Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable
The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Waltham, Massachusetts. It makes grants to pre-selected organizations and describes its work as bringing entrepreneurial vision and resources to support transformational change in communities where the family lives and works.
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable at a glance
In short: Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable gave $8.1M across 77 grants in 2024 (avg $105K), top state Massachusetts. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,057,500
- -16.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 77
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $104,643
- -17.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $178,776,659
- +1.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (18 of 77, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation makes contributions only to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 South St Suite 600 610, Waltham, MA 02453
Phone: (617) 482-5620
Website: https://www.ppffound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brockton Hospital ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $6.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
395 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 261 grants of 395 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Massachusetts accounted for 48% of grant dollars, Georgia 22%, New Jersey 16%, Florida 4%, and New York 3%. These shares reflect the locations of grant recipients, rather than a stated geographic restriction.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 77 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 77 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $129K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 76% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.6M (2021) to $9.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 77 grants totaling $8.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brockton Hospital Brockton, MA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $1,800,000 |
| Emory University (Foundation) Atlanta, GA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $1,193,000 |
| The People's Park Foundation Jersey City, NJ | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $750,000 |
| American Junior Golf Association Braselton, GA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $550,000 |
| Ron Burton Training Village Hubbardston, MA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $500,000 |
| Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston Newton, MA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $400,000 |
| Liberty Science Center Jersey City, NJ | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $250,000 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $200,000 |
| PGA Tour First Tee Foundation Inc Ponte Vedrea Beach, FL | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $200,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc Boston, MA | For Donee's Exempt Purpose | $150,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $178,776,659 | $12,844,546 | $9,058,864 | $8,057,500 | 77 | $8,297,294 | $8,995,542 | $8,147,579 |
| 2023 | $176,242,688 | $16,616,042 | $10,487,743 | $9,630,500 | 76 | $9,874,508 | $12,400,349 | $8,422,540 |
| 2022 | $204,325,586 | $5,670,320 | $10,671,576 | $9,342,050 | 78 | $9,701,636 | $4,166,568 | $10,059,536 |
| 2021 | $224,067,026 | $18,099,749 | $5,513,240 | $4,573,450 | 55 | $4,853,670 | $15,418,352 | $9,469,119 |
| 2020 | $164,177,089 | $4,757,193 | $7,131,882 | $6,181,800 | 109 | — | $3,539,080 | $7,746,599 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable reported a distributable amount of $8.1M 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
The Foundation’s stated approach is to support transformational change in communities where the family lives and works. Its grants show support for hospitals and medical research, higher education, youth development, Jewish community organizations, and other charitable organizations.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work supported. Ron Burton Training Village says it trains youth through education, leadership, physical wellness, social advancement, and spiritual growth. One Family says it works to prevent family homelessness in Massachusetts by promoting pathways to economic independence. The American Junior Golf Association describes its work as promoting junior golf competitions, while Babson College says it educates entrepreneurial leaders who impact communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation awarded 77 grants totaling $8,057,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,800,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Its largest grants included $1,800,000 to Brockton Hospital, $1,193,000 to Emory University Foundation, $750,000 to The People’s Park Foundation, $550,000 to the American Junior Golf Association, and $500,000 to Ron Burton Training Village. Other grants included $400,000 to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston, $250,000 to Liberty Science Center, and $200,000 to Columbia University and PGA Tour First Tee Foundation.
The People’s Park Foundation says it advocates for the Jersey City community to realize Liberty State Park’s potential as a recreational and cultural center. PGA Tour First Tee Foundation says it uses golf and life-skills programming to support young people. The Foundation also reported a direct charitable activity in 2024: a loan to Home Funders Collaborative LLC, whose mission is to support housing for extremely low-income families in a mixed-income environment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Paul Fireman and Phyllis Fireman as trustees.
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul Fireman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Fireman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/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 Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable
How much does Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable give each year?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable gave $8.1M across 77 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.6M across 76 grants.
What is Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's typical grant size?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $104,643, across 77 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable that year got $26K on average.
Where does Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable give grants?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's top state is Massachusetts, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Georgia (22%) and New Jersey (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jersey City, NJ (13 grants), Boston, MA (13 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Who are Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's largest grantees?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include Brockton Hospital ($1,800,000), Emory University (Foundation) ($1,193,000) and The People's Park Foundation ($750,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable reported $178.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable fund?
The Foundation’s stated approach is to support transformational change in communities where the family lives and works. Its grants show support for hospitals and medical research, higher education, youth development, Jewish community organizations, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable?
The Foundation makes contributions only to pre-selected 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 Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's EIN?
Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2677986. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/paul-and-phyllis-fireman-charitable-morg_145972e1f36142a48b32e6ca64a14d8d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222677986_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Paul \& Phyllis Fireman Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/paul-and-phyllis-fireman-charitable-morg_145972e1f36142a48b32e6ca64a14d8d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable'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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