Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture is a public charity based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1792, it provides grants—and occasionally loans or investment funding—to enterprises whose work the trustees judge will promote agriculture in Massachusetts.
Key facts about Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
In short: Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture gave $271K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 04-2265469
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $270,697
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $14,247
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,396,483
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Society accepts applications year-round. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$6.4M
+3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$271K
+6.2% YoY
Grant Count
19
+90.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-44.1% YoY
How Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Society’s stated purpose is to allocate available funds to agricultural programs in the way it believes will be of greatest benefit to agriculture in Massachusetts. It supports projects that benefit Massachusetts agriculture, broaden knowledge of and support for farmers, may help attract government or corporate matching funds, or stimulate research in new areas.
Its stated areas of interest include sustainable agriculture, including integrated pest management; projects that directly benefit the farming community; farmland and open-space preservation; distinctive marketing ideas; and education that builds consumer awareness of Massachusetts farm products.
Recent grantees illustrate the range of work supported. Coastal Foodshed describes its work as connecting local growers with consumers and improving access to healthy local food. Berkshire Agricultural Ventures says it supports local farms and strengthens local food systems through business assistance, loans, and other resources. Boston Farms Community Land Trust describes its work as developing and stewarding land for urban farming and creating economic opportunities for underserved residents. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Society reported 19 grants totaling $270,697. Those grants ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median of $10,000. The Society’s grant materials describe a recent award range of $500 to $25,000 and a typical grant of approximately $5,000.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Society’s stated geographic focus is agriculture in Massachusetts. In 2025, 86% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts; 9% went to New Hampshire, 4% to Washington, D.C., and 1% to Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $70K (2022) to $271K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $271K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Carrot Project ($35K). Together the top 10 received $242K.
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 53 (96%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Carrot Project Boston, MA | To Support the Economic Viability of Ma Farmers | $35,000 |
| Coastal Foodshed New Bedford, MA | To fund the purchase of a refrigerated box truck | $30,000 |
| Conservation Law Foundation Boston, MA | Operational Support for Its Massachusetts Legal Food Hub | $25,000 |
| Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Great Barrington, MA | To support the continuance of providing business technical assistance to lodal farms and food businesses in Berkshire county | $25,000 |
| Land for Good Inc Keene, NH | To educate and support farmland owners in the commonwealth | $25,000 |
| Marion Institute Marion, MA | To support of work to recover otherwise unharvested produce from area farms in southeast ma and distribute it to are food pantries | $25,000 |
| Eco Ag Collaborative (Momentum Ag) Worthington, MA | To explore the feasibility of 'virtual fencing' for pasture-raised livestock in ma | $24,122 |
| Ma Food System Collaborative (MFSC) Boston, MA | To fund, in part, the collaborative's operating expenses to continue its work on the healthy incentives program (HIP) | $20,000 |
| Boston Farms Community Land Trust Inc Mattapan, MA | The grant will fund, in part, boston farms' costs in connection with the acquisition and development of the farm site at 115-123 bird street, boston | $20,000 |
| Regional Environmental Council Worcester, MA | General operating support of the community farmers' market program | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,396,483 | $549,508 | $350,558 | $270,697 |
| 2024 | $6,197,533 | $713,444 | $334,151 | $254,800 |
| 2023 | $5,818,240 | $394,947 | $290,825 | $232,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,396,483 | $6,197,533 | $5,818,240 |
| Revenue | $549,508 | $713,444 | $394,947 |
| Expenses | $350,558 | $334,151 | $290,825 |
| Net Investment Income | $549,508 | $713,444 | $394,947 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 3, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John D. Lee as president. Trustees listed include Dudley H. Willis and Frederick L. Dabney. Honorary trustees listed include Frederic Winthrop Jr., Timothy K. Hollander, Jonathan L. Healy, Jerome C. Hunsaker III, Robert T. Hall, Robert W. Macleod, and Allen D. Berry.
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture is led by John D. Lee, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 18 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John D. Lee
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allen D. Berry
Honorary Trustee
Treasurer → Honorary Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dudley H. Willis
Trustee
1st Vice President → 2nd Vice President, 2021
2nd Vice President → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederic Winthrop Jr.
Honorary Trustee
Trustee → Honorary Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederick Ames
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederick L. Dabney
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerome C. Hunsaker III
Honorary Trustee
2nd Vice President → Trustee, 2021
Trustee → Honorary Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan L. Healy
Honorary Trustee
Trustee → Honorary Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert T. Hall
Honorary Trustee
Secretary → Honorary Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert W. Macleod
Honorary Trustee
Trustee → Honorary Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott J. Soares
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy K. Hollander
Honorary Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer B. Hashley
Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James F. Harrison
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Borgeson
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Philip Lee
1st Vice President
Trustee → 1st Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dudley H. Willis Jr.
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Suput
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Fredrick S. Moseley III (2020–2021) — Honorary Trustee
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: Cerity 265 Franklin St 2001, Boston, MA 02110-3199
Phone: (617) 224-1900
Website: https://promotingmassag.org
Frequently asked questions about Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
How much does Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture give each year?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture gave $271K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $255K across 10 grants.
What is Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's typical grant size?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,247, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture give grants?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture gives mostly in Massachusetts: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Hampshire (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants).
Does Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture give general operating support?
Yes: 16% of Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's largest grantees?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's largest 2025 grantees include The Carrot Project ($35,000), Coastal Foodshed ($30,000) and Conservation Law Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $550K.
What does Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture fund?
The Society’s stated purpose is to allocate available funds to agricultural programs in the way it believes will be of greatest benefit to agriculture in Massachusetts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture?
The Society accepts applications year-round. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's EIN?
Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2265469. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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