Minow Family Foundation

CAMBRIDGE, MA EIN: 36-6169301

The Minow Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1967, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on supporting education, arts and culture, and Jewish agencies.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$960K

-19.0% YoY

Grant Count

11

-15.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$87K

-4.3% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's giving priorities include:

  • Education
  • Arts and Culture
  • Jewish Agencies
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services
  • Journalism
  • Creative Writing
  • Historic Buildings
  • Higher Education

Grantmaking

The foundation made $960,000 in total giving in 2024. Recent grantees include:

Grant Range

s & Patterns:**

Average Grant

$5,000–$19,000 (varies by reporting period)

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Primary grantmaking is concentrated in:

  • Illinois
  • New York
  • Massachusetts
  • California
  • Wisconsin

The foundation reaches organizations across 12 states, with 78% of grants supporting organizations in Illinois, California, and Wisconsin.

Grant Distribution by State

18states
+10 more states

Cities

ARLINGTONBOSTONBROOKLYNCHICAGOCINCINNATIDUBUQUEEAU CLAIREEVANSTONGLEN ELLENHIGHLAND PARKLIBERTYVILLEMEMPHISMILLBURNNEW ORLEANSNEW YORKNEWPORTNOTRE DAMEOMAHAPARKLANDPHILADELPHIA

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Income (as of 2024):

  • Total assets: $8,763,437
  • Total annual giving: $960,000
  • Total revenues: $1,152,997
  • Total expenses: $980,740
  • Annual income: $5,000,000

Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $2.2 million in 2011 to $8.8 million in 2024.

Revenue Composition (2024):

  • Investment income and dividends: $163,519
  • Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $909,187
  • Grants and contributions received: $80,291
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$296K$593K$889K$1M35 grants202039 grants202138 grants202213 grants202311 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING …$250KNORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY$150KWGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDAT…$120KJEWISH COMMUNAL FUND$75KNNMJBM PLANT FOR OUR CHI…$75KCOMBINED JEWISH PHILANTH…$75KCHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM$75KSORENSEN CENTER FOR INTE…$50KRAVINIA FESTIVAL$50KBEYOND LEGAL AID$20K

Grant Size Distribution

136 grants across all recorded years

116<$50K7$50–100K10$100–250K3$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Martha L. Minow is affiliated with the foundation. She holds the position of 300th Anniversary University Professor at Harvard University and serves on multiple boards including the Carnegie Corporation, WGBH/GBH, and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
MARTHA L MINOWPRESIDENT, DIRECTOR0.25
MARY R MINOWTREASURER, DIRECTOR0.25
NELL MINOWVICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR, SECRETARY0.25

Contact Information

Address: 75 Fresh Pond Parkway Cambridge, MA 02138-3348

Phone: 617-661-1364 (312) 853-7555

Principal Officer: Sidley Austin LLP

The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees.

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

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

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