Novack Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 04-6896914

The Novack Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports contributions to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural, educational, food-access, health-care, and human-services organizations.

Key facts about Novack Family Foundation

In short: Novack Family Foundation gave $371K across 50 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state New York. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
04-6896914
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$371,300
Grants made (2025)
50
Average grant
$7,426
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
31% first-time grantees (15 of 48, 2025)
Total assets
$1,151,887
Primary geography
New York (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.2M

+54.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$371K

-21.6% YoY

Grant Count

50

+4.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

-24.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Novack Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Novack Family Foundation open to new grantees?

31%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 15 of 48 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, Film Forum describes its work as presenting challenging and historically important films to the public and serving independent film; Brooklyn Public Library says it provides free and open access to information and preserves and transmits knowledge, history, and culture. Gloucester-based Backyard Growers says it works to increase equitable access to vegetable gardens and resources for growing food. Pathways for Children describes its work as supporting children and families affected by economic and social inequity, while Day by Day Adult Care says it serves elders and adults with disabilities or illnesses.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 50 grants totaling $371,300. Grants ranged from $250 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest listed awards were two $50,000 contributions to Film Forum, $25,000 to Apollo Theatre Foundation, and $25,000 to Food Link. Other listed grants included $15,000 to Brooklyn Public Library and $10,000 each to Pathways for Children, Tufts Medical Center, Backyard Growers, Cape Ann Art Haven, Dartmouth College Fund, Day by Day Adult Care, and Facing History and Ourselves.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in New York (44%) and Massachusetts (37%), followed by Maine (10%), New Hampshire (3%), and Maryland (3%).

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.

Cities

BostonGloucesterRockportNew YorkWashingtonBrooklynEast BostonBethesdaNewtonWestwoodBrooklineBrunswickHanoverCambridgeWoodland HillsAlexandriaChestnut HillFraminghamDanversJamaica Plain

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K66 grants2020 64 grants2021 66 grants2022 52 grants2023 48 grants2024 50 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $306K (2023) to $474K (2024). In 2025 it made 50 grants totaling $371K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Film Forum Inc: $100K across 2 grantsFilm Forum Inc$100K · 2 grantsApollo Theatre Foundation Inc: $25KApollo Theatre Foundation Inc$25KFood Link: $25KFood Link$25KBrooklyn Public Library: $15KBrooklyn Public Library$15KThe Open Door: $11K across 2 grantsThe Open Door$11K · 2 grantsPathways for Children: $10KPathways for Children$10KTufts Medical Center: $10KTufts Medical Center$10KBackyard Growers: $10KBackyard Growers$10KCape Ann Art Haven: $10KCape Ann Art Haven$10KDartmouth College Fund: $10KDartmouth College Fund$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Film Forum Inc ($100K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $226K.

Grant Size Distribution

280 grants across all recorded years

272<$50K6$50–100K2$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 272 grants of 280 (97%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Film Forum Inc New York, NYContribution$50,000
Film Forum Inc New York, NYContribution$50,000
Apollo Theatre Foundation Inc New York, NYContribution$25,000
Food Link Auburn, MEContribution$25,000
Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn, NYContribution$15,000
Pathways for Children Gloucester, MAContribution$10,000
Tufts Medical Center Boston, MAContribution$10,000
Backyard Growers Gloucester, MAContribution$10,000
Cape Ann Art Haven Gloucester, MAContribution$10,000
Dartmouth College Fund Hanover, NHContribution$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $1,151,887 $847,678 $442,579 $371,300
2024 $746,788 $574,079 $551,418 $473,800
2023 $716,039 $243,933 $353,967 $305,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,151,887$746,788$716,039
Revenue$847,678$574,079$243,933
Expenses$442,579$551,418$353,967
Qualifying Distributions$371,300$473,800$305,500
Net Investment Income$760,592$406,627$181,262
Distributable Amount$26,176$37,594$50,779

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Kenneth J. Novack as trustee, serving as needed.

Novack Family Foundation is led by Kenneth J. Novack, Trustee - As Needed on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Kenneth J. Novack

    Trustee - As Needed

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: Captrust One Liberty Sq 13Fl, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 488-2700

Frequently asked questions about Novack Family Foundation

How much does Novack Family Foundation give each year?

Novack Family Foundation gave $371K across 50 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $474K across 48 grants.

What is Novack Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Novack Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,426, across 50 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Novack Family Foundation that year got $12K on average.

Where does Novack Family Foundation give grants?

Novack Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (37%) and Maine (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Gloucester, MA (10 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Boston, MA (7 grants) and Rockport, MA (5 grants).

Does Novack Family Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 50 grants with a stated purpose on Novack Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (48 grants).

Who are Novack Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Novack Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Film Forum Inc ($100,000 across 2 grants), Apollo Theatre Foundation Inc ($25,000) and Food Link ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Novack Family Foundation?

Novack Family Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $371K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Novack Family Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Novack Family Foundation?

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 Novack Family Foundation's EIN?

Novack Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6896914. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Novack Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

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