Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including cancer care, reproductive health, employment and education, youth services, and environmental and marine conservation.
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) at a glance
In short: Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) gave $35.7M across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $2.1M), mostly in Connecticut. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $35,658,156
- +537.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +30.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,097,539
- +387.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $425,000
- Total assets
- $307,946,189
- +158.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (71% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 31 St James Ave 740, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 933-3620
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jerome Avenue Fund Co the Boston Foundation ($25.0M). Together the top 10 received $34.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 20 grants of 45 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in Connecticut received 71% of grant dollars, recipients in Massachusetts received 25%, and recipients in California and New York each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
How Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) gives
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 2171% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 497% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2021) to $35.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $35.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Dana-Farber Inc Boston, MA | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Projects and Initiatives | $4,060,000 |
| Upstream USA Boston, MA | Support upstream usa's mission to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy | $1,000,000 |
| Social Finance Boston, MA | Support training for the unemployed or underemployed to gain access to high-demand jobs that pay family sustaining wages | $1,000,000 |
| Year up Inc Boston, MA | Direct Service Programs and New Pilots and Initiatives | $540,000 |
| Focusing Philanthropy Santa Monica, CA | Jewish vocational service / focusing philanthropy matching gift campaign | $537,000 |
| Youth Villages Woburn, MA | Provide Young Adults with Lifeset Services | $500,000 |
| Milford Public Schools Milford, MA | Support evidence based 1:1 virtual tutoring through ignite reading to support 1st and 2nd grade students in high poverty | $445,500 |
| St Vincent's Medical Center Bridgeport, CT | Establish the neil and diane mellen critical care fund | $425,000 |
| Waltham Public Schools Waltham, MA | Support evidence based 1:1 virtual tutoring through ignite reading to support 1st and 2nd grade students in high poverty | $402,750 |
Ready to take the next step with Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)?
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 | $307,946,189 | $220,762,397 | $37,827,806 | $35,658,156 | 17 | $35,907,541 | $3,923,915 | $7,220,593 |
| 2023 | $119,349,577 | $5,437,727 | $7,399,373 | $5,595,000 | 13 | $5,746,834 | $2,684,278 | $5,474,953 |
| 2022 | $121,311,223 | $2,206,921 | $5,410,831 | $5,035,000 | 11 | $5,074,857 | $2,302,181 | $5,742,788 |
| 2021 | $124,515,133 | $1,214,912 | $1,703,221 | $1,570,000 | 4 | $1,570,000 | $1,086,691 | $6,290,207 |
| 2020 | $125,003,442 | $125,004,917 | $1,475 | — | — | — | $4,917 | $303,518 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. Dana-Farber Inc., which received $4,060,000, states that it supports the exempt missions of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and provides investment management services. Upstream USA, which received $1,000,000, says its mission is to make equitable, patient-centered contraceptive care basic healthcare. Social Finance Inc., also receiving $1,000,000, says it builds partnerships and investments to measurably improve lives.
Other recipients include Year Up Inc., whose mission is to help young adults build skills and access careers and higher education; Duet Inc., which says it helps college students earn degrees through support and coaching; Horizons for Homeless Children, which works to improve the lives of homeless children and their families; and New England Aquarium Corporation, which describes its work in ocean conservation, research, education, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $35,658,156. Grant amounts ranged from $200,000 to $25,047,906, with a median of $425,000. The largest reported grant was $25,047,906 to Jerome Avenue Fund Co the Boston Foundation; its filing purpose refers to general-purpose support and 90,885 shares of VTI. Other notable grants included $4,060,000 to Dana-Farber Inc.; $1,000,000 each to Upstream USA and Social Finance; and $540,000 to Year Up Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Eisenson as president and director, Neil Mellen as chair and director, and Jane Goldstein as treasurer, secretary, and director.
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) is led by Michael Eisenson, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Eisenson
President & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neil Mellen
Chair & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Goldstein
Treasurer, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)
How much does Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) give each year?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) gave $35.7M across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.6M across 13 grants.
What is Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'s typical grant size?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'s median grant in 2024 was $425,000, and its average grant was $2,097,539, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) give grants?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) gives mostly in Connecticut: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (6 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'s 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'s largest grantees?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'s largest 2024 grantees include Jerome Avenue Fund Co the Boston Foundation ($25,047,906), Dana-Farber Inc ($4,060,000) and Upstream USA ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)?
Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) reported $307.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $35.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. Dana-Farber Inc., which received $4,060,000, states that it supports the exempt missions of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and provides investment management services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)?
The foundation states that it 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 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.
Does Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mellen-charitable-fdn-fka-tf-fdn-morg_267b769d312a4902b4ab1b439287bce9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853945419_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn) funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mellen-charitable-fdn-fka-tf-fdn-morg_267b769d312a4902b4ab1b439287bce9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. 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 Mellen Charitable Fdn (FKA TF Fdn)'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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