Sullivan Family Foundation
Sullivan Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Milton, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports 11 grants totaling $452,500 to organizations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 16 grants totaling $618,500.
Sullivan Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sullivan Family Foundation gave $619K across 16 grants in 2026 (avg $39K), mostly in Massachusetts. 44% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $618,500
- +36.7% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 16
- +45.5% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $38,656
- -6.0% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $1,523,301
- -19.0% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (7 of 16, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (94% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sullivan Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. For scholarship applications, it names Margaret Sullivan Walsh as the contact and requires a written application with a statement that the candidate intends to use the award for tuition, fees, living expenses, travel, books, and supplies in connection with study at an educational institution. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- Deadlines may be established from time to time by the trustees.
- Deadline
- Deadlines may be established from time to time by the trustees.
- Contact
Application contact: Margaret Sullivan Walsh
Mailing address: 117 Harbor View Road, Milton, MA 02186
Phone: (617) 478-2040
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sullivan Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Massachusetts General Hospital ($150K). Together the top 10 received $585K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 40 grants of 59 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 22% to recipients in New Hampshire, and 1% to recipients in Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sullivan Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 7 of 16 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 56% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 62% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 181% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $328K (2024) to $619K (2026). In 2026 it made 16 grants totaling $619K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Support Research | $150,000 |
| Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cambridge, MA | Support the Spaulding Discovery Center for Stroke Recovery | $100,000 |
| The Boston Pops Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| St Francis House Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Lifeworks Inc Westwood, MA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Carroll Center for the Blind Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Homes for Our Troops Taunton, MA | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Maria Droste Services Quincy, MA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Cure Alzheimer's Fund Wellesley, MA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| American Red Cross Boone, IA | Hurricane Relief Jamaica | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sullivan Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1,523,301 | $290,401 | $648,563 | $618,500 | 16 | $644,244 | $287,180 | $356,652 |
| 2025 | $1,881,462 | $546,696 | $479,831 | $452,500 | 11 | $454,250 | $95,245 | $328,455 |
| 2024 | $1,814,597 | $339,658 | $360,231 | $327,500 | 9 | $351,575 | $88,333 | $290,957 |
| 2023 | $1,835,170 | $654,610 | $412,928 | $382,500 | 12 | $382,500 | $404,610 | $258,086 |
| 2022 | $1,593,488 | $308,692 | $429,621 | $403,500 | 11 | $403,500 | $308,692 | $270,261 |
| 2021 | $1,714,417 | $72,803 | $621,363 | $595,500 | 10 | — | $72,803 | $233,596 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sullivan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $357K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included $55,000 to LifeWorks Inc.; the grantee describes its mission as providing education, jobs, and homes for people with developmental disabilities. Homes for Our Troops, which received $25,000, says it builds and donates specially adapted homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. The Carroll Center for the Blind, also receiving $25,000, describes its mission as empowering blind and visually impaired people to achieve independence and a fulfilling life.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $452,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $150,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest grants were $150,000 to Massachusetts General Hospital, $100,000 to Tomten Farm & Sanctuary, $55,000 to LifeWorks Inc., and $50,000 to St Francis House. The remaining grants included $25,000 each to Homes for Our Troops and the Carroll Center for the Blind; $20,000 to Maria Droste Counseling Services; $10,000 each to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and the American Red Cross (for the Hurricane Milton Relief Fund); $5,000 to the Forbes House Museum; and $2,500 to Support the Troops WI. All were listed as unrestricted except the Red Cross grant. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 16 grants totaling $618,500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Margaret Walsh Sullivan and Margaret Sullivan Walsh as trustees, and Patrick Walsh as manager.
Sullivan Family Foundation's 2026 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Margaret Sullivan Walsh
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$22K (2021) → $0 (2026)
Margaret Walsh Sullivan
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Walsh
Manager
On filings since 2024
15 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $24K (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $24K, to Patrick Walsh (Manager).
Frequently asked questions about Sullivan Family Foundation
How much does Sullivan Family Foundation give each year?
Sullivan Family Foundation gave $619K across 16 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $453K across 11 grants.
What is Sullivan Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sullivan Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $20,000, and its average grant was $38,656, across 16 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sullivan Family Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does Sullivan Family Foundation give grants?
Sullivan Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants) and Quincy, MA (2 grants).
Does Sullivan Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of Sullivan Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sullivan Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sullivan Family Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Massachusetts General Hospital ($150,000), Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital ($100,000) and The Boston Pops ($100,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Sullivan Family Foundation?
Sullivan Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $644K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $357K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sullivan Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included $55,000 to LifeWorks Inc.; the grantee describes its mission as providing education, jobs, and homes for people with developmental disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sullivan Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sullivan Family Foundation's EIN?
Sullivan Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3864725. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Sullivan Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sullivan Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sullivan Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sullivan-family-foundation-morg_b240c97aaab245fd8aef00290802149e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203864725_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sullivan Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sullivan-family-foundation-morg_b240c97aaab245fd8aef00290802149e},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-12. 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 Sullivan 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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