Stanley W Watson Foundation
The Stanley W Watson Foundation is a private foundation based in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Its 2024 grants went to charitable organizations in Massachusetts, including organizations working in research, health care, housing, land preservation, and community services.
Stanley W Watson Foundation at a glance
In short: Stanley W Watson Foundation gave $1.8M across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $49K), mostly in Massachusetts. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,781,525
- +18.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $49,487
- +15.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $21,000
- Total assets
- $31,364,714
- +1.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 36, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% 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 Stanley W Watson Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 220 Main Street Suite 202, Falmouth, MA 02540
Phone: (508) 548-1155
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stanley W Watson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution ($450K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
166 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 166 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in Massachusetts. Listed recipients include organizations in Falmouth, Woods Hole, Mashpee, Hyannis, and other Massachusetts communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stanley W Watson Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 36 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $1.5M (2023) to $1.9M (2020). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA | Unrestricted | $450,000 |
| Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole, MA | Unrestricted | $200,000 |
| Community Health Center of Cape Cod Mashpee, MA | Unrestricted | $188,000 |
| Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation Hyannis, MA | Unrestricted | $180,000 |
| Cape Cod Young Men's Christian Association Inc West Barnstable, MA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation Inc Visiting Nurse Association Hyannis, MA | Allocated to the Visiting Nurse Association | $90,000 |
| Falmouth Housing Corporation Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted | $70,000 |
| The 300 Committee Land Trust Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Gosnold Inc Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc Woods Hole, MA | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $31,364,714 | $2,248,042 | $1,886,400 | $1,781,525 | 36 | $1,799,289 | $2,843,714 | $2,306,629 |
| 2023 | $31,003,072 | $2,539,290 | $1,667,013 | $1,500,000 | 35 | $1,517,230 | $1,663,389 | $1,815,574 |
| 2022 | $30,130,795 | $1,873,253 | $1,891,749 | $1,682,720 | 35 | $1,682,870 | $848,410 | $1,850,693 |
| 2021 | $30,149,291 | $2,529,625 | $1,958,532 | $1,815,000 | 30 | $1,815,950 | $1,692,742 | $2,089,535 |
| 2020 | $29,831,672 | $2,837,460 | $2,199,656 | $1,901,100 | 30 | — | $3,205,922 | $1,801,243 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stanley W Watson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. The Marine Biological Laboratory describes itself as a center for biological discovery and training. Community Health Center of Cape Cod says it provides equitable, patient-centered care regardless of ability to pay, while Gosnold describes its work as addiction and mental health treatment. Falmouth Housing Corporation says it works to provide affordable housing in Falmouth, and The 300 Committee Land Trust says its mission is to preserve land in Falmouth and raise awareness of open space.
Other 2024 recipients include the Cape Cod YMCA, which says it provides programs to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body; Woodwell Climate Research Center, which describes its work as climate research and informing policy and decision-making; and Falmouth Service Center, which says it works to ease stress, reduce hunger, and improve neighbors’ quality of life.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $1,781,525. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $450,000, with a median of $21,000. Among the largest grants were $450,000 to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, $200,000 to Marine Biological Laboratory, $188,000 to Community Health Center of Cape Cod, and $180,000 to Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation. These grants were listed as unrestricted. Other notable awards included $100,000 to Cape Cod Young Men’s Christian Association, $70,000 to Falmouth Housing Corporation, and $50,000 to The 300 Committee Land Trust.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Frederica W Valois, Carol B Chittenden, and Matthew Waterbury as trustees.
Stanley W Watson Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carol B. Chittenden
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frederica W. Valois
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Waterbury
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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 Stanley W Watson Foundation
How much does Stanley W Watson Foundation give each year?
Stanley W Watson Foundation gave $1.8M across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 35 grants.
What is Stanley W Watson Foundation's typical grant size?
Stanley W Watson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $21,000, and its average grant was $49,487, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stanley W Watson Foundation that year got $39K on average.
Where does Stanley W Watson Foundation give grants?
Stanley W Watson Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Falmouth, MA (14 grants), Woods Hole, MA (11 grants), Hyannis, MA (3 grants) and New Bedford, MA (2 grants).
Does Stanley W Watson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Stanley W Watson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Stanley W Watson Foundation's largest grantees?
Stanley W Watson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution ($450,000), Marine Biological Laboratory ($200,000) and Community Health Center of Cape Cod ($188,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Stanley W Watson Foundation?
Stanley W Watson Foundation reported $31.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Stanley W Watson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. The Marine Biological Laboratory describes itself as a center for biological discovery and training. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stanley W Watson 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 Stanley W Watson Foundation's EIN?
Stanley W Watson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3100750. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Stanley W Watson Foundation 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). Stanley W Watson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stanley-w-watson-foundation-morg_20709516996b4e30b44c10e1d9239db1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223100750_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stanley W Watson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stanley-w-watson-foundation-morg_20709516996b4e30b44c10e1d9239db1},
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 Stanley W Watson 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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