The Ajana Foundation
The Ajana Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2024, it made grants to organizations working in areas including food access, sustainable agriculture, food waste, and food-system development.
Key facts about The Ajana Foundation
In short: The Ajana Foundation gave $1.6M across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $96K), mostly in Massachusetts. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-7299038
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,630,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- Average grant
- $95,882
- Median grant
- $100,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 17, 2024)
- Total assets
- $33,475,956
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (76% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$33.5M
+2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
-2.4% YoY
Grant Count
17
-10.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$96K
+9.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ajana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Ajana Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 17 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 83% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for food access and hunger relief, sustainable farming, food rescue, and organizational planning and capacity building.
Among its grantees, Boston Area Gleaners describes its mission as increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting regional farms and reducing food waste. The Food Project says it brings youth and adults from diverse backgrounds together to build a sustainable food system. ReFED describes its work as catalyzing evidence-based action to stop food waste, and Green City Force says it trains young leaders to advance a green and inclusive economy through service. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $1,630,000. Grants ranged from $45,000 to $150,000, with a median of $100,000. Examples include $150,000 to The Urban Food Initiative (Daily Table) in support of healthy, affordable grocery stores; $130,000 to Trustees of Tufts for the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and greenhouse capital support; and $130,000 to the Urban Farming Institute for its capital campaign and general operating support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 18% to recipients in New York, and 6% to recipients in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $285K (2020) to $1.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Urban Food Initiative DBA Daily Table ($150K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
180 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 180 (71%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Urban Food Initiative DBA Daily Table Dorchester, MA | In Support of Healthy Affordable Grocery Stores | $150,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts Boston, MA | For new entry sustainable farming project and capital support for the greenhouse | $130,000 |
| Urban Farming Institute Mattapan, MA | Capital Campaign and General Operating Support. | $130,000 |
| Harvard Law School Food Law & Policy Clinic Cambridge, MA | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
| Green City Force Brooklyn, NY | In Support of Organizational Planning | $105,000 |
| Boston Area Gleaners Acton, MA | In Support of Strategic Planning | $100,000 |
| Commonwealth Kitchen Dorchester, MA | In Support of Organizational Planning and Capacity Building | $100,000 |
| Haley House Boston, MA | In support of expanding the take back the kitchen program | $100,000 |
| Lovin' Spoonfuls Inc Newton, MA | In support of food rescue and hunger relief of Massachusetts | $100,000 |
| Refed Long Island City, NY | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,475,956 | $6,675,515 | $1,863,112 | $1,630,000 |
| 2023 | $32,652,167 | $9,614,719 | $1,986,586 | $1,670,000 |
| 2022 | $21,032,847 | $671,022 | $1,299,866 | $1,045,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $33,475,956 | $32,652,167 | $21,032,847 |
| Revenue | $6,675,515 | $9,614,719 | $671,022 |
| Expenses | $1,863,112 | $1,986,586 | $1,299,866 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,703,503 | $1,729,728 | $1,064,403 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,076,726 | $473,984 | $516,192 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,543,939 | $1,316,193 | $1,183,271 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists four trustees: Daphne Hoch Cunningham, Roland E Hoch, Steven G Hoch, and Alix M Laager.
The Ajana Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alix M. Laager
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daphne Hoch Cunningham
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roland E. Hoch
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven G. Hoch
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 2 Liberty Square Ste 500, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 426-7080
Frequently asked questions about The Ajana Foundation
How much does The Ajana Foundation give each year?
The Ajana Foundation gave $1.6M across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 19 grants.
What is The Ajana Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ajana Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $95,882, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Ajana Foundation give grants?
The Ajana Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (18%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants) and Dorchester, MA (2 grants).
Does The Ajana Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 29% of The Ajana Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "In Support of Organizational Planning and Capacity Building" (3 grants).
Who are The Ajana Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ajana Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Urban Food Initiative DBA Daily Table ($150,000), Trustees of Tufts ($130,000) and Urban Farming Institute ($130,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ajana Foundation?
The Ajana Foundation reported $33.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ajana Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for food access and hunger relief, sustainable farming, food rescue, and organizational planning and capacity building. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ajana Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ajana Foundation's EIN?
The Ajana Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7299038. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ajana Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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