Massachusetts Higher Education logo

Massachusetts Higher Education

BOSTON, MA EIN: 04-2254705 Website

American Student Assistance (ASA), also known as the Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation, is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1956, ASA operates as a public charity with a primary mission to help students successfully complete the financing and repayment of higher education. The organization acts as a student loan guarantor and engages in a variety of activities to advance higher education access and completion.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.1B

+6.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$20.3M

+152.9% YoY

Grant Count

50

+85.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$407K

+36.5% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

ASA's mission is to help students successfully complete the financing and repayment of higher education by acting as a student loan guarantor in connection with the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Beyond loan guaranteeing, the organization pursues a broader educational mission that includes:

  • Helping students explore alternative education pathways in pursuit of successful and fulfilling careers
  • Middle and high school activities focused on helping students know themselves, know their options, and make informed decisions to achieve their education and career goals
  • Helping students explore education and career options starting in middle school
  • Providing hands-on opportunities for students to experiment with education and career options
  • Supporting students in executing plans to meet their goals

The organization's primary NTEE classification is Scholarships and Student Financial Aid Services.

Grantmaking

ASA made total grants of $20,394,926 in their most recent fiscal year. Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $5,000,000. The organization's grant-making focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, and human services, with primary geographic focus in Massachusetts, California, and New York.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

ASA's grantmaking activities are primarily concentrated in Massachusetts, California, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

26states
+18 more states

States

ArizonaCaliforniaColoradoDistrict of ColumbiaDelawareFloridaHawaiiIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMassachusettsMaineNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNew YorkOhioOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandTennesseeTexasVirginiaWashingtonWisconsin

Cities

AlexandriaAlexandrisAttleboroAustinBerkeleyBismarckBlackstoneBostonBrocktonBrooklynCambridgeChattanoogaChicagoCinicnnatiColumbusDallasDenverEast BostonEast BridgewaterElkins Park

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

  • Total Assets: $1,045,185,472
  • Total Revenues: $113,123,004
  • Total Expenses: $95,095,168
  • Number of Employees: 99

As of 2024:

  • Total Assets: $1,113,821,909
  • Total Giving: $20,394,926
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$42M$85M$127M$169M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,113,821,909$1,045,185,472$945,178,364
Revenue$153,640,929$113,123,004$81,920,356
Expenses$114,855,624$95,095,168$69,303,434
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$77,184,436$27,481,673$-8,234,020
Distributable Amount———

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5M$10M$15M$20M61 grants202022 grants202119 grants202227 grants202350 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

JOBS FOR THE FUTURE INC$5.0MNETWORK FOR TEACHING ENT…$4.4MNEW VENTURE FUND$1.5MBIG PICTURE LEARNING$600KCAPS NETWORK INC$527KRODEL FOUNDATION OF DELA…$500KSPARK NC$500KUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE F…$500KAMERICA SUCCEEDS$450KNAF$400K

Grant Size Distribution

168 grants across all recorded years

41<$50K21$50–100K57$100–250K14$250–500K26$500K–1M8$1–5M1$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jobs for the Future Inc ($5,000,000), Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship ($4,448,985), New Venture Fund ($1,500,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
AMERICA SUCCEEDS DENVER, COSKILL-BUILDING/SOCIAL CAPITAL$450,000
APPRENTICE LEARNING JAMAICA PLAIN, MACAREER EXPLORATION$150,000
ASSOCIATION FOR MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION WINCHESTER, VACAREER EXPLORATION$15,000
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CUMMINGS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOSTON, MAPOSTSECONDARY PATHWAYS$150,000
BIG PICTURE LEARNING PROVIDENCE, RIDIGITAL INNOVATION$600,000
BIG THOUGHT DALLAS, TXDIGITAL INNOVATION$375,000
BISMARCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION BISMARCK, NDCAREER EXPLORATION$200,000
BRIC FOUNDATION NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CAWORK-BASED LEARNING$125,000
CAPS NETWORK INC OVERLAND PARK, KSWORK-BASED LEARNING$527,000
CAST INC LYNNFIELD, MAWORK-BASED LEARNING$126,678

