The Ahearn Family Foundation
The Ahearn Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New Canaan, Connecticut. Established in 1994 by Attorney Donald P. Ahearn of West Hartford, it supports specific needs of programs serving the poor, the arts, and education.
The Ahearn Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ahearn Family Foundation gave $67K across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Connecticut. 26% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,655
- +2.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- -11.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,898
- +15.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,635
- Total assets
- $1,533,375
- -4.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (6 of 23, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (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 The Ahearn Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact the foundation in writing to request consideration and application materials.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists April 1 and September 1. Both 2026 dates have passed; the filing does not confirm future deadlines.
- Deadline
- The filing lists April 1 and September 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Caroline Toce Ahearn Family Foundat
Mailing address: 42 Beacon Hill Lane, New Canaan, CT 06840
Phone: (203) 987-3660
Email: caroline.toce@cttrustee.com
Website: https://www.ahearnff.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ahearn Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hands on Hartford ($6K). Together the top 10 received $45K.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 109 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states in its 2024 filing that it concentrates grantmaking on projects and needs within Hartford County. All of its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ahearn Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 23 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 52% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 45% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% 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 $46K (2021) to $90K (2022). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $67K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hands on Hartford Hartford, CT | Funding to purchase replacement tables and chairs for gather55/community meals dining facility. | $6,262 |
| Southington Community Cultural Arts Southington, CT | Funding to purchase an used bailey twin auger 80# clay mixer and pugger in support of their "project slop to recycled clay" program. | $6,000 |
| Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble Bristol, CT | Funding to purchase several needed items: 2-3 laptops, music, music folders, filing boxes, recording/percussion equipment and new band shirts featuring their new logo. | $5,362 |
| Connecticut Children's Foundation Hartford, CT | Funding to purchase supplies for their new inpatient medical-psychiatric unit: weighted blankets, safe art supplies, foam building pieces, vibrating weighted lap pads, dvd players, gel pads and play mats, blankets and stuffed animals, etc. | $5,000 |
| Prudence Crandall Center New Britain, CT | Funding to support the renovation of their rose hill waiting room: 3 side tables, 6 chairs, a bookshelf, lamps, paint and artwork for walls, new carpeting and window treatments, toys, games and books and 2 bulletin boards. | $4,925 |
| American School for the Deaf West Hartford, CT | Support to purchase 17 tripp trapp for the common spaces of the school. | $4,063 |
| Integrated Health Services Newington, CT | Funding to support the newington school district based health center; ipads, anatomical visual aids, medical-grade scale, an otoscope and a stethoscope. | $3,917 |
| The Children's Museum West Hartford, CT | Funding to Purchase Materials for Interactive Discovery Boards. | $3,126 |
| American Clock & Watch Museum Bristol, CT | Funding to support the creation of a mural by magge gagliardi outside the museum. | $3,000 |
| Connectikids Inc Hartford, CT | Funding to help support youth development afterschool and summer programs: laptops, new tents, fold-out tables and weather proof storage bins | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ahearn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,533,375 | $45,629 | $120,271 | $66,655 | 23 | $99,318 | $24,883 | $97,034 |
| 2023 | $1,608,493 | $50,373 | $104,094 | $65,231 | 26 | $90,231 | $36,585 | $82,835 |
| 2022 | $436,597 | $244,218 | $116,504 | $90,385 | 27 | $90,385 | $33,097 | $75,294 |
| 2021 | $308,883 | $48,386 | $60,584 | $46,049 | 16 | $46,149 | $25,904 | $20,523 |
| 2020 | $321,406 | $7,612 | $54,318 | $48,579 | 17 | — | $12,596 | $19,415 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ahearn Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $97K 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 foundation’s stated purpose is to assist specific needs of programs that serve the poor, support the arts, and enhance education. Its 2024 grants included support for community meals, arts programs and facilities, educational and youth programs, and health-related services.
Among the 2024 grantees, Hands On Hartford says it strengthens the Hartford community by responding to people in need. Prudence Crandall Center describes its work as helping people achieve lives free of domestic violence through care, advocacy, support, and education. ConnectiKids says it supports Hartford children through mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $66,655. Grants ranged from $447 to $6,262, with a median grant of $2,635. Notable awards included $6,262 to Hands On Hartford for replacement tables and chairs for its community meals dining facility; $6,000 to Southington Community Cultural Arts for a clay mixer and pugger; $5,362 to Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble for equipment and other program needs; and $5,000 to Connecticut Children’s Foundation for supplies for a new inpatient medical-psychiatric unit.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says applicants should contact Caroline Toce in writing. The foundation uses the Coordinating Council for Foundations Common Grant Application Form and forwards the application and requested-document information to organizations being considered. Applications are considered at quarterly meetings in March, June, September, and November. The filing says the foundation does not consider grants to individuals or to the general-fund operating phases of established programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Caroline Toce and Joseph Toce as trustees. The foundation’s website identifies Caroline Toce as Trustee and Chairman of the Board, Joseph Toce as Trustee and Board Member, and Beth Miller as a Board Member.
The Ahearn Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Caroline Toce
Trustee
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$500 (2020) → $29K (2024)
Joseph Toce
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Beth Miller (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Catherine M. D'amato (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Terrence Ahearn (2020–2022) — Chairman & Trustee
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 $29K, to Caroline Toce (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Ahearn Family Foundation
How much does The Ahearn Family Foundation give each year?
The Ahearn Family Foundation gave $67K across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $65K across 26 grants.
What is The Ahearn Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ahearn Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,635, and its average grant was $2,898, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ahearn Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Ahearn Family Foundation give grants?
The Ahearn Family Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (8 grants), Bristol, CT (6 grants), West Hartford, CT (2 grants) and New Britain, CT (2 grants).
Does The Ahearn Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on The Ahearn Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Ahearn Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ahearn Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hands on Hartford ($6,262), Southington Community Cultural Arts ($6,000) and Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble ($5,362), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ahearn Family Foundation?
The Ahearn Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $99K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $97K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ahearn Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to assist specific needs of programs that serve the poor, support the arts, and enhance education. Its 2024 grants included support for community meals, arts programs and facilities, educational and youth programs, and health-related services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ahearn Family Foundation?
Contact the foundation in writing to request consideration and application materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ahearn Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ahearn Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1413251. 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ahearn Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ahearn-family-foundation-morg_602a6c95cd3942eea282352441a59f31
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061413251_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ahearn Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ahearn-family-foundation-morg_602a6c95cd3942eea282352441a59f31},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Ahearn 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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