Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation
The Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation is a private foundation based in Newton, Massachusetts (EIN 046111820). Its 2024 filing states that it supports medical research, higher education, and general philanthropic pursuits.
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation at a glance
In short: Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation gave $789K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $72K), mostly in Massachusetts. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $788,826
- +64.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $71,711
- +64.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $33,522
- Total assets
- $1,827,499
- -37.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (80% 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 Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 189 Wells Avenue, Newton, MA 02459
Phone: (617) 916-0122
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Brandeis University ($362K). Together the top 10 received $762K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 23 grants of 34 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 20% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $27K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 777% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $479K (2024) to $1.0M (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $789K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brandeis University Waltham, MA | Educational and Research | $362,008 |
| Northeastern University Boston, MA | Educational and Research | $89,384 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthr Boston, MA | Educational and Research | $89,384 |
| American Society of Techn New York, NY | Educational and Research | $40,224 |
| American Friends of Hebrew Universi New York, NY | Educational and Research | $40,224 |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA | Educational and Research | $33,522 |
| Albert Einstein College Bronx, NY | Educational and Research | $26,816 |
| Jewish Theological Semina New York, NY | Educational and Research | $26,816 |
| Weizmann Institute of Science New York, NY | Educational and Research | $26,816 |
| Hadassah Newton Center, MA | Educational and Research | $26,816 |
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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 | $1,827,499 | $42,292 | $1,158,746 | $788,826 | 11 | $788,826 | — | $101,496 |
| 2024 | $2,942,222 | $306,859 | $546,403 | $479,000 | 11 | $479,000 | $302,200 | $149,639 |
| 2023 | $3,175,544 | $199,877 | $56,368 | — | — | — | $188,942 | $160,149 |
| 2022 | $3,032,035 | $249,450 | $1,054,595 | $1,000,000 | 12 | $1,000,000 | $241,855 | $165,792 |
| 2021 | $3,837,180 | $14,552 | $116,259 | — | — | — | $6,846 | $191,391 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation reported a distributable amount of $101K 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
The foundation describes its direct charitable activity as furthering medical research, higher education, and general philanthropic pursuits. Its 2025 grants went to educational and research organizations. Brandeis University, the largest recipient, describes its own mission as advancing the humanities, arts, and social, natural, and physical sciences, while providing a broad liberal arts education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $788,826. Grant amounts ranged from $26,816 to $362,008, with a median of $33,522. The largest grants included $362,008 to Brandeis University, $89,384 each to Northeastern University and Combined Jewish Philanthr, and $40,224 each to American Society of Techn and American Friends of Hebrew Universi.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Terry K Mond and Charles G Buyer as trustees.
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles G. Buyer
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $13K (2025)
Terry K. Mond
Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$35K (2021) → $39K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $39K, to Terry K Mond (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation
How much does Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation give each year?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation gave $789K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $479K across 11 grants.
What is Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $33,522, and its average grant was $71,711, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation give grants?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational and Research" (11 grants).
Who are Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Brandeis University ($362,008), Northeastern University ($89,384) and Combined Jewish Philanthr ($89,384), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $789K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $101K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its direct charitable activity as furthering medical research, higher education, and general philanthropic pursuits. Its 2025 grants went to educational and research organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation?
The foundation 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 Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's EIN?
Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6111820. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Joseph F and Clara Ford 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-f-and-clara-ford-foundation-morg_17f83634ccf143778a161cace92aab8b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046111820_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joseph F and Clara Ford Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-f-and-clara-ford-foundation-morg_17f83634ccf143778a161cace92aab8b},
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 Joseph F and Clara Ford 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.
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