Gordon Foundation
The Gordon Foundation (Bernard M. Gordon Et Al Trustees) is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1983 by Bernard M. Gordon and his wife Sophia. Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, the foundation operates as a family-managed entity without dedicated staff. Despite modest reported assets, it maintains a significant annual grantmaking footprint, distributing over $7 million annually. The foundation has distributed more than $100 million since the early 1990s.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
+45.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.7M
-4.8% YoY
Grant Count
8
-11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$833K
+7.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gordon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $82K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus is on training outstanding engineers and scientists and supporting educational and medical initiatives. Funding priorities include:
- STEM Education & Youth Development
- Community Development (regional grants)
- Jewish Community Organizations
- Educational Institutions
- Medical Initiatives
The foundation provides unrestricted grants, offering flexibility to recipients in deploying funds.
Grantmaking
Notable recent grants include:
Grant Range
** $35,000 – $4,133,500
Grant Types
How to Apply
** Rolling/year-round acceptance of written proposals
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Texas
- Tennessee
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets (2024): $1,829,350
Total Revenues (2024): $7,209,369
Total Expenses (2024): $6,697,990
Total Grants, Contributions (2024): $7,163,502
Investment Income & Dividends (2024): $25,369
The foundation's significant annual grantmaking relative to its asset base indicates pass-through funding from the Gordon family.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,829,350 | $1,257,806 | $1,292,875 |
| Revenue | $7,209,369 | $7,047,706 | $2,986,688 |
| Expenses | $6,697,990 | $7,042,689 | $2,440,263 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,665,500 | $6,999,000 | $2,420,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,377 | — | $534,998 |
| Distributable Amount | $81,568 | $69,967 | $49,531 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Northeastern University ($4,200,500), Salem State University ($1,000,000), Museum of Science ($750,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TECHNION NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $530,000 |
| EYE CORPS INC DALLAS, TX | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $50,000 |
| GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION GLOUCESTER, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $35,000 |
| LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER BURLINGTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $75,000 |
| MANCHESTER ESSEX CONSERVATION TRUST MANCHESTER, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $25,000 |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $750,000 |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $4,200,500 |
| SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SALEM, MA | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by Gordon family trustees. Bernard M. Gordon and his wife Sophia established the foundation and remain involved in its direction.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BERNARD M GORDON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL LEWIS GORDON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SOPHIA GORDON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| FRANK COPPOLINO | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| FREDERICK LANE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALEX A VAN ADZIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE GALICKI | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 16B Electronics Avenue, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: (978) 750-6100
EIN: 04-2794647
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gordon Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary focus is on training outstanding engineers and scientists and supporting educational and medical initiatives. Funding priorities include: • **STEM Education & Youth Development** • **Community Development** (regional grants) • **Jewish Community Organizations** • **Educational Institutions** • **Medical Initiatives** The foundation provides unrestricted grants, offering flexibility to recipients in deploying funds.
How do I apply for a grant from Gordon Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $35,000 – $4,133,500 **Median Grant:** $375,000 **Annual Giving:** Approximately $7 million (2023: $6,998,500; 2024: $6,665,500) **Number of Awards:** Approximately 9 grants annually **Success Rate:** 12% **Application Process:** Rolling/year-round acceptance of written proposals **Grant Types:** Unrestricted grants Notable recent grants include: • Northeastern University: $4,200,500 (unrestricted grant) • Museum of Science: $750,000 (unrestricted grant) • American Technion Soc…
Where does Gordon Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Massachusetts • New York • Texas • Tennessee
What size grants does Gordon Foundation award?
In 2024, Gordon Foundation awarded 8 grants totaling $6.7M — an average of about $833K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gordon Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gordon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $82K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gordon Foundation's EIN?
Gordon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2794647. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gordon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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