The Swartz Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 1994 in Boston, Massachusetts, and based in Newton, MA. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since September 1995. The foundation is a family foundation with significant assets and a focused philanthropic mission centered on Jewish causes and theoretical neuroscience research.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$220.8M
+5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.8M
+36.9% YoY
Grant Count
15
-6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$653K
+46.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Swartz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's strategic intent is to integrate problem-solving approaches from physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science into neuroscience research. The foundation supports theoretical neuroscience research—including computational neuroscience—that investigates basic principles and mechanisms of brain function at multiple levels: biophysical (molecular and cellular), circuit and network, and whole brain system, behavioral, and social interaction levels.
Beyond neuroscience, the foundation provides grants primarily to Jewish organizations for medical research, Jewish temples, federated giving programs, social services, and education. The foundation's grantmaking emphasizes health, human services, community development, education, and religion.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not maintain a public application process and supports only preselected organizations. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are made through trustee-directed giving rather than formal grant programs with published guidelines or application deadlines.
Grant Range
$500 to $1,500,000
Average Grant
$20,000
Review Cycle
.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:
- Boston area and Massachusetts
- South Florida
- National (U.S.) organizations
- Israel
Approximately half of the foundation's grantmaking supports Israeli organizations or U.S.-based organizations advancing Israeli causes. U.S. grantmaking prioritizes Boston-area organizations but extends to Jewish organizations with national reach.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Annual Activity (2024):
- Total assets: $220,801,315
- Total revenues: $23,722,214
- Total expenses: $13,328,988
- Annual giving: $10.3 million
Assets & Annual Activity (2023):
- Total assets: $210 million
- Revenue: $11.6 million
- Expenses: $10.2 million
- Total liabilities: $0
Historical Context: The foundation received approximately $110 million when the Swartz family sold Timberland to V.F. Corporation in 2011.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $220,801,315 | $210,367,347 | $195,438,630 |
| Revenue | $23,722,214 | $11,556,492 | $17,509,121 |
| Expenses | $13,328,988 | $10,202,308 | $1,852,118 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,291,550 | $11,716,300 | $776,431 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,986,857 | $9,373,583 | $12,709,558 |
| Distributable Amount | $12,604,252 | $11,520,652 | $10,728,350 |
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
105 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc ($4,528,140), Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc ($3,000,000), American Friends of Maoz-seal Inc ($524,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL INC TEANECK, NJ | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAOZ-SEAL INC HAVERHILL, MA | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $524,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAOZ-SEAL INC HAVERHILL, MA | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $485,000 |
| BZ MEDIA MELVILLE, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| CAMP HACHSHARA-MOSHAVA OF NY INC HONESDALE, PA | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| COMBINED JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES OF GREATER BOSTON INC BOSTON, MA | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $3,000,000 |
| HADASSAH MEDICAL ORGANIZATION | STEM CELL RESEARCH | $419,206 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY INC BOCA RATON, FL | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| KESHET DONOR ADVISED FUND | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $1,040 |
| MERIT SPREAD FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Swartz Foundation was established by Sidney (Sydney) Swartz and Judith Swartz. Sidney Swartz is the former chairman and CEO of Timberland, the outdoor footwear and apparel company founded by his father Nathan Swartz in 1952.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIDNEY W SWARTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY SWARTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JUDITH SWARTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL SWARTZ | OFFICER - DRE | 40 | — |
Contact Information
Address: c/o FWP, 2310 Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Newton, MA 02462
Phone: (617) 951-7000 or (617) 602-1901
Website: The foundation does not maintain a public website.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Swartz Foundation fund?
The foundation's strategic intent is to integrate problem-solving approaches from physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science into neuroscience research. The foundation supports theoretical neuroscience research—including computational neuroscience—that investigates basic principles and mechanisms of brain function at multiple levels: biophysical (molecular and cellular), circuit and network, and whole brain system, behavioral, and social interaction levels. Beyond neuros…
How do I apply for a grant from Swartz Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $500 to $1,500,000 • Average grant: $20,000 • Annual giving: $10.3 million (2024) • Total giving: $9,788,659 (based on recent filings) **Application Process:** The foundation does not maintain a public application process and supports only preselected organizations. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are made through trustee-directed giving rather than formal grant programs with published guidelines or application deadlines. **…
Where does Swartz Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • Boston area and Massachusetts • South Florida • National (U.S.) organizations • Israel Approximately half of the foundation's grantmaking supports Israeli organizations or U.S.-based organizations advancing Israeli causes. U.S. grantmaking prioritizes Boston-area organizations but extends to Jewish organizations with national reach.
What size grants does Swartz Foundation award?
In 2024, Swartz Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $9.8M — an average of about $653K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Swartz Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Swartz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Swartz Foundation's EIN?
Swartz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3255974. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Swartz Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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