Greater Boston Council on
The Greater Boston Council on is a private foundation based in Watertown, Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing describes direct charitable activity as providing information, education, treatment, and research related to alcoholism in the Greater Boston area.
Greater Boston Council on at a glance
In short: Greater Boston Council on gave $108K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $107,500
- +21.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,719
- +6.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $52,616
- -0.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% 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 Greater Boston Council on
- How to Apply
-
The filing requests a written request stating the purpose, plan of use, and timetable. It says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and restricts awards to the Greater Boston Area.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists April and September submission periods. Both 2026 cycles are past as of September 29, 2026.
- Deadline
- The filing lists April and September submission periods.
- Contact
Application contact: Kelly Mahoney Co Lynn Bratley
Mailing address: 21 Church Lane, Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: (617) 959-5634
Email: grantsmanager@gbcoa.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Greater Boston Council on
Who Greater Boston Council on funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was 2ND Act Recovery ($8K). Together the top 10 received $75K.
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 30 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing restricts awards to the Greater Boston Area. All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Greater Boston Council on gives
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
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 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $88K (2023) to $108K (2024). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $108K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2ND Act Recovery Boston, MA | Substance Abuse Recovery Program | $7,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield Stoneham, MA | Expand Sbirt Program | $7,500 |
| Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge, MA | Mental Health/Substance Use Service | $7,500 |
| Interfaith Social Services Quincy, MA | Sustain prevention & treatment services administered by directions counseling | $7,500 |
| Lifebridge Salem, MA | Substance Abuse & Recovery Support | $7,500 |
| Mass Organization for Addiction Recovery Boston, MA | Annual Recovery Day Celebration | $7,500 |
| Mujeres Unidas Avanzando Dorchester, MA | Alcolhol Prevention Education | $7,500 |
| RFK Community Alliance Lancaster, MA | Substance Abuse | $7,500 |
| Round Table Inc South Boston, MA | Develop Programs Aimed at Adolescents | $7,500 |
| Self Esteem Boston Jamaica Plain, MA | Alcohol and Recovery Programs | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Greater Boston Council on?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $52,616 | $115,937 | $116,365 | $107,500 | 16 | $107,500 | $3,315 |
| 2023 | $53,044 | $83,946 | $96,216 | $88,170 | 14 | $88,170 | $3,542 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Greater Boston Council on reported a distributable amount of $3K 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
The foundation’s stated charitable activity is related to alcoholism, and its grant program describes a goal of increasing public understanding of alcohol and other drug use disorders, their nature, treatment, and prevention. The program invites proposals for education, prevention, and research and describes support for creative, innovative programs that address expressed needs and can measure results.
Among its 2024 grantees, Victory Programs said its mission is to support individuals and families facing homelessness, addiction, or other chronic health conditions. Mujeres Unidas Avanzando described its mission as providing literacy and education programs to Hispanic residents of Dorchester. Interfaith Social Services said it serves South Shore residents through programs that include mental health counseling, hunger relief, homelessness prevention, and services for children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $107,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $7,500, with a median of $7,500. The grant program describes awards of $2,500 to $7,500.
Notable 2024 grants included $7,500 each to 2nd Act Recovery for a substance abuse recovery program; Cambridge Health Alliance for mental health and substance use services; Mujeres Unidas Avanzando for alcohol prevention education; and Victory Programs for addiction training. Boston Bulldogs received $5,000 for groups supporting people in recovery through walking, running, wellness, and meditation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael J. Widmer as president and director; Roger D. Weiss, M.D., as vice president and director; Lynn Bratley as secretary and director; Daniel J. Henderson Jr. as treasurer; and Maureen McGlame, Michael J. McHugh, Theodore K. Wayman, Jessica Lindley, Christina Everett, and William L. Burke III as directors.
Greater Boston Council on is led by Michael J. Widmer, President & Director on every filing since 2023; none of the 15 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael J. Widmer
President & Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Christina Everett
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Jessica Lindley
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Lynn Bratley
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Maureen McGlame
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Michael J. McHugh
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Roger D. Weiss MD
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Theodore K. Wayman
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Carlotta Williams
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Constance Horgan
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Deirdre Houtmeyers
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Ruth Gardner Lamere
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
William L. Burke III
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Daniel J. Henderson Jr.
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Kelly Mahoney
Grants Manager
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kelvin Brooks (2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Greater Boston Council on
How much does Greater Boston Council on give each year?
Greater Boston Council on gave $108K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $88K across 14 grants.
What is Greater Boston Council on's typical grant size?
Greater Boston Council on's median grant in 2024 was $7,500, and its average grant was $6,719, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Greater Boston Council on give grants?
Greater Boston Council on gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants) and Quincy, MA (2 grants).
Does Greater Boston Council on give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Greater Boston Council on's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Greater Boston Council on's largest grantees?
Greater Boston Council on's largest 2024 grantees include 2ND Act Recovery ($7,500), Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield ($7,500) and Cambridge Health Alliance ($7,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Greater Boston Council on?
Greater Boston Council on reported $53K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $108K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Greater Boston Council on fund?
The foundation’s stated charitable activity is related to alcoholism, and its grant program describes a goal of increasing public understanding of alcohol and other drug use disorders, their nature, treatment, and prevention. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Greater Boston Council on?
The filing requests a written request stating the purpose, plan of use, and timetable. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Greater Boston Council on's EIN?
Greater Boston Council on's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2647045. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2024.
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 2023–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Greater Boston Council on funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/greater-boston-council-on-morg_c2719a8930c847659b02e0831eb370bc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222647045_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Greater Boston Council on funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/greater-boston-council-on-morg_c2719a8930c847659b02e0831eb370bc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Greater Boston Council on'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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