Helen a Nigro Foundation
Helen a Nigro Foundation is a private foundation based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Its 2025 IRS filing lists 12 grants totaling $64,205, with recipients in Massachusetts and Maine; the listed grants supported organizations including schools, food pantries, social-service organizations, and cultural groups.
Helen a Nigro Foundation at a glance
In short: Helen a Nigro Foundation gave $64K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Massachusetts. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $64,205
- +33.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,350
- +33.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,750
- Total assets
- $874,162
- +10.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (2 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Helen a Nigro Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. No application process or required materials are specified.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Nigro Pettepit Lucas 1 Inn, Newburyport, MA 01950
Phone: (978) 462-9008
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Helen a Nigro Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Reading Public Schools ($21K). Together the top 10 received $62K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 4% to recipients in Maine. The listed grants included recipients in Reading, Worcester, Boston, Wakefield, Holyoke, and Auburn, Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Helen a Nigro Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 12 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $33K (2019) to $64K (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $64K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Public Schools Reading, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $21,000 |
| Reading Scholarship Foundation Reading, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $12,000 |
| Hadwen Park Congregational Church Worcester, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $9,500 |
| Mission of Deeds Reading, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $5,000 |
| Reading Rotary Reading, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $3,000 |
| Reading Food Pantry Reading, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $3,000 |
| Good Shepard Food Bank Auburn, ME | Unrestricted Contribution | $2,500 |
| Wakefield Food Pantry Wakefield, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $2,205 |
| Middlesex Concert Band Wakefield, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $2,000 |
| Homework House Holyoke, MA | Unrestricted Contribution | $1,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Helen a Nigro 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $874,162 | $168,074 | $83,040 | $64,205 | 12 | $64,240 | $149,429 | $69,959 |
| 2024 | $788,999 | $35,147 | $64,652 | $48,000 | 12 | $48,037 | $18,532 | $64,626 |
| 2023 | $818,864 | $27,719 | $66,973 | $48,000 | 9 | $48,035 | $9,831 | $47,667 |
| 2022 | $859,600 | $49,647 | $66,002 | $48,900 | 14 | $48,900 | $36,439 | $48,006 |
| 2021 | $868,421 | $161,878 | $48,843 | $34,075 | 12 | $34,569 | $141,031 | $49,372 |
| 2020 | $824,432 | $275,598 | $52,248 | $39,500 | 13 | — | $48,823 | $36,942 |
| 2019 | $600,599 | $64,840 | $44,326 | $33,000 | 9 | — | $6,602 | $39,859 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helen a Nigro Foundation reported a distributable amount of $70K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, Mission of Deeds says it provides free, gently used home goods and furniture to people in need; Reading Food Pantry says it operates a pantry and addresses hunger and nutrition in its community; and Homework House says it provides free tutoring and mentoring for children at risk of academic failure. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $64,205. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $21,000, with a median of $2,750. All 12 itemized grants were described as unrestricted contributions. The largest grants were $21,000 to Reading Public Schools and $12,000 to Reading Scholarship Foundation. Other grants included $9,500 to Hadwen Park Congregational Church, $5,000 to Mission of Deeds, and $3,000 each to Reading Rotary and Reading Food Pantry.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Janice C. Nigro as trustee/director and Eugene A. Nigro, Carol Lucyniak, Jean Marie Nigro, and Eleanor N. Merrill as directors.
Helen a Nigro Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Eleanor N. Merrill
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Eugene A. Nigro
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Janice C. Nigro
Trustee & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Carol Lucyniak
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jean Marie Nigro
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Eugene R. Nigro Dod (2020) — 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.
Frequently asked questions about Helen a Nigro Foundation
How much does Helen a Nigro Foundation give each year?
Helen a Nigro Foundation gave $64K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $48K across 12 grants.
What is Helen a Nigro Foundation's typical grant size?
Helen a Nigro Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,750, and its average grant was $5,350, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helen a Nigro Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Helen a Nigro Foundation give grants?
Helen a Nigro Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Reading, MA (6 grants) and Wakefield, MA (2 grants).
Does Helen a Nigro Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Helen a Nigro Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Helen a Nigro Foundation's largest grantees?
Helen a Nigro Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Reading Public Schools ($21,000), Reading Scholarship Foundation ($12,000) and Hadwen Park Congregational Church ($9,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Helen a Nigro Foundation?
Helen a Nigro Foundation reported $874K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $64K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $70K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Helen a Nigro Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helen a Nigro Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and 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 Helen a Nigro Foundation's EIN?
Helen a Nigro Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-6052351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Helen a Nigro 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 10, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Helen a Nigro Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
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
Arbella Insurance Foundation
Boston, MA
The Arbella Insurance Foundation supports social justice, housing and homelessness, immigration, health and human services, education, and the arts, primarily in New England, with most 2024 grant dollars going to Massachusetts. Its 201 grants in 2024 totaled about $2.23 million; awards ranged from $28 to $152,319, with a median of $2,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$22.2M
Grants
201
Total Given
$2.2M
Harry W Hoffman Family Foundation
Reading, MA
The foundation’s 2024 grants supported Massachusetts organizations working in Jewish community services, hunger relief, homelessness, and basic needs. It gave $62,000 across 10 grants, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $1,500. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2K
Grants
10
Total Given
$62K
Melrose Cooperative Bank Foundation
Melrose, MA
Melrose Cooperative Bank Foundation supports organizations working in areas such as food access, housing, arts and culture, and family and community services, primarily in Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $27,000, with a median of $2,500. The 2024 filing instructs applicants to contact the foundation and consult its application checklist, deadlines, and eligibility requirements.
Assets
$2.3M
Grants
26
Total Given
$145K
The Savings Bank Charitable Foundation
Wakefield, MA
The Savings Bank Charitable Foundation supports Massachusetts organizations serving people in need through food, shelter, youth, elder, health, and community programs, with a stated focus on Wakefield and nearby areas. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $6,500, with a median of $3,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$958K
Grants
23
Total Given
$68K
RCB Charitable Foundation Inc
Reading, MA
The foundation supports Massachusetts nonprofits and public schools serving its greater market area, including communities from Andover to Lynn, with grants for workforce development, health and human services, housing, education, community development, the environment, and the arts. Guidelines allow grants up to $10,000; recent awards ranged from $200 to $7,500, with a median of $1,000. It provides application instructions, so unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$1.1M
Grants
45
Total Given
$67K
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helen a Nigro Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helen-a-nigro-foundation-morg_dc90692cdba44bd58ab33c0686028362
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_306052351_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helen a Nigro Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helen-a-nigro-foundation-morg_dc90692cdba44bd58ab33c0686028362},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Helen a Nigro 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.
Helen a Nigro Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?