The Access Strategies Fund
The Access Strategies Fund is a private foundation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It supports the civic participation and collective power of underserved communities, and provides funding and technical assistance to 501(c)(3) organizations working in Massachusetts communities.
The Access Strategies Fund at a glance
In short: The Access Strategies Fund gave $427K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $28K), mostly in Massachusetts. 83% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $426,500
- +513.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +400.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $28,433
- +22.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $7,738,113
- -0.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 83% first-time grantees (10 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (93% 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 The Access Strategies Fund
- Contact
Mailing address: 678 Massachusetts Avenue 7Th Fl, Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: (617) 494-0715
Email: info@accessstrategies.org
Website: https://www.accessstrategies.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Access Strategies Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Community Foundation of Western MA ($140K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $425K.
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 30 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The funder’s website describes its work as supporting communities in Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing states that awards are limited to Massachusetts organizations. The 2024 grant list shows 93% of grant dollars going to recipients in Massachusetts and 7% to recipients in New York; the New York grant was for the Springfield No One Leaves project.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Access Strategies Fund open to new grantees?
83%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 12 grantees (83%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 8% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 7129% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 200% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $5K (2020) to $427K (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $427K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation of Western MA Springfield, MA | FBO Building Power in Western Ma Fund | $110,000 |
| Third Sector New England Boston, MA | FBO Ma Voter Table | $50,000 |
| Resist Boston, MA | FBO Stories Inspiring Movements General Support | $35,000 |
| Arise Springfield, MA | General Support Pilot Project | $30,000 |
| Community Foundation of Western MA Springfield, MA | FBO Racial Equity & Social Justice | $30,000 |
| Mass Senior Action Council Quincy, MA | General Support Pilot Project | $30,000 |
| Neighbor to Neighbor Worcester, MA | General Support Pilot Project | $30,000 |
| Pioneer Valley Project Springfield, MA | General Support Pilot Project | $30,000 |
| Right to the City Alliance Brooklyn, NY | Fbo springfield no one leaves general support pilot project | $30,000 |
| Worcester Interfaith Inc Worcester, MA | General Support Leadership Trainings | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Access Strategies Fund?
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 | $7,738,113 | $765,892 | $854,465 | $426,500 | 15 | $759,830 | $218,829 | $380,799 |
| 2023 | $7,759,444 | $235,574 | $472,098 | $69,500 | 3 | $474,102 | $123,933 | $353,459 |
| 2022 | $7,364,190 | $203,701 | $316,552 | — | — | $233,462 | $120,301 | $365,814 |
| 2021 | $9,110,149 | $874,901 | $410,655 | $5,900 | 6 | $254,171 | $731,153 | $402,058 |
| 2020 | $7,751,505 | $-210,030 | $624,433 | $4,626 | 6 | — | $83,592 | $373,124 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Access Strategies Fund reported a distributable amount of $381K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The funder’s stated mission is to support the collective power of underserved communities to engage in the democratic process and improve the lives of individuals and society. Its website says it provides funding and technical assistance to organizations working with diverse women, people of color, low-income people, immigrant communities, people with disabilities, and other groups denied power in Massachusetts communities.
Its three stated program areas are Civic Engagement, the Women’s Public Leadership program, and the Solidarity Economy Initiative. The website describes civic engagement work that includes census participation and redistricting, and a women’s leadership program that supports initiatives and retreats for community building, mutual learning, and healing.
Among its 2024 grantees, ARISE describes its mission as educating, organizing, and uniting low-income working people. Pioneer Valley Project says it works to relieve poverty and discrimination and promote just economic development in Greater Springfield. Resist describes itself as supporting movements for justice and liberation through resource redistribution and storytelling.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the funder reported 15 grants totaling $426,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $110,000, with a median of $30,000. Notable grants included $110,000 to Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for the Building Power in Western MA Fund; $50,000 to Third Sector New England for the MA Voter Table; and $35,000 to Resist for Stories Inspiring Movements general support. Other grants included $30,000 each to ARISE, Mass Senior Action Council, Neighbor to Neighbor, Pioneer Valley Project, and Right to the City Alliance.
The funder’s filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. How to apply: The filing lists applications by email, with no application form or materials specified, and states that awards are limited to Massachusetts organizations. Deadline: N/A.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Maria Jobin-Leeds as chair/treasurer; Greg Jobin-Leeds as board member emeritus; Meg Gage, Elena Letona, and Pierre Joseph as directors; and Guillermo Quinteros as executive director/managing weaver.
The Access Strategies Fund is led by Guillermo Quinteros, Executive Director & Managing Weaver on every filing since 2022; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Guillermo Quinteros
Executive Director & Managing Weaver
On filings since 2022
13 hrs/week
$8K (2022) → $82K (2024)
Maria Jobin-Leeds
Chair & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meg Gage
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Elena Letona
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Pierre Joseph
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Jobin-Leeds
Board Member Emeritus
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mariama White-Hammond (2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $82K, to Guillermo Quinteros (Exec. DIR./ Managing Weaver).
Frequently asked questions about The Access Strategies Fund
How much does The Access Strategies Fund give each year?
The Access Strategies Fund gave $427K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $70K across 3 grants.
What is The Access Strategies Fund's typical grant size?
The Access Strategies Fund's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $28,433, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Access Strategies Fund that year got $39K on average.
Where does The Access Strategies Fund give grants?
The Access Strategies Fund gives mostly in Massachusetts: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (5 grants), Springfield, MA (4 grants), Worcester, MA (2 grants) and Roxbury, MA (2 grants).
Does The Access Strategies Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of The Access Strategies Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Access Strategies Fund's largest grantees?
The Access Strategies Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Community Foundation of Western MA ($140,000 across 2 grants), Third Sector New England ($50,000) and Resist ($37,500 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Access Strategies Fund?
The Access Strategies Fund reported $7.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $760K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $381K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Access Strategies Fund fund?
The funder’s stated mission is to support the collective power of underserved communities to engage in the democratic process and improve the lives of individuals and society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Access Strategies Fund?
The Access Strategies Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check accessstrategies.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Access Strategies Fund's EIN?
The Access Strategies Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3464581. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Access Strategies Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Access Strategies Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Access Strategies Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-access-strategies-fund-morg_70f76119b47545f3880f537cb97fb6b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043464581_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Access Strategies Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-access-strategies-fund-morg_70f76119b47545f3880f537cb97fb6b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Access Strategies Fund'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.
The Access Strategies Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?