | Housing and Shelter Grant | $59,504 |
| Casparbaycove Somerville, MA | Housing and Shelter Grant | $54,995 |
| Abcd Boston, MA | Childcare Grant | $50,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester Boston, MA | Childcare Grant | $50,000 |
| Crispus Attucks Childcare Center Dorchester, MA | Childcare Grant | $50,000 |
| Pathways for Children Gloucester, MA | Childcare Grant | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,945,579 | $850,212 | $1,646,893 | $1,182,573 | 25 | $1,523,568 | $754,706 | $1,288,195 |
| 2024 | $23,751,306 | $908,123 | $1,591,378 | $1,109,138 | 27 | $1,459,657 | $803,889 | $1,280,120 |
| 2023 | $24,422,145 | $2,774,200 | $1,625,077 | $1,147,682 | 23 | $1,437,748 | $2,621,900 | $1,177,184 |
| 2022 | $23,216,731 | $2,658,065 | $1,724,477 | $1,352,886 | 30 | $1,582,366 | $2,552,004 | $1,207,975 |
| 2021 | $22,327,656 | $1,751,397 | $1,388,321 | $969,988 | 52 | $1,215,026 | $1,639,359 | $1,335,360 |
| 2020 | $22,045,897 | $1,872,921 | $1,532,707 | $1,143,075 | 89 | — | $1,740,351 | $1,154,487 |
| 2019 | $21,714,188 | $1,559,378 | $1,777,279 | $1,326,908 | 25 | — | $1,355,438 | $1,286,338 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Franklin Square House Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to support the creation and upkeep of affordable housing and affordable childcare with essential services, helping women and families access high-quality housing and supportive services. Its website describes its grants as “bricks and mortar” support for transitional and permanent housing, primarily for women, and daycare centers accessible to all. It says it is especially interested in projects still in development, while remaining open to projects at any stage.
The Foundation supports shelter projects serving women and women with children, as well as childcare centers. Its 2025 grants illustrate the range of organizations it funds. For example, Transition House describes its work as providing housing resources and support for survivors of violence and their children. Project Kompass says it provides transitional housing and life skills for young women, new mothers, and their babies experiencing homelessness. Among childcare grantees, Pathways for Children describes its work as nurturing children and supporting families affected by economic and social inequity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation gave $1,182,573 through 25 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $10,312 to $116,441, with a median of $49,545. Larger awards included $116,441 to Transition House for housing and shelter, $86,588 to People Incorporated for childcare, $77,388 to Northstar Learning Centers for childcare, and $64,330 to Empath for housing and shelter. Other 2025 recipients included Citizens Inn ($59,504), CASPAR/Bay Cove ($54,995), and several childcare and shelter organizations receiving $50,000 each.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert E. Goldstein as Executive Director; Barry Mills as President; Esther Schlorholtz as Vice President; Mayra Negron-Roche as Treasurer; and Lyndia Downie as Clerk. Board members listed on that filing are Audrey K. Wang, Chip Flowers, Deb Chausse, Ellen Christie, and Hemmie Chang.
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc is led by Robert E. Goldstein, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 18 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert E. Goldstein
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$167K (2019) → $230K (2025)
Barry Mills
President
Board Member → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Audrey K. Wang
Board Member
President → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chip Flowers
Board Member
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Christie
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hemmie Chang
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Frazier
Former Board Member
Treasurer → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Former Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lyndia Downie
Clerk
Board Member → Clerk, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marilyn Crone
Board Member
Board Member → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Rickabaugh
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Ellen Fitch
Board Member
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deb Chausse
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ivy Washington
Board Member
Board Member → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynne Sheridan
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Esther Schlorholtz
Vice President
Board Member → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mayra Negron-Roche
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Delidow
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mathew Yarmolinsky
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Celina E. Miranda (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Deborah Chausse (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jennifer Gilbert (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Patricia Belden (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Vanessa Calderon-Rosado (2019–2022) — Clerk
- Former: Anita Huggins (2019–2021) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $230K, to Robert E Goldstein (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Franklin Square House Foundation Inc
How much does Franklin Square House Foundation Inc give each year?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 27 grants.
What is Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $49,545, and its average grant was $47,303, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Franklin Square House Foundation Inc that year got $52K on average.
Where does Franklin Square House Foundation Inc give grants?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc 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 (8 grants), Lowell, MA (2 grants) and Lawrence, MA (2 grants).
Does Franklin Square House Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Childcare Grant" (10 grants), "Housing and Shelter Grant" (10 grants) and "Housing and Shelter Grants" (5 grants).
Who are Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Transition House ($116,441), People Incorporated ($86,588) and Northstar Learning Centers Inc ($77,388), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Franklin Square House Foundation Inc?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc reported $22.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Franklin Square House Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support the creation and upkeep of affordable housing and affordable childcare with essential services, helping women and families access high-quality housing and supportive services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Franklin Square House Foundation Inc?
The Foundation’s website says prospective applicants must first speak with the Executive Director and receive approval before submitting an application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's EIN?
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2103780. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 4, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Franklin Square House Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/franklin-square-house-foundation-inc-morg_2e1ec6ada6ef4f9e980b5a73726ac2ca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042103780_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Franklin Square House Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/franklin-square-house-foundation-inc-morg_2e1ec6ada6ef4f9e980b5a73726ac2ca},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Franklin Square House Foundation Inc'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.
Franklin Square House Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?