Highland Street Connection
Highland Street Connection, also known as the Highland Street Foundation, is a private foundation based in Newton, Massachusetts. Established in 1989 and tax-exempt since April 1990, the organization operates as a family foundation focused on grantmaking to nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$60.4M
-9.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.4M
+11.2% YoY
Grant Count
410
+51.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-26.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to address "the most pressing needs and concerns for children and families in Massachusetts and California." The trustees have focused on providing assistance to disadvantaged and underserved children through the funding of programs that support education and mentoring.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Mentoring and youth development
- Housing
- Health care
- Environment
- The arts
- Social services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Grantmaking
The foundation requires grantseekers to complete an eligibility quiz to get started. It reviews unsolicited letters of intent throughout the year.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations located predominantly in Massachusetts, with additional giving in California and occasional support elsewhere.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $66,830,483
- Total revenue: $6,029,075
- Total expenses: $7,928,618
- Net income: -$1,899,543
- Total liabilities: $10,000,000
- Staff: 5 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $60,381,854 | $66,830,483 | $72,739,346 |
| Revenue | $6,706,408 | $6,029,075 | $2,828,124 |
| Expenses | $8,160,981 | $7,928,618 | $7,425,387 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,745,145 | $6,584,697 | $6,092,167 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,417,546 | $4,756,192 | $1,576,261 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,547,048 | $1,199,349 | $3,812,678 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Highland Street Connection
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Blake Jordan – Executive Director
- Joann McGrath – Trustee
- David J. McGrath III – Trustee
- Scott J. McGrath – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOANN MCGRATH | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
| DAVID J MCGRATH III | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
| SEAN P MCGRATH | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
| BLAKE JORDAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $493,532 |
| MICHAEL KEATING | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced $750,000 in grants to help cultural partners during the COVID-19 crisis. The organization also operates a Community Impact Consulting program that seeks requests for proposals from nonprofit partners.
Highland Street Foundation announces $750,000 in grants to help culturalData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Highland Street Connection on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
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