Howland Family Foundation
Howland Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Norwood, Massachusetts. It makes grants to charitable organizations, with 2025 giving including support for Massachusetts organizations and recipients in other states.
Key facts about Howland Family Foundation
In short: Howland Family Foundation gave $53K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Massachusetts. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 04-3215296
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $53,450
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- Average grant
- $1,028
- Median grant
- $1,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (2 of 52, 2025)
- Total assets
- $585,525
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about Howland Family Foundation
How much does Howland Family Foundation give each year?
Howland Family Foundation gave $53K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $46K across 51 grants.
What is Howland Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Howland Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,028, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Howland Family Foundation that year got $750 on average.
Where does Howland Family Foundation give grants?
Howland Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (15 grants), Westwood, MA (6 grants), Medfield, MA (4 grants) and Amherst, MA (2 grants).
Does Howland Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 52 grants with a stated purpose on Howland Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charity" (52 grants).
Who are Howland Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Howland Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Umass Amherst ($10,000), Boston Childrens Hospital Fund ($1,500) and Mass Easter Seal Soc ($1,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Howland Family Foundation?
Howland Family Foundation reported $586K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $45K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
Is Howland Family Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 52 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $750; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 96% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Howland Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Howland Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Howland Family Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$586K
+7.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$53K
+15.8% YoY
Grant Count
52
+2.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1K
+13.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Howland Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $45K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas including higher education, health care, disability services, youth services, and charitable aid. For example, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation describes its work as accelerating research, empowering its community, and transforming care for people with pulmonary fibrosis. Pine Street Inn says its mission is to end homelessness, and the Greater Boston Food Bank describes distributing food through member agencies and direct distribution sites.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 52 grants totaling $53,450. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $10,000, with a median of $1,000. Its largest listed grant was $10,000 to UMass Amherst. Other notable grants included $1,500 each to Boston Children’s Hospital Fund and Mass Easter Seal Society, and $1,200 to ALS Association of Massachusetts.
Ready to take the next step with Howland Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts. Other reported recipient-state shares were Vermont (4%), the U.S. Virgin Islands (3%), Iowa (2%), and New York (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 52 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $585,525 | $107,291 | $66,088 | $53,450 |
| 2024 | $544,322 | $74,832 | $51,165 | $46,175 |
| 2023 | $520,654 | $20,235 | $55,540 | $46,175 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $585,525 | $544,322 | $520,654 |
| Revenue | $107,291 | $74,832 | $20,235 |
| Expenses | $66,088 | $51,165 | $55,540 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $53,450 | $46,175 | $46,175 |
| Net Investment Income | $98,002 | $70,257 | $25,320 |
| Distributable Amount | $45,151 | $43,859 | $41,094 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
254 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UMASS AMHERST Amherst, MA | CHARITY | $10,000 |
| BOSTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL FUND Boston, MA | CHARITY | $1,500 |
| MASS EASTER SEAL SOC Boston, MA | CHARITY | $1,500 |
| ALS ASSOC OF MASSACHUSETTS Dedham, MA | CHARITY | $1,200 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS Boone, IA | CHARITY | $1,000 |
| BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER Boston, MA | CHARITY | $1,000 |
| BOB WOODRUFF FOUNDATION New York, NY | CHARITY | $1,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA Boston, MA | CHARITY | $1,000 |
| CHRISTMAS CHARITABLE TRUST Winthrop, MA | CHARITY | $1,000 |
| DANA FARBER- JIMMY FUND Boston, MA | CHARITY | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jay Howland is listed as a trustee.
Howland Family Foundation is led by Jay Howland, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jay Howland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 129 Morgan Drive 102, Norwood, MA 02062
Phone: (781) 440-0444
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Howland Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas including higher education, health care, disability services, youth services, and charitable aid. For example, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation describes its work as accelerating research, empowering its community, and transforming care for people with pulmonary fibrosis. Pine Street Inn says its mission is to end homelessness, and the Greater Boston Food Bank describes distributing …
How do I apply for a grant from Howland Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Howland Family Foundation's EIN?
Howland Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3215296. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Howland Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Howland Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Arbella Insurance Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$22.2M
Grants
201
Total Given
$2.2M
Ge Aerospace Foundation
Norwalk, CT
Assets
$22.5M
Grants
2,467
Total Given
$15.3M
Shell USA Company Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$52.3M
Grants
4,650
Total Given
$16.0M
Lincoln Financial Foundation Inc
Radnor, PA
Assets
—
Grants
3,159
Total Given
$8.8M
Fidelity Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$5.0B
Grants
4,430
Total Given
$156.2M
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Assets
—
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
Analog Devices Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
—
Grants
1,177
Total Given
$1.9M
Barr Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
903
Total Given
$123.2M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Verizon Foundation
Basking Ridge, NJ
Assets
$23.8M
Grants
5,464
Total Given
$7.0M
More Funders in Massachusetts
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.