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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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