Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation
The Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation is a private foundation based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the greater Newburyport area and supports scholarships for Newburyport High School graduates.
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation at a glance
In short: Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation gave $628K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Massachusetts. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $627,697
- +60.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +12.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,418
- +43.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,670,597
- -4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (9 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit the foundation’s grant application. Applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) organizations; the application information is reviewed by the foundation committee and kept confidential. The filing lists no specified form or materials and no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- September 1.
- Deadline
- September 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Mark Welch
Mailing address: PO Box 695, Newburyport, MA 01950
Phone: (978) 376-8887
Website: https://arakelianfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation
Who Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was City of Newburyport ($200K). Together the top 10 received $491K.
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 103 grants of 114 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports nonprofit organizations in the greater Newburyport area. In 2024, 91% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 3% to recipients in New Hampshire; smaller shares went to New York (2%), Virginia (2%), and recipients with an unspecified state (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 39% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 168% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $389K (2022) to $628K (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $628K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Newburyport Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $200,000 |
| Anna Jaques Hospital Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $115,000 |
| Newburyport Education Foundation Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $41,821 |
| Wbur Boston, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $30,000 |
| Our Neighbor's Table Amesbury, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $20,000 |
| Opportunity Works Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $20,000 |
| Custom Houses Museum Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $20,000 |
| Pettengill House Salisbury, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $15,000 |
| YWCA of Greater Newburyport Newburyport, MA | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $15,000 |
| Kolman - University of New Hampshir Durham, NH | UnrestrictedGeneral Support | $14,240 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,670,597 | $456,226 | $713,276 | $627,697 | 28 | $666,725 | $409,675 | $396,328 |
| 2023 | $5,927,647 | $249,716 | $489,185 | $390,065 | 25 | $431,536 | $192,067 | $374,812 |
| 2022 | $6,167,116 | $129,932 | $498,300 | $389,487 | 21 | $431,413 | $118,055 | $394,143 |
| 2021 | $6,535,484 | $542,517 | $556,582 | $453,111 | 25 | $494,386 | $480,321 | $431,588 |
| 2020 | $6,549,549 | $12,352 | $512,554 | $418,071 | 15 | — | $113,946 | $388,938 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation reported a distributable amount of $396K for 2024 — 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’s website describes its grantmaking as supporting nonprofit organizations in the greater Newburyport area. Its grantees include organizations serving a range of community needs. For example, Opportunity Works says it supports people with disabilities through integration, inclusion, and independence; Our Neighbors’ Table describes its work providing food to people experiencing food insecurity; and the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center says its mission is to help end domestic violence.
The foundation’s scholarship program offers awards to Newburyport High School graduates pursuing a four-year college or university education. Applicants must have financial need and an unweighted GPA of at least 3.25. The foundation’s website describes two initial scholarships of $10,000 each, with possible additional awards in later college years for recipients who meet its GPA and transcript requirements.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $627,697. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $200,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed awards included $200,000 to the City of Newburyport, $115,000 to Anna Jaques Hospital, and $41,821 to Newburyport Education Foundation. Each was reported as unrestricted general support. Other listed grants included $30,000 to WBUR and $20,000 each to Our Neighbor’s Table, Opportunity Works, and Custom Houses Museum.
The foundation’s website says grant applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) organizations and provides a grant application. Its filing lists Mark Welch as the contact, states that no form or materials are specified, and lists no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mark F. Welch, Kimberly A. Rock, Anna Makos, and John F. Leary III as co-trustees. The foundation’s website identifies Mark F. Welch as president, Kimberly A. Rock as treasurer, and Anna Makos as secretary.
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mark F Welch
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$18K (2020) → $18K (2024)
John F Leary III
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly A Rock
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Makos
Co-Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mary E Larnard (2020–2023) — Co-Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $18K, to Mark F Welch (Co-Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation
How much does Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation give each year?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation gave $628K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $390K across 25 grants.
What is Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's typical grant size?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,418, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation give grants?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Newburyport, MA (12 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Amesbury, MA (2 grants) and Salisbury, MA (2 grants).
Does Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "UnrestrictedGeneral Support" (28 grants).
Who are Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's largest grantees?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include City of Newburyport ($200,000), Anna Jaques Hospital ($115,000) and Newburyport Education Foundation ($41,821), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $667K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $396K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its grantmaking as supporting nonprofit organizations in the greater Newburyport area. Its grantees include organizations serving a range of community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation?
Submit the foundation’s grant application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's EIN?
Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6155695. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mary-alice-arakelian-foundation-morg_e9a9b9cc00894649a20ee13f98cae8cb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046155695_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mary-alice-arakelian-foundation-morg_e9a9b9cc00894649a20ee13f98cae8cb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Mary Alice Arakelian 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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