Richard K & Nancy L Donahue
The Richard K & Nancy L Donahue Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1991 in Massachusetts, based in Lowell, MA. The foundation supports arts, education, and human services initiatives, with a particular focus on the Lowell community and surrounding regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$395K
-44.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$552K
-78.0% YoY
Grant Count
24
-27.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-69.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Richard K & Nancy L Donahue reported a distributable amount of $30K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Arts – including support for museums, theaters, and cultural organizations
- Education – funding for educational institutions and programs
- Human Services – support for community-based human services organizations
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** Typical awards range from $500 to $2,500,000
How to Apply
** Not specified in available sources
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding focus in Massachusetts and New York, with particular emphasis on the Lowell, Massachusetts area and the Merrimack Valley region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $394,965
- Total revenues: $262,990
- Total expenses: $581,596
- Investment income and dividends: $12,345
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $394,965 | $713,268 | $2,269,836 |
| Revenue | $262,990 | $979,645 | $655,317 |
| Expenses | $581,596 | $2,536,213 | $4,859,900 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $569,500 | $2,521,376 | $4,839,713 |
| Net Investment Income | $241,015 | $958,262 | $634,125 |
| Distributable Amount | $29,776 | $97,577 | $206,932 |
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
151 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Project Learn ($160,000), Jfk Library ($75,000), Real News Project Inc ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF LOWELL LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $20,000 |
| COMUNIDAD COLOMBIANA LOWELL LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $500 |
| GBH BEACON CIRCLE BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| GREATER LOWELL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
| HOUSE OF HOPE LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NE LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| JFK LIBRARY BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $75,000 |
| LASELL UNIVERSITY NEWTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $20,000 |
| LOWELL PARKS & CONSERVATION LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $2,500 |
| LOWELL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LOWELL, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Nancy L. Donahue – Philanthropist and community leader who has been instrumental in the foundation's work. Born in New Britain, Connecticut, she moved to Lowell after marrying Richard K. Donahue in 1953. She has served in leadership roles with numerous cultural and educational organizations in the region.
Richard K. Donahue (1927-2015) – Attorney, White House aide to President John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), and former president and chief operating officer of Nike, Inc. He was a devoted community leader in Lowell and co-founder of the Merrimack Repertory Theater. He passed away on September 15, 2015.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NANCY L DONAHUE | TRUSTEE AS N | — | — |
| DAVID W DONAHUE | TRUSTEE AS N | — | $5,000 |
| DANIEL J DONAHUE | COMMITTEE ME | — | — |
| ALICIA DONAHUE | COMMITTEE ME | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Nancy L. Donahue received recognition from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 2016 for her cultural philanthropy work, with the council lauding her "instrumental role in creating and nurturing the arts across the Merrimack Valley."
State Honoring Lowell's Nancy Donahue as Cultural Philanthropist | News |The foundation has supported major cultural institutions in Lowell, including the Merrimack Repertory Theater (co-founded by the Donahues in 1979), the Whistler House Museum of Art, the New England Quilt Museum, and the American Textile Museum. Nancy Donahue received an honorary degree from UMass Lowell in 2013 in recognition of her philanthropic contributions.
State Honoring Lowell's Nancy Donahue as Cultural Philanthropist | News |Frequently Asked Questions
What does Richard K & Nancy L Donahue fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • **Arts** – including support for museums, theaters, and cultural organizations • **Education** – funding for educational institutions and programs • **Human Services** – support for community-based human services organizations
How do I apply for a grant from Richard K & Nancy L Donahue?
**Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $551,500 • Number of grants: 33 grants made • Notable recent grants include: • Project Learn: $160,000 (unrestricted) • Whowhatwhy: $50,000 (unrestricted) • Whistler House Museum of Art: $25,000 (unrestricted) **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $500 to $2,500,000 **Application Process:** Not specified in available sources
Where does Richard K & Nancy L Donahue make grants?
Primary funding focus in Massachusetts and New York, with particular emphasis on the Lowell, Massachusetts area and the Merrimack Valley region.
What size grants does Richard K & Nancy L Donahue award?
In 2024, Richard K & Nancy L Donahue awarded 24 grants totaling $552K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Richard K & Nancy L Donahue required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Richard K & Nancy L Donahue reported a distributable amount of $30K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Richard K & Nancy L Donahue's EIN?
Richard K & Nancy L Donahue's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3133049. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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