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

JEAN EDDYPRESIDENT/CEO/DIRECTOR$543KRILWAN MEERANVP MISSION IMPACT INVESTING$328KANGELINE L CASTERACOO/CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER$314KJOHN CHRISTOPHER SHE…VP & GENERAL COUNSEL (UNTIL …$298KCLAY COLARUSSOCMO & SVP DIGITAL STRATEGY$298KCAMERON F LOGAN PHDVICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY$282KALISA WILKESVP PRODUCT OPERATIONS$268KJULIE LAMMERSSVP ADVOCACY & CORP RESP$259KJUDY GOLDSTEINSVP PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMUNI…$256KKYLE G MORINVP HEAD OF FINANCE$245KBARBARA MATEZEVP & CFO$242KANDREW DYKESR. DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY$240KJAMES G SMITHVICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING$218KROBIN M GILBERTVP, PEOPLE & CULTURE$201KALAN WHITEVP/RESEARCH & DATA ANALYTICS$198KLAWRENCE H GENNARIDIR/CHAIR OF BOARD/CHAIR$79KCAROL FULPDIRECTOR/CHAIR OF COMPENSATION$71KCARLA THOMPSONDIR/CHAIR OF IMPACT INVESTING$61KKEN JONESDIR./CHAIR OF AUDIT COMMITTEE$61KTHOMAS GRAFDIR./CHAIR OF INV COMMITTEE$53KALEX RAPPAPORTDIRECTOR$50KMARGARET NGDIRECTOR$50KSTEPHANIE CRIMMINSDIRECTOR$50KDANIEL ACHEAMPONGDIRECTOR$38K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
JEAN EDDYPRESIDENT/CEO/DIRECTOR40$543,395
ALEX RAPPAPORTDIRECTOR1$50,000
CARLA THOMPSONDIR/CHAIR OF IMPACT INVESTING1$60,500
CAROL FULPDIRECTOR/CHAIR OF COMPENSATION1$70,500
THOMAS GRAFDIR./CHAIR OF INV COMMITTEE1$53,000
KEN JONESDIR./CHAIR OF AUDIT COMMITTEE2$60,500
LAWRENCE H GENNARIDIR/CHAIR OF BOARD/CHAIR4$78,500
DANIEL ACHEAMPONGDIRECTOR1$37,500
MARGARET NGDIRECTOR1$50,000
STEPHANIE CRIMMINSDIRECTOR1$50,000
JD LAROCKDIRECTOR1—
ANGELINE L CASTERACOO/CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER40$313,565
JOHN CHRISTOPHER SHEEHANVP & GENERAL COUNSEL (UNTIL 12/31/24)40$297,658
RILWAN MEERANVP MISSION IMPACT INVESTING40$328,463
CLAY COLARUSSOCMO & SVP DIGITAL STRATEGY40$297,573
CAMERON F LOGAN PHDVICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY40$281,700
JULIE LAMMERSSVP ADVOCACY & CORP RESP40$258,824
KYLE G MORINVP HEAD OF FINANCE40$245,156
JUDY GOLDSTEINSVP PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMUNICATIONS40$256,189
ALISA WILKESVP PRODUCT OPERATIONS40$267,636
JAMES G SMITHVICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING40$217,719
ALAN WHITEVP/RESEARCH & DATA ANALYTICS40$198,366
ANDREW DYKESR. DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY40$239,787
ROBIN M GILBERTVP, PEOPLE & CULTURE40$201,210
BARBARA MATEZEVP & CFO40$241,995

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Massachusetts Higher Education fund?

ASA's mission is to help students successfully complete the financing and repayment of higher education by acting as a student loan guarantor in connection with the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Beyond loan guaranteeing, the organization pursues a broader educational mission that includes: • Helping students explore alternative education pathways in pursuit of successful and fulfilling careers • Middle and high school activities focused on helping students know themselves, know their op…

How do I apply for a grant from Massachusetts Higher Education?

ASA made total grants of $20,394,926 in their most recent fiscal year. Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $5,000,000. The organization's grant-making focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, and human services, with primary geographic focus in Massachusetts, California, and New York.

Where does Massachusetts Higher Education make grants?

ASA's grantmaking activities are primarily concentrated in Massachusetts, California, and New York.

What size grants does Massachusetts Higher Education award?

In 2024, Massachusetts Higher Education awarded 50 grants totaling $20.3M — an average of about $407K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Massachusetts Higher Education's EIN?

Massachusetts Higher Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2254705. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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