New England Biolabs Foundation
The New England Biolabs Foundation (NEBF) is a private foundation established in 1982 by Donald Comb, founder of New England Biolabs, Inc., a leading supplier of reagents for the life sciences industry. Headquartered in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the foundation operates as a company-sponsored foundation with a small staff of 2 employees. The organization is classified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with tax-exempt status granted in June 1984.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-27.6% YoY
Grant Count
117
-20.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-9.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, New England Biolabs Foundation reported a distributable amount of $274K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to foster community-based conservation of landscapes and seascapes and the biocultural diversity found in these places. The foundation recognizes that natural and cultural values are inextricably linked and that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play a fundamental role in environmental stewardship.
NEBF supports programs designed to:
- Promote conservation of biological diversity, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems
- Sustain cultural diversity, including linguistic diversity and traditional knowledge systems and practices
- Maintain ecosystem services with emphasis on water, soil, and carbon sequestration
- Promote food security and economic vitality of local communities
- Sustain healthy reefs and fisheries
- Support community-based conservation and arts and cultural projects
The foundation's work is guided by the premise that investing in people living and working in areas of high biodiversity can make meaningful contributions to conservation at both local and global scales.
Grantmaking
NEBF provides financial support primarily through small project grants to grassroots organizations and NGOs in selected countries and targeted geographies.
Grant Range
$3,000–$8,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NEBF provides grants in the following regions:
- Central America
- Andean South America
- West Africa
- North Shore Massachusetts (for community-based conservation and arts and cultural projects in coastal communities)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $6,674,504
- Annual Giving: $1,464,221
- Revenue: $520,942
- Expenses: $2,160,000 (approximate)
- Total Liabilities: $296,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $6,674,504 | $7,476,120 |
| Revenue | $4,148,279 | $520,942 | $1,785,749 |
| Expenses | $1,584,096 | $2,155,496 | $1,602,010 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,603,459 | $2,030,356 | $1,614,617 |
| Net Investment Income | $271,571 | $49,374 | $202,848 |
| Distributable Amount | $273,695 | $331,239 | $411,924 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from New England Biolabs Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Creative Action Institute ($234,500), Cultural Survival ($100,000), American Bird Conservancy ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABOYERD - AGRICULTURE & BIOCONSERVATION ORG | ADVANCING COMMUNITY-LED BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF GREAT APES AND ELEPHANTS IN ONE OF CAMEROONS MOST CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS: THE CASE OF THE CAMPO MA'AN NATIONAL PARK | $6,400 |
| ACCELERATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (ARDO) | RE-ENGINEERING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT ALONG THE TOGO PLATEAU PORTION OF AKWAPIM TOGO RANGE IN THE GUAN DISTRICT OF GHANA | $2,400 |
| AGRO-INTRODUCTIONS GHANA (AIG) | ECO-LINK PROJECT: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES FOR LANDSCAPE INTEGRITY, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, AND KEEPING ECOSYSTEMS NURTURED | $7,200 |
| AJEMALEBU SELF HELP | PROMOTING CULTURAL PRACTICES, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, AND MAPPING FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AROUND THE KUPE/MUANENGUBA MOUNTAIN FOREST AREA | $1,600 |
| AMAZON WATCH OAKLAND, CA | WOMEN DEFENDERS OF THE AMAZON | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY THE PLAINS, VA | CONSERVING LA MOSKITIA'S WILDLIFE AND IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS THROUGH AGROFORESTRY CACAO SYSTEMS AND CAPACITY-BUILDING IN HONDURAS | $25,000 |
| ANAHUAC RL | COMUNIDADES GESTIONANDO EL ECOSISTEMA MARINO COSTERO Y LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE LA ZONA MARINA DE VIDA Y DESARROLLO PIE DE GIGANTE/ COMMUNITIES MANAGING THE COASTAL MARINE ECOSYSTEM AND BIODIVERSITY OF THE PIE DE GIGANTE MARINE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT ZONE | $1,600 |
| THE ANDEAN ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MARSHALL, MI | LACCO VALLEY INITIATIVE (LVI): ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION | $5,000 |
| ANDES AMAZON CONSERVANCY (AAC) MONTAGUE, MA | INDIGENOUS-LED CONSERVATION LAND-USE PLANNING | $12,000 |
| ASOCIACION MULTICULTURAL DE MUJERES PARA EL DESARROLLO INTEGRAL Y SOSTENIBL | ECOTOURISM AS A TOOL FOR CONSERVATION OF MANGROVES AND TROPICAL FOREST IN RIO DULCE NATIONAL PARK WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES | $2,400 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jessica Brown serves as Executive Director of the foundation.
The foundation was established by Donald Comb, founder of New England Biolabs, Inc., a molecular biologist inspired by the diversity of life on Earth and the power of local communities.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSICA L BROWN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $140,167 |
| HENRY P PAULUS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HEIDI ELLARD | CHAIR/TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| DYLAN COMB | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOVIAL KING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARBARA VALLARINO | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRIAN TINGER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: New England Biolabs Foundation, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938 USA
Phone: 978-998-7990
Email: info@nebf.org
Website: www.nebf.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does New England Biolabs Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to foster community-based conservation of landscapes and seascapes and the biocultural diversity found in these places. The foundation recognizes that natural and cultural values are inextricably linked and that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play a fundamental role in environmental stewardship. NEBF supports programs designed to: • Promote conservation of biological diversity, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems • Sustain cultural diversity, includ…
How do I apply for a grant from New England Biolabs Foundation?
NEBF provides financial support primarily through small project grants to grassroots organizations and NGOs in selected countries and targeted geographies. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $3,000–$8,000 • International grants: $5,000–$15,000 • Local grants: $4,000–$10,000 • Number of grants awarded: 147 awards in 2023 • Annual giving: $1,464,221 (2023) **Application Process:** • Letters of Intent (LOIs) are reviewed twice yearly • Decisions are conveyed approximately 2.5 months…
Where does New England Biolabs Foundation make grants?
NEBF provides grants in the following regions: • Central America • Andean South America • West Africa • North Shore Massachusetts (for community-based conservation and arts and cultural projects in coastal communities)
What size grants does New England Biolabs Foundation award?
In 2024, New England Biolabs Foundation awarded 117 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is New England Biolabs Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, New England Biolabs Foundation reported a distributable amount of $274K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is New England Biolabs Foundation's EIN?
New England Biolabs Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2776213. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in New England Biolabs Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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