Grand Circle Foundation Inc
Grand Circle Foundation Inc is a Boston-based private foundation that supports projects in schools and communities around the world, including places where people travel, live, and work. Its work includes education, clean water, leadership development, conservation, and preservation of cultural sites and traditions.
Grand Circle Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Grand Circle Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 81 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,716,529
- -32.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 81
- +22.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,192
- -44.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,205
- Total assets
- $2,274,547
- -27.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (21% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Grand Circle Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
Phone: (617) 790-3974
Website: https://www.grandcirclefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Grand Circle Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Joint Distribution Committee ($246K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
230 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 199 grants of 230 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as worldwide and says it supports projects in more than 60 countries. It also identifies Boston and other communities where people live and work as part of its giving. In 2024, listed grants included recipients in New York and North Carolina, as well as organizations and projects outside the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 81 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Grand Circle Foundation Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $166K (2020) to $2.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 81 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Distribution Committee New York, NY | General | $246,000 |
| URR Poland - Joanna Komarnicka Hostel | General | $245,736 |
| Olmoti Primary School | General | $99,456 |
| Jewbelong New York, NY | General | $80,000 |
| Wine to Water Boone, NC | General | $76,447 |
| Minh Tu Orphanage | General | $70,242 |
| Endoro Primary School | General | $54,723 |
| Amboseli Primary School | General | $52,697 |
| Safe Passage | General | $43,676 |
| St Mary's Primary School | General | $40,321 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,274,547 | $1,943,306 | $2,253,900 | $1,716,529 | 81 | $2,248,311 | $61,035 |
| 2023 | $3,122,555 | $2,363,287 | $3,032,845 | $2,539,511 | 66 | $2,977,982 | $59,171 |
| 2022 | $4,090,992 | $3,767,059 | $2,675,065 | $2,381,014 | 60 | $2,675,065 | $12,865 |
| 2021 | $2,016,133 | $155,118 | $821,936 | $412,565 | 8 | $821,936 | $2,401 |
| 2020 | $3,359,484 | $721,684 | $1,839,514 | $166,277 | 15 | — | $16,846 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to help change people’s lives in the world where it travels and where people live and work. It says it partners with local leaders to create jobs, improve school performance, support small businesses, and promote health and safety.
Its program areas include water, sanitation, and hygiene; education; community development; renewable energy; Indigenous culture and lands; conservation; historic preservation; and disaster relief. The foundation says its education work can include resources such as books and scholarships, as well as classroom construction. It also aims to support school and village projects that can become self-sustaining with local community support.
The supported organizations’ own missions show some of the work represented in its grants. JEWBELONG says it provides information about Judaism and works to combat antisemitism. Wine to Water describes its work as clean-water, sanitation, and hygiene programs led by social mobilizers. Amazon Watch says it works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 81 grants totaling $1,716,529. Grants ranged from $200 to $246,000, with a median of $7,205. The largest listed awards included $246,000 to the Joint Distribution Committee, $245,736 to URR Poland – Joanna Komarnicka Hostel, and $99,456 to Olmoti Primary School. Other large grants included $80,000 to JEWBELONG, $76,447 to Wine to Water, and $70,242 to Minh Tu Orphanage.
The foundation’s filing describes a $246,000 grant to the Joint Distribution Committee for purchasing 125 generators for Ukrainian refugee relief, an $80,000 grant to JEWBELONG for antisemitism campaign support, and a $76,447 grant to Wine to Water for tiny homes and insulation and wall replacement supporting 8–10 families.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edward Lewis as president; Janice Byrnes as vice president, treasurer, and clerk; and Charlotte Lewis and Harriet Lewis as directors.
Grand Circle Foundation Inc is led by Edward R. Lewis, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edward R. Lewis
President
Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charlotte R. Lewis
Director
President → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harriet Lewis
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janice Byrnes
Vice President, Treasurer & Clerk
Vice President & Treasurer → Vice President, Treasurer & Clerk, 2021
On filings since 2020
22.5 hrs/week
$88K (2023) → $97K (2024)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Barbara Sirigos (2023) — Director
- Former: Martha Prybylo (2023) — Executive Vice President
- Former: Alan E. Lewis (2020–2021) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $97K, to Janice Byrnes (Vice President, Treasurer & Clerk).
Frequently asked questions about Grand Circle Foundation Inc
How much does Grand Circle Foundation Inc give each year?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 81 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 66 grants.
What is Grand Circle Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $7,205, and its average grant was $21,192, across 81 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Grand Circle Foundation Inc give grants?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 21% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Grand Circle Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Grand Circle Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (81 of 81) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Grand Circle Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Joint Distribution Committee ($246,000), URR Poland - Joanna Komarnicka Hostel ($245,736) and Olmoti Primary School ($99,456), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Grand Circle Foundation Inc?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does Grand Circle Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to help change people’s lives in the world where it travels and where people live and work. It says it partners with local leaders to create jobs, improve school performance, support small businesses, and promote health and safety. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Grand Circle Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Grand Circle Foundation Inc's EIN?
Grand Circle Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3175434. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Grand Circle Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Grand Circle Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Grand Circle Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Grand Circle Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/grand-circle-foundation-inc-morg_cafe3e61065c479ea375a49170e14243
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043175434_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Grand Circle Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/grand-circle-foundation-inc-morg_cafe3e61065c479ea375a49170e14243},
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 Grand Circle 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.
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