The a & a Fund
The A & A Fund is a private foundation based in Waltham, Massachusetts. The organization holds 501(c)(3) status and was established in 1992.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.5M
+2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$540K
+5.9% YoY
Grant Count
21
-4.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
+10.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The a & a Fund reported a distributable amount of $587K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grant-making priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Scouting Organization Grants
- Youth Development
- Leadership Grants
- Grants for Jewish Nonprofits
- Higher Education
- Grants for Native Americans
Grantmaking
Ready to take the next step with The a & a Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- New York
- California
- Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $7,451,018
- Total Annual Giving: $540,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,451,018 | $7,280,374 | $7,454,271 |
| Revenue | $481,481 | $330,737 | $90,181 |
| Expenses | $629,469 | $610,080 | $568,563 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $547,673 | $519,820 | $490,070 |
| Net Investment Income | $659,794 | $358,636 | $211,565 |
| Distributable Amount | $586,614 | $562,657 | $581,495 |
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
96 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Dungkar Gonpa Society ($150,000), Yale University (lex Hixon Archive Fund) ($40,000), Muslims for Progressive Values ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BRIDGE BOSTON FOUNDATION INC BRIDGE BOSTON CHARTER SCHOOL ROXBURY, MA | OPERATES CHARTER SCHOOL | $15,000 |
| COLLEGE FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION INC BOSTON, MA | EDUCATE AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROBLEM SOLVERS | $20,000 |
| DEMOCRACY NOW PRODUCTIONS INC NEW YORK, NY | INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT PUBLIC MEDIA COLLABORATION | $25,000 |
| DION'S CHICAGO DREAM INC MATTESON, IL | ELIMINATE FOOD INSECURITY | $20,000 |
| DUNGKAR GONPA SOCIETY LEW BEACH, NY | RELIGIOUS | $150,000 |
| ECHOING GREEN INC NEW YORK, NY | PHILANTHROPY/ VOLUNTARISM | $25,000 |
| GARRISON INSTITUTE GARRISON, NY | SPIRITUAL | $5,000 |
| HAWAIIAN MISSION CHILDREN'S SOCIETY DBA HAWAIIAN MISSION HOUSES HISTORIC S HONOLULU, HI | TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT CONNECT HAWAII'S HISTORY FROM 19TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT | $10,000 |
| JEWEL HEART CORP ANN ARBOR, MI | RELIGIOUS | $10,000 |
| MUSLIMS FOR PROGRESSIVE VALUES LOS ANGELES, CA | EDUCATIONAL/CULTURAL | $35,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHEILA K HIXON | ADVISORY BOARD | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDRA H BALLARD | ADVISORY BOARD | 1 | — |
| DYLAN H HIXON | ADVISORY BOARD | 1 | — |
| SHANTI S HIXON | ADVISORY BOARD | 1 | — |
| INDIA T RADFAR | ADVISORY BOARD | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER PELIS | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| BROOKE MANFREDI | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1075 Main Street, Suite 200, Waltham, MA 02451-7461
EIN: 04-3127721
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The a & a Fund fund?
The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Scouting Organization Grants • Youth Development • Leadership Grants • Grants for Jewish Nonprofits • Higher Education • Grants for Native Americans
How do I apply for a grant from The a & a Fund?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $150,000. **Annual Giving:** $540,000 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing from 2024)
Where does The a & a Fund make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • New York • California • Massachusetts
What size grants does The a & a Fund award?
In 2024, The a & a Fund awarded 21 grants totaling $540K — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The a & a Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The a & a Fund reported a distributable amount of $587K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The a & a Fund's EIN?
The a & a Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3127721. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The a & a Fund'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.