Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc logo

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Worcester, MA EIN: 04-2572276 Website

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Founded in 1975, it serves residents across the 60 towns and cities of Worcester County and describes its role as using philanthropic expertise and resources to address the region’s urgent needs.

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc gave $8.6M across 286 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), mostly in Massachusetts. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$8,568,287
+18.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
286
+27.1% vs 2024
Average grant
$29,959
-7.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$15,875
Total assets
$273,512,685
+20.3% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
32% first-time grantees (91 of 282, 2025)
Primary geography
Massachusetts (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc

How to Apply

The Foundation requires online applications for its grant programs. Applicants create an organization account in the grants portal; applications may require narrative responses and supporting materials such as budgets, audits, progress reports, and board lists. Applicants should check the specific opportunity’s guidelines and application for required materials. For Community Grant: Operating Support, the website describes unrestricted funding for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits or entities operating under a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Its stated criteria include strong mission alignment, being based in Worcester County with at least 75% of service delivery there, local involvement, and sound organizational practices.

Contact

Mailing address: One Mercantile Street 010, Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: (508) 755-0980
Website: https://greaterworcester.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester: $565KBoys & Girls Club of Worcester$565KWorcester Historical Museum (DBA Museum of Worcester): $415KWorcester Historical Museum(DBA Museum of Worcester)$415KRural Cemetery & Crematory: $264KRural Cemetery & Crematory$264KUnited Way of Central Massachusetts: $261KUnited Way of CentralMassachusetts$261KUmass Memorial Health Care Inc: $203KUmass Memorial Health Care Inc$203KMusic Worcester Inc: $183KMusic Worcester Inc$183KWorcester Art Museum: $173KWorcester Art Museum$173KQuinsigamond Community College Foundation: $154KQuinsigamond Community CollegeFoundation$154KAbby's House: $137KAbby's House$137KJuniper Outreach Foundation: $128K across 2 grantsJuniper Outreach Foundation$128K · 2 grants

The largest 2025 recipient was Boys & Girls Club of Worcester ($565K). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.

Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($16,700), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

1,234 grants across all recorded years

1066<$50K102$50–100K49$100–250K11$250–500K4$500K–1M2$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,066 grants of 1,234 (86%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Foundation says it serves residents of Worcester County, Massachusetts, across 60 towns and cities. In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts; smaller shares went to Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida. Its listed programs also include support for public school educators in Killingly, Connecticut, and Leicester-focused projects.

Grant Distribution by State

23states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 286 itemized grants.

Cities

WorcesterShrewsburyBostonLeominsterFitchburgWhitinsvilleBoylstonDudleyFraminghamSouthbridgeLeicesterLincolnWest BoylstonNorth GraftonLancasterEast BrookfieldDouglasFort MyersJamaica PlainPrinceton

Is Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

32%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 91 of 282 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $38K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $22K repeat.

  • 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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

$0$5M$10M$15M637 grants2019 510 grants2020 301 grants2021 200 grants2022 222 grants2023 225 grants2024 286 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.9M (2019) to $13.2M (2020). In 2025 it made 286 grants totaling $8.6M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester Worcester, MAYouth Development$565,464
Worcester Historical Museum (DBA Museum of Worcester) Worcester, MAArts, Culture & Humanities$415,100
Rural Cemetery & Crematory Worcester, MAHuman Services$264,100
United Way of Central Massachusetts Worcester, MAPhilanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations$261,450
Umass Memorial Health Care Inc Worcester, MAHealth Care$203,000
Music Worcester Inc Worcester, MAArts, Culture & Humanities$183,004
Worcester Art Museum Worcester, MAArts, Culture & Humanities$173,440
Quinsigamond Community College Foundation Worcester, MAEducation$154,210
Abby's House Worcester, MAHousing & Shelter$137,205
Whitin Community Center Whitinsville, MAHuman Services$120,993
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

The Foundation’s filing type is Form 990 (a public charity).

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$273,512,685$39,358,593$13,752,606$8,568,287286$16,429,867
2024$227,398,849$14,849,500$12,810,296$7,259,704225$7,553,729
2023$206,196,649$13,729,219$12,954,464$7,691,758222$2,268,584
2022$175,495,578$20,277,510$11,792,882$7,253,652200$4,639,894
2021$200,476,252$22,847,423$16,023,982$10,776,918301$9,420,776
2020$180,066,157$18,119,705$18,282,158$13,240,027510$4,506,042
2019$167,101,551$10,805,533$10,609,386$5,930,344637$5,729,495

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation’s mission is “to enhance our community, now and in the future, through philanthropic leadership.” Its website describes Community Grants as supporting arts and creativity, basic needs, economic opportunity, health and wellbeing, and youth development. Other listed opportunities address nonprofit effectiveness, shared services and organizational restructuring, cultural festivals, access to services, and local needs in Leicester and Killingly.

