Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
The Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, according to its IRS filing. Started by Meg Ramsey in 1999, the family foundation supports arts education and general education projects for preschool through high school students.
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation gave $323K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $322,900
- +0.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- -22.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,727
- +30.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $6,571,278
- +17.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. New Single Year and Scholarship Fund applicants are strongly encouraged to begin with a letter of inquiry describing the organization and project, objectives and expected outcomes, schedule, and funding needs. The website says letters of inquiry are submitted by email; its application information also describes an online portal. The 2023 filing lists a letter stating the activities for which funds are requested and a copy of the IRS determination letter as application materials. The filing says awards are limited to arts and general education projects within 50 miles of the foundation’s Lincoln, Massachusetts offices.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation’s 2023 filing states an annual October 1 deadline. The website’s 2026–2027 cycle listed October 1, 2026, for Single Year and Scholarship Fund applications and September 15, 2026, for Trilogy applications; both dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The foundation’s 2023 filing states an annual October 1 deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: Margaret A Ramsey
Mailing address: PO Box 275, Lincoln, MA 01773
Phone: (781) 259-9949
Website: https://ramseymccluskeyfndn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
McCluskey Family Foundation: Scholarship Fund Grants
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
Amount
Up to US $2,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
McCluskey Family Foundation: Single Year Grants
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
McCluskey Family Foundation: Trilogy Grants
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
Amount
US $35,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was South Shore Conservatory ($15K). Together the top 10 received $120K.
Grant Size Distribution
220 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 220 grants of 220 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 filing states that arts and general education projects must be within 50 miles of the foundation’s Lincoln, Massachusetts offices. In the 2025 filing, 95% of grant dollars went to Massachusetts recipients, 2% to Rhode Island recipients, and 2% to Maine recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
Cities
How Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation gives
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 134% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $252K (2023) to $323K (2025). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $323K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| South Shore Conservatory Hingham, MA | Community Engagement | $15,000 |
| Conservatory Lab Foundation Boston, MA | El Sistema Daily Music | $15,000 |
| Company One Boston, MA | Stage One: in-School at | $15,000 |
| Summer Search Jamaica Plain, MA | Summer Search's High School | $15,000 |
| Enroot Inc Cambridge, MA | Enroot FY25 Explore, | $10,000 |
| Handel and Haydn Society Boston, MA | School Scholarships Program | $10,000 |
| Berklee College of Music Inc Boston, MA | Able Fest | $10,000 |
| Community Music Center of Boston Boston, MA | Youth Leadership Programs | $10,000 |
| Theater Offensive Inc Boston, MA | True Colors Troupe | $10,000 |
| Hyde Square Task Force Jamaica Plain, MA | Jovenes En Accion/Youth IN | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,571,278 | $1,684,380 | $427,408 | $322,900 | 37 | $397,597 | $1,557,581 | $296,390 |
| 2024 | $5,601,858 | $341,273 | $368,947 | $321,500 | 48 | $343,323 | $212,336 | $287,738 |
| 2023 | $5,463,009 | $270,029 | $324,661 | $251,500 | 38 | $292,869 | $224,049 | $275,938 |
| 2022 | $5,495,821 | $782,390 | $359,623 | $255,000 | 44 | $308,336 | $568,540 | $311,706 |
| 2021 | $5,274,238 | $1,206,556 | $347,832 | $269,050 | 53 | — | $676,351 | $266,173 |
| 2020 | $4,834,922 | $721,519 | $338,490 | $254,275 | 1 | — | $409,303 | $241,857 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $296K for 2025 — 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 focus is arts education and general education. It considers hands-on arts education projects from preschool through high school and is particularly interested in projects involving sustained student contact. It also considers preschool-through-high-school education projects intended to engage students in learning in school, after school, or other settings. For the 2025–2026 grant cycle, the foundation says almost three-quarters of its budget went to arts education and approximately one-quarter to general education.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. Conservatory Lab Foundation describes its purpose as supporting learning through music as an educational model. Company One Theatre says it builds community at the intersection of art and social change. Enroot describes its work as supporting immigrant youths’ academic, career, and professional success through out-of-school experiences. Other grantees include organizations whose stated missions involve youth services, creative youth development, and access to music and arts education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $322,900. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $15,000, with a median of $7,500. The largest listed awards were $15,000 each to South Shore Conservatory for community engagement, Conservatory Lab Foundation for El Sistema Daily Music, Company One for Stage One: In-School, and Summer Search for its high school program. Other listed $10,000 grants included awards to Enroot, Handel and Haydn Society, Berklee College of Music, Community Music Center of Boston, The Theater Offensive, Hyde Square Task Force, Zumix, and Worcester Youth Center.
The website describes three grant types: Single Year Grants of up to $10,000; Scholarship Fund Grants of up to $2,500 for organizations starting or expanding funds to help children and families participate in their programs; and Trilogy Grants totaling $35,000 over three years. Trilogy applicants must have received at least three Single Year grants, and the website says four Trilogy Grants are awarded each year. Scholarship Fund Grants are for organizations, not scholarships to individuals. Organizations generally may receive grants for up to three consecutive fiscal years, then must wait at least one fiscal year before applying again. The foundation requires a written report at the end of a grant period, with yearly reports for Trilogy Grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Margaret A. Ramsey and John M. McCluskey as trustees.
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John M. McCluskey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Margaret A. Ramsey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Margaret a Ramsey (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
How much does Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation give each year?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation gave $323K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $322K across 48 grants.
What is Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $8,727, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation give grants?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (16 grants), Jamaica Plain, MA (3 grants) and Cambridge, MA (3 grants).
Does Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 37 grants with a stated purpose on Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (4 grants).
Who are Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include South Shore Conservatory ($15,000), Conservatory Lab Foundation ($15,000) and Company One ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation reported $6.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $398K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $296K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated focus is arts education and general education. It considers hands-on arts education projects from preschool through high school and is particularly interested in projects involving sustained student contact. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's EIN?
Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3464899. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ramsey-mccluskey-family-foundation-morg_2c2537e5ea2c453db17ceebaa36b2eb8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043464899_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ramsey-mccluskey-family-foundation-morg_2c2537e5ea2c453db17ceebaa36b2eb8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation'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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