Grayson Family Foundation
The Grayson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It makes distributions to organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; its 2024 filing states that it carried on no operations other than receiving contributions and investment income and making those distributions.
Grayson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Grayson Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 93 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Massachusetts. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,489,250
- -6.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 93
- +29.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,013
- -27.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,303,207
- +0.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (26 of 81, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Grayson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 81 Beacon Street 2, Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 784-6304
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Grayson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was President and Fellows Harvard ($710K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
348 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 330 grants of 348 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Massachusetts recipients received 81% of grant dollars, followed by New York (5%), Vermont (4%), Alabama (3%), and Washington, D.C. (2%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states, such as New Hampshire and Montana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 93 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Grayson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 26 of 81 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 46% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $1.0M (2021) to $1.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 93 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| President and Fellows Harvard Cambridge, MA | General | $700,000 |
| Wbur Radio Station Fund Boston, MA | General | $125,000 |
| Boston Athenum Boston, MA | General | $50,000 |
| American Trust for Oxford University Tuscaloosa, AL | General | $45,000 |
| More Than Words Waltham, MA | General | $35,000 |
| Wbur Radio Station Fund Boston, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Dana Farber Cancer (Jimmy Fund) Boston, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Wbur Radio Station Fund Boston, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Teach for America New York, NY | General | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Grayson Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,303,207 | $1,595,532 | $1,537,178 | $1,489,250 | 93 | $1,495,090 | $1,584,801 | $1,323,293 |
| 2023 | $6,244,853 | $889,905 | $1,626,247 | $1,595,500 | 72 | $1,599,975 | $606,574 | $1,272,447 |
| 2022 | $6,981,195 | $272,868 | $1,182,223 | $1,142,250 | 57 | $1,148,649 | $253,886 | $1,365,195 |
| 2021 | $7,890,550 | $239,270 | $1,035,658 | $1,020,850 | 66 | $1,023,600 | $236,537 | $1,417,121 |
| 2020 | $8,686,933 | $1,854,255 | $1,089,138 | $1,063,000 | 60 | — | $1,849,217 | $1,018,149 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Grayson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including universities, schools, a radio station, a cancer-related organization, and youth-serving and policy organizations.
Among the grantees, More Than Words describes its mission as empowering young people facing circumstances such as foster care, court involvement, homelessness, or being out of school through business participation. Teach for America describes its work as finding, developing, and supporting leaders to teach underserved students. The Cato Institute describes its mission as advancing ideas and public policy related to individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 93 grants totaling $1,489,250. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $700,000, with a median of $5,000.
The largest reported grants included $700,000 to President and Fellows Harvard, $125,000 to WBUR Radio Station Fund, $50,000 to Boston Athenaeum, $45,000 to American Trust for Oxford University, and $35,000 to More Than Words. Other listed grants included $25,000 to Teach for America, $25,000 to Dana Farber Cancer (Jimmy Fund), and $20,000 each to Mater Christi Annual Fund and the Cato Institute.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bruns H Grayson as president, Perrin M Grayson as secretary/treasury, Lucy P Deland as trustee, and Susan Adams as treasurer.
Grayson Family Foundation is led by Bruns H. Grayson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bruns H. Grayson
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lucy P. Deland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan Adams
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
$20K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Perrin M. Grayson
Secretary & Treasury
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $20K, to Susan Adams (Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Grayson Family Foundation
How much does Grayson Family Foundation give each year?
Grayson Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 93 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.6M across 72 grants.
What is Grayson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Grayson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $16,013, across 93 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Grayson Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Grayson Family Foundation give grants?
Grayson Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (30 grants), Burlington, VT (10 grants), Cambridge, MA (8 grants) and New York, NY (8 grants).
Does Grayson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Grayson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (93 of 93) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Grayson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Grayson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include President and Fellows Harvard ($710,000 across 3 grants), Wbur Radio Station Fund ($185,000 across 4 grants) and Boston Athenum ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Grayson Family Foundation?
Grayson Family Foundation reported $6.3M in total assets on its 2024 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 Grayson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including universities, schools, a radio station, a cancer-related organization, and youth-serving and policy organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Grayson Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Grayson Family Foundation's EIN?
Grayson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2007478. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Grayson Family Foundation 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
Other open foundation grants in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Grayson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Massachusetts
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The Boston Foundation funds nonprofits and community initiatives focused on equity and opportunity, including child well-being, economic opportunity, community wealth, and community leadership, primarily in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, while specific programs offer amounts such as $50,000; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Eastern Bank Foundation supports economic inclusion and mobility, including small businesses, early childhood development, affordable housing, and workforce development. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $2,002,500, with a median of $2,500, primarily in Massachusetts and also in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It accepts online applications and does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$266.7M
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
Barr Foundation
Boston, MA
The Barr Foundation funds arts and creativity, climate, education, and New England’s social sector, primarily through long-term support for organizations in New England. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $3.275 million, with a median of $80,000. Its filing says it accepts only requests from preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests, though its website describes program-page inquiries and occasional open calls.
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
903
Total Given
$123.2M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Liberty Mutual Foundation funds basic needs such as food and shelter, education and workforce development, and climate and community infrastructure, including homelessness and community preparedness programs. Its 2024 grants had a median of $35,000, and most funding supports organizations or programs serving the Boston area, though it also gives elsewhere. It accepts unsolicited online requests on a rolling basis, with no submission deadlines.
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (FKA Oneworld Boston Inc)
Woburn, MA
Cummings Foundation Grants Inc. funds nonprofits working in human services, education, healthcare, fairness and justice, and the environment, primarily in greater Boston and eastern Massachusetts. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $3.5 million, with a median of $35,000; it accepts letters of inquiry through an online portal during its application cycle, which was not open at the time described.
Assets
$258.2M
Grants
658
Total Given
$38.2M
American Tower Corporation Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$15.4M
Grants
632
Total Given
$1.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Grayson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/grayson-family-foundation-morg_8ea1150780654647aac7d332eaa6c0b0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522007478_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Grayson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/grayson-family-foundation-morg_8ea1150780654647aac7d332eaa6c0b0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Grayson Family Foundation'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.
Grayson Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?