The 2025 filing describes donor-advised, agency, and designated funds as allowing donors to grant to specified charitable organizations. Discretionary and field-of-interest funds have no donor-related restrictions on grant purpose; the Foundation selects grantees based on each fund’s general objectives, sometimes through a competitive process.

Among the organizations supported in 2025, the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester says its mission is to help youth develop qualities needed to become responsible citizens and community leaders. Worcester Historical Museum says it collects, preserves, and interprets Worcester’s history. Abby’s House says it provides shelter, affordable housing, advocacy, and support services to homeless, battered, and low-income women, with or without children. Other 2025 recipients included organizations whose stated missions include connecting people and resources to improve the community, improving health across Central New England, bringing musical experiences to wider audiences, connecting people and cultures through art, and supporting Quinsigamond Community College.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 286 grants totaling $8,568,287. Individual grants ranged from $5,100 to $565,464, with a median of $15,875.

The largest reported grants included $565,464 to Boys & Girls Club of Worcester for youth development; $415,100 to Worcester Historical Museum for arts, culture and humanities; $264,100 to Rural Cemetery & Crematory for human services; and $261,450 to United Way of Central Massachusetts for philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations. Other large awards included $203,000 to UMass Memorial Health Care, $183,004 to Music Worcester, $173,440 to Worcester Art Museum, $154,210 to Quinsigamond Community College Foundation, and $137,205 to Abby’s House.

The Foundation’s website lists competitive opportunities including Community Grants, the Mergers and Shared Services Fund, Nonprofit Effectiveness, Leicester Savings Bank Fund, and Worcester County Food Bank Fund to End Hunger. The Foundation’s 2026 grant calendar included deadlines earlier in 2026; those dates have passed. The separate program listing identifies the JMAC Access Grant Program, Leicester Savings Bank Fund, and Community Grant: Operating Support as active.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Joycelyn Augustus as chair, Maria A Heskes-Allard as chair elect, Thomas J Bartholomew as treasurer, and Dennis F Kerrigan as clerk. Directors listed include Michael Angelini, Linda Cammuso, Eric Torkornoo, Che Anderson, German Chiriboga, and Ronald Waddell.

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc is led by Peter Dunn, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 6 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Peter Dunn

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2023

    37.5 hrs/week

    $134K (2023) → $351K (2025)

  • Joycelyn Augustus

    Chair

    Director → Clerk, 2022

    Clerk → Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Melody Maclean

    Director of Communications

    On filings since 2024

    37.5 hrs/week

    $115K (2024) → $123K (2025)

  • Sarah Shugrue

    Director of Grant Making

    New on the 2025 filing

    37.5 hrs/week

    $103K (2025)

  • Kola Akindele

    Director

    Clerk → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eric Torkornoo

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Che Anderson

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • German Chiriboga

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ronald Waddell

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ann Tripp

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Cammuso

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marybeth Campbell

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Naomi Sleeper

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christine Cassidy

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Angelini

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charran Fisher

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Wambui

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Julian Davis Wade

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ross Dik

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kelly Stimson

    Vice President Philanthropy

    Director of Donor Services → Vice President of Donor Services, 2022

    Vice President of Donor Services → Vice President Philanthropy, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    37.5 hrs/week

    $107K (2019) → $148K (2025)

  • Jonathan Cohen

    Vice President Community Impact

    Vice President for Programs & Strategy → Vice President for Program, 2021

    Vice President for Program → Vice President Community Impact, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    37.5 hrs/week

    $106K (2020) → $144K (2025)

  • Sandra Flynn

    Vice President of Finance & Administration

    Vice President of Finance & Administrator → Vice President of Finance & Administration, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    37.5 hrs/week

    $110K (2024) → $161K (2025)

  • Maria A. Heskes-Allard

    Chair Elect

    Director → Treasurer, 2023

    Treasurer → Chair Elect, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas J. Bartholomew

