Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn)
The Mellen Charitable Foundation, formerly known as TF Foundation, is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 2021, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization supported by Neil Mellen. The foundation maintains offices at 31 Saint James Avenue, Suite 740, Boston, MA 02116-4186.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$307.9M
+158.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$35.7M
+537.3% YoY
Grant Count
17
+30.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.1M
+387.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) reported a distributable amount of $7.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Health Care
- Reproductive Health
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants through a selective process, with recent grant activity showing:
Grant Range
$200,000 to $25,047,906
Average Grant
amount: $2.1 million (2024)
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024)
- Total assets: $307,946,189
- Total annual giving: $35,658,156
- Total qualifying distributions: $35,907,541
Financial Growth
The foundation has experienced significant growth:
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $307,946,189 | $119,349,577 | $121,311,223 |
| Total Giving | $35,658,156 | $5,746,834 | $5,074,857 |
| Total Revenue | $220,762,397 | $5,437,727 | $2,206,921 |
| Total Expenses | $37,827,806 | $7,399,373 | $5,410,831 |
Giving Rate
The foundation distributes approximately 4.7% of assets annually and directs approximately 95% of expenses toward charitable disbursements.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $307,946,189 | $119,349,577 | $121,311,223 |
| Revenue | $220,762,397 | $5,437,727 | $2,206,921 |
| Expenses | $37,827,806 | $7,399,373 | $5,410,831 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $35,907,541 | $5,746,834 | $5,074,857 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,923,915 | $2,684,278 | $2,302,181 |
| Distributable Amount | $7,220,593 | $5,474,953 | $5,742,788 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jerome Avenue Fund Co the Boston Foundation ($25,047,906), Dana-farber Inc ($4,060,000), Upstream Usa ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER LOS ANGELES, CA | FURTHER THE AREA OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY AT CEDARS-SINAI | $250,000 |
| DANA-FARBER INC BOSTON, MA | DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES | $4,060,000 |
| FOCUSING PHILANTHROPY SANTA MONICA, CA | JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICE / FOCUSING PHILANTHROPY MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN | $537,000 |
| HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN ROXBURY, MA | FUND THE INCREMENTAL COSTS OF EDUCATING 50 ADDITIONAL CHILDREN IN THE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM | $250,000 |
| JEROME AVENUE FUND CO THE BOSTON FOUNDATION EAST HAVEN, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE - 90,885 SH VTI BOOK VALUE $19,385,886MEAN FMV USED FOR DEDUCTION | $25,047,906 |
| NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM BOSTON, MA | SUPPORT THE HIRING OF CONSERVATION FIELD STAFF WITHIN THE ANDERSON CABOT CENTER FOR OCEAN LIFE | $250,000 |
| ST VINCENT'S MEDICAL CENTER BRIDGEPORT, CT | ESTABLISH THE NEIL AND DIANE MELLEN CRITICAL CARE FUND | $425,000 |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA - CT NEW YORK, NY | COMMITMENT TO A FUTURE WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE IN LIFE | $200,000 |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA - MA NEW YORK, NY | COMMITMENT TO A FUTURE WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE IN LIFE | $250,000 |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA - RI NEW YORK, NY | COMMITMENT TO A FUTURE WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE IN LIFE | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by three board members, all serving in unpaid capacities:
- Neil Mellen — Chair, Director
- Michael Eisenson — President, Director (5 hours per week)
- Jane Goldstein — Treasurer, Secretary, Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL EISENSON | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| NEIL MELLEN | CHAIR, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JANE GOLDSTEIN | TREASURER, SECRETARY, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Health Care • Reproductive Health
How do I apply for a grant from Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn)?
**Grant Activity & Amounts** The foundation makes grants through a selective process, with recent grant activity showing: • Grant range: $200,000 to $25,047,906 • Median grant amount: $425,000 • Average grant amount: $2.1 million (2024) • Number of grants: 17 grants in 2024 (13 grants in 2023) **Recent Grant Recipients (2023)** • Upstream USA: $1,000,000 (support for mission to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy) • Year Up: $540,000 (direct service programs and new pilots and in…
Where does Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut.
What size grants does Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) award?
In 2024, Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) awarded 17 grants totaling $35.7M — an average of about $2.1M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn) reported a distributable amount of $7.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn)'s EIN?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (fka Tf Fdn)'s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3945419. 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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