    Treasurer

    Treasurer → Chair, 2023

    Chair → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dennis F. Kerrigan

    Clerk

    Director → Clerk, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (29)
  • Former: Christopher W. McCarthy (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: Jennifer Davis Carey (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: Kimberly M. Salmon (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: Satya B. Mitra (2019–2024) — Chair Elect
  • Former: Diane Allain (2020–2024) — Vice President of Finance & Administrator
  • Former: Lisa McDonough (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Sonia Paulino (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Mike Angelini (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: J. Christopher Collins (2019–2022) — Chair
  • Former: Jack L. Foley (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Linda Carre Looft (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Matilde Castiel (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Nadia McGourthy (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Anh Vu Sawyer (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Gina Plata-Nino (2022) — Director
  • Former: Tim Johnstone (2022) — Interim Executive Director
  • Former: Barbara Fields (2019–2021) — President & CEO
  • Former: Carolyn J. Stempler (2019–2021) — Interim President & CEO
  • Former: Matthew Wally (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Michelle Jones-Johnson (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Patsy C. Lewis (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Warner S. Fletcher (2019–2020) — Emeritus
  • Former: Alison C. Kenary (2019) — Director
  • Former: Ann Lisi (2019) — President & CEO
  • Former: Chris O'Keefe (2019) — Vice President & Programs
  • Former: Gerald M. Gates (2019) — Chair
  • Former: Hilda Ramirez (2019) — Director
  • Former: Timothy M. Jarry (2019) — Director
  • Former: Tracy A. Craig (2019) — Director

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

Peter Dunn — President & CEO: $351KPeter DunnPresident & CEO$351KSandra Flynn — VP of Finance & Administration: $161KSandra FlynnVP of Finance & Administration$161KKelly Stimson — VP Philanthropy: $148KKelly StimsonVP Philanthropy$148KJonathan Cohen — Vice President Community Impact: $144KJonathan CohenVice President Community Impact$144KMelody Maclean — Director of Communications: $123KMelody MacleanDirector of Communications$123KSarah Shugrue — Director of Grant Making: $103KSarah ShugrueDirector of Grant Making$103K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $351K, to Peter Dunn (President & CEO). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc

How much does Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc give each year?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc gave $8.6M across 286 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $7.3M across 225 grants.

What is Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,875, and its average grant was $29,959, across 286 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc that year got $15K on average.

Where does Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc give grants?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Worcester, MA (123 grants), Boston, MA (11 grants), Leominster, MA (8 grants) and Shrewsbury, MA (7 grants).

Does Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 286 grants with a stated purpose on Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (86 grants), "Human Services" (57 grants) and "Arts, Culture & Humanities" (39 grants).

Who are Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Boys & Girls Club of Worcester ($565,464), Worcester Historical Museum (DBA Museum of Worcester) ($415,100) and Rural Cemetery & Crematory ($264,100), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($16,700), which are not listed by name. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc reported $273.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $39.4M.

What does Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc fund?

The Foundation’s mission is “to enhance our community, now and in the future, through philanthropic leadership.” Its website describes Community Grants as supporting arts and creativity, basic needs, economic opportunity, health and wellbeing, and youth development. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc?

The Foundation requires online applications for its grant programs. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's EIN?

Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2572276. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 23, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 3, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 29, 2020)
  7. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 24, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Live grants for the work Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc funds

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database

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The Fletcher Foundation supports a broad range of arts, education, environmental, animal-welfare, and community organizations, with nearly all 2024 grant dollars going to Massachusetts. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $500,000, with a median of $10,500. The filing says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.

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Eastern Bank Foundation

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Assets

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United Way of Central Massachusetts Inc

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United Way of Central Massachusetts funds nonprofit programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, community resilience, and basic needs in its 30-town Central Massachusetts service area. Recent Community Impact Grants typically range from $10,000 to $80,000, with a median of about $35,000. It accepts applications through an annual competitive grant process; the profile does not say whether unsolicited requests are accepted.

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Stoddard Charitable Trust

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Stoddard Charitable Trust reported one grant of $5,625,200 in 2024, to a recipient in Worcester, Massachusetts; its 2022 filing reported 152 grants totaling $4,870,649, so typical grant size is not specified. It does not restrict giving to preselected organizations, and the filing directs applicants to contact Warner S Fletcher; whether unsolicited requests are accepted is not stated.

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Assets

$2.1B

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Total Given

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/greater-worcester-community-foundation-inc-morg_2d15278d444a446e9b760cd7ded1a209

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042572276_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Greater Worcester Community Foundation Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/greater-worcester-community-foundation-inc-morg_2d15278d444a446e9b760cd7ded1a209},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Worcester Community